𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑━︎━︎ B. Denbrough ✓︎

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

HER TEARS REACHED THE corners of her lips as she sat in her room. Her knees were pulled up to her chest as her arms were wrapped tightly around them. The yelling was so loud and it echoed down the hall and under her closed bedroom doors, entering her ears in painful screeches that made her sobs harder to keep contained. She would wince every time the sound of glass shattering could be heard, every time the sound of a slap or punch could be heard as her mother let out screams of pain.

Athena was only seven. She was hiding in the corner of her room with all of the lights turned off. Her hands covered her ears as she rocked her body back and forth as a way to try and comfort herself. Her eyes widened in fear when she heard footsteps come closer and closer to her door. She moved as far away as she could, her palms flat on the floor as she stared at her white door in anticipation.

Was it her turn? Was she going to be black and blue just like she knew her mother was? Her door flew open and she squeezed her eyes shut, her head turning slightly as she waited for the yelling and the painful skin to skin contact. But it never came. She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at her mother who had kneeled in front of her. Tears ran down Arabella's face as she looked at her daughter with sorrow filled eyes.

"Where's daddy?" Athena's voice was fragile and broken as she looked at her mother, the fear still clearly written across the young child's face.

"Daddy went out." Arabella answered her child. At the news, fear left her body and her held back sobs started to appear. Arabella quickly wrapped her arms around her daughters body, holding Athena as close to her as she possibly could. "Sh, it's alright, baby. It's going to be alright."

This happened for three more years until finally, Aiden Johnson left. He took everything with him, the money, the house. Arabella was forced to change her last name, not wanting anything to do with the man she once called her husband. She changed her name back to her maiden name, Ellison, and made sure to change Athena's last name as well. She built everything up from scratch. But this caused Arabella to never be home.

The mother of Athena got an amazing job as the head doctor in the hospital in Derry, Maine. Derry was Athena's hometown, and she was thankful that her father had left the small town instead of having to make her mother and herself leave. Derry, Maine was the one town that she loved, the one town that she had gained the best friend possible. She was a spunky redhead by the name Beverly Marsh that instantly clicked with Athena when they were only kids. They were each other's comfort, each others go to.

And then the ending of their seventh grade year came along, and that's when things got really complicated. And Athena didn't know whether or not she liked complicated.