chapter four
twin intuition
After cleaning John B's wounds at the Chateau, Athena helped Pope get him into his bed, John B still unconscious throughout the entire thing but luckily still breathing. Athena sighed as she stared at the boy led down before she turned and left his bedroom. The blonde greeted the pogues, who were sprawled around the Chateau.
"Hey Thena, he alright in there?" Kie asked.
"He's breathing." Athena told her. "I should head home."
"Yeah us too." Pope agreed. "I'll walk with you Kie."
"Awesome. I'll see you around Thens." Kie waved her goodbye. Pope following after, but not before hugging the Cameron girl.
The two walked out the front door and suddenly Athena was left, stood in the Chateau alone. She sighed, wandering outside where JJ stood, smoking. Athena shivered slightly as she stared at the dark blue sky, constellations shining down on the two, lighting their faces as if there was a spotlight on them from god himself, making his presence known to the couple, like they were special for some odd reason.
Athena continued to stare at the stares, tilting her head to the side slightly. She was unaware that JJ had now turned to face her, taking in and admiring her side profile. Athena Cameron, just like her name was a goddess, the epitome of beauty. However, for just as Athena was the goddess of war, Athena seemingly had a war going on inside of her.
JJ could tell. As soon as he set sights on her gorgeous blue eyes, he could see the conflict that lied beneath them. The eyes were the window to your soul, wasn't that the saying? And God, could JJ Maybank read Athena Cameron like a book. Inside her eyes, he could see the war that raged on, like a storm over the sea. Waves crashing against each other, fighting over who gets to reach the horizon first. And Athena was little a small boat, right in the middle of the fight, trying her hardest to stay afloat and not get dragged under by either side, forgotten in the big picture as she drowns alone.
The war?
Kook vs Pogues. The whole island war made Athena feel small, like she was a tiny boat. Athena could barely stay afloat, she constantly felt as if she was drowning, dragged under as the war raged on. Athena Cameron didn't know what side of the war she wished to be on, in all honestly she just wanted to survive.
Survive and then leave.
JJ knew it all. JJ Maybank understood Athena Cameron in a way that no one else did. For a boy who had only spoken a total of about three words to her directly (all of which were spoken about an hour ago), he has always been able to read her. Maybe it was all those years of admiring from afar? Or maybe it was because JJ had been victim of that war himself? Maybe it was that JJ too had wanted to simply survive and escape?
No one knew really. Well except for Aphrodite, who sat up above them, watching them with a close eye, a smile on her sweet face.
"I'll walk you home, if you want?" JJ suddenly spoke up, snapping Athena's attention from the shining stars over to him.
Athena met his eye, her eyebrows knitting in both shock and confusion at his statement. Athena had never really seen or spoken to JJ ever, however she knew of him, for everybody did; JJ Maybank had quite the reputation in Outer Banks. However, his reputation never spoke of how softly he could speak. How he didn't look her in the eye for more than ten seconds before he looked away. How he stuttered slightly when he spoke, but his confidence stance didn't make you fully notice it.
His reputation didn't mention a lot of things that you notice stood so close to him. That Athena noticed. Athena, while she may have her heads in the clouds most days, actually noticed a lot more than people think. The blonde box dye hasn't mushed her brain just yet. She notices a lot of things, when she's focused on something or someone she noticed more than most.
For just as JJ could read Athena, she could read JJ a hundred times better.
But she didn't have time to get a full analysis on the boy because she had been silent for too long, and the boy had begun to awkwardly bounce on his heels. Athena smiled slightly.
"Um, I'm sure I'll be alright." Athena told him, beginning to walk down the steps from the porch of the Chateau, making her way back towards the main road.
JJ hesitation at the rejection, before quickly running to catch up with her. "Now, what kind of gentlemen what I be if I let a pretty girl walk home by herself in the dark. You never know what trouble lies in the shadows."
Athena turned to him as he fell in step with her. She thought for a moment, looking around before sigh, her breath shuddering on its way out. Athena was well aware of the devils that hide in the shadows.
"Fine." Athena shrugged. "You can accompany me on my walk home."
"I was going to anyway." JJ smirked slightly. "If you said no, I was going to tell you that I was going this way anyway and so I'll just walk next to you, but not with you."
The girl laughed softly, nodding as they walked in comfortable silence. The trip to Figure Eight was further than one would think. Athena almost felt bad that JJ was walking her home when he had to walk all the back to his own home on the cut once he'd drop her off, but it was his idea so she shrugged it off, especially when the two began to speak.
They spoke about everything and anything. They even confided in each other, things they haven't told anyone else aloud. Athena hadn't laughed as much as she did with JJ in a little while... well with someone who wasn't her sisters or Dorota at least. When the two reached the Cameron household, Athena turned to JJ with a smile.
"Thanks for walking me back." She told him genuinely.
"It was my pleasure." He smiled softly. And he smiled indeed, it wasn't a smirk, or a flirty smile he uses on Tourons to get into the pants, a real genuine smile as he realised that everything he thought about Athena was true. And as she waved goodbye and he watched her walk away from him, he realised that he never wanted her to walk away from him again, because for him Athena was the sun, and he would revolve around her for the rest of his existence just to make her smile.
Because, maybe some kooks weren't bad.
Athena woke up the next morning a smile on her face. She had a pretty good night, despite the fight on the beach. The night was so good that she was already awake when Dorota came in to wake her up. The woman had been confused, but smiled and handed Athena her tea nonetheless.
The blonde had drunk her tea before getting up and showering because putting on her variety of rings (ones she had been gifted from mainly her dad), her A necklace and her bracelets (including her and Sarah's matching friendship bracelet, the bracelet Rafe had brought her with an owl – because of her name – and a star, representing them acting out 'she's the brightest star' and 'sparkle and shine' from the Nativity nearly every Christmas – Rafe having the matching symbols engraved into one of the rings he wears. She also had her matching bracelet with Wheezie, which was some claire's friendship but more expensive bracelet with half a heart on it).
She then put on her final bracelet, which was a pandora charm bracelet that Rose had gifted her for her tenth birthday, and ever since then Rose had been buying her charms for the bracelet for every silly little thing, it was an inside joke between them that they loved. The charms she already had was an A charm, for her name, the rose from beauty and the beast, for Rose, a daughter charm from her dad, a book charm to celebrate when she first passed maths, a little car charm for when she passed her driving license and got her jeep, a thirteen charm, a sixteen charm, a shopping bag charm from when her and Rose spent so much on shopping Ward had to call them to tell them to stop or they'd run out of money, she even got a D charm to celebrate Dorota being her maid for ten years.
It was a silly thing but they loved it. Rose loved buying the charms and Athena loved seeing what charm she got to represent each thing and the stupid miniscule things she bought them for.
She then put on a pink summer dress and her trainers before bouncing down the stairs and walking outside to see her family, minus Rafe, just about to eat breakfast. Athena greeted them all, sitting next to Ward on the outside seating sofa, holding her drink her to cheers the rest of her family before they ate happily. After a few minutes, Sarah got up, having finished.
"I heard about what happened at the boneyard party yesterday." Her father stated. "Are you okay?"
"Yes I'm fine." Athena told him. "It was all a big misunderstanding, you know how it is, pogues and kooks."
"I understand." Ward nodded. "Just wanted to make sure you were safe and okay."
"I am." Athena smiled once more as her dad pulled her under his arm, hugging her for a few moments before letting go. "I'm going to go find Sarah."
"Have fun honey." Ward called after her.
The girl walked towards the Druthers where she noticed the HSM pogue leaving and an angry Sarah turning around.
"Hey, you okay?" Athena asked her as she stepped onto where she was.
"Yeah, just John B being John B, you know?" Sarah huffed. "I'm so sick of the kooks versus pogues crap."
"Preaching to the choir." Athena shrugged. Sarah let out a laugh as they walked inside the Druthers and got comfortable. Athena sat next to her twin, leaning up against the wall and putting her legs on Sarah's lap. The girl huffed at Athena but allowed them to stay there nonetheless.
"Where'd you go yesterday?" Sarah suddenly asked after a few moments of silence. "After the party, I never heard you come home."
"Well I did come home, you must've been asleep." Athena told her, only receiving a raised eyebrow in response. "I helped the guys get John B home. You know because I'm a nice person."
"And I'm not?" Sarah asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
"I never said that." Athena disagreed. "Have you spoke to Topper?"
"No." Sarah shook her head.
"Not even last night." Athena questioned.
"No. If I remember correctly I was trying not to get shot at." Sarah tilted her head to the side.
"He only shot two shots, into the air." Athena scoffed lightly. "Don't be dramatic about it."
"He still did it."
"Your boyfriend still nearly drowned John B, I'd say that's subjectively worse." Athena made a face as her eyes narrowed slightly at her sister. "I mean John B was unconscious for a while unwillingly, the only time you were that unconscious last night was when you went to bed."
"Look, what Topper did was bad, okay? I get that, but it's not like I could do anything." Sarah told her.
"You could break up with him." Athena shrugged, getting a shocked look from Sarah in return. "What? Sarah he nearly killed someone, if that doesn't tell you something about his character and the fact that he never listens to you, then I don't what will."
"I'm not having this conversation again." Sarah turned to look away from the blonde.
"Does the fact that this is a repeating conversation not tell you anything at all?" Athena asked her exasperatedly.
"Athena." Sarah said in a warning tone.
"Whatever." Athena huffed.
"Wait." Sarah turned to her. "If you went to the chateau with John B, did you walk home alone in the dark?"
"No."
"Who did you walk home with then?"
"JJ."
"Oh."
"Oh what?"
"That's why you're defending him."
"I'm not defending him. He could've thought of a better way to get rid of everyone but Topper started the fight." Athena shrugged.
"Right." Sarah nodded dubiously.
The two sister spend most of the day on the Druthers, although for the first few hours the conversation was a bit strained and awkward but after a while they fell back into their familiar pattern of just talking non-stop. They joked around until it was time for dinner and then headed back to the house together. Once they had finished dinner, they both got into their most breathable pyjamas before deciding they would sleep on the Druthers as it was the only place with air conditioning.
However, they were both rudely awoken the next morning by someone banging and clanking things around. Athena groaned, turning to bury her head in her pillow as she laid next to Sarah.
"Wheezie shut up." Sarah grumbled. The person continued to make noise, causing Sarah to sit up and look and who the culprit was. "You're not Wheezie."
Athena's eyebrows furrowed, turning to see John B stood in front of them, scuba tanks over his shoulder as he looked at them sheepishly. "Oh, hey JB."
"Correct yeah, hey Thena." He replied.
"What are you doing?" Sarah asked.
"I'm just dropping off some scuba gear." John B told them. "What are- what are you doing here?"
"It's out boat." Sarah stated plainly.
"It's also the only place with air conditioning." Athena grumbled, turning back over to try and go back to sleep.
"Right." John B muttered.
"Can you two be quiet, talking and doing whatever you're here to do because I'm trying to sleep." Athena ordered, covering her ears with her pillow. However, the two were still speaking loudly, allowing the blonde to hear their entire conversation, despite not caring for it as she continued to doze.
"You won't say anything will you Athena?" John B asked. Athena put her thumbs up, knowing from their lack of quietness that he was talking about the fact that he had stolen the scuba air tanks.
When John B left, Sarah laid back down. Athena turned over to face her with a small smirk on her face. "That was classed as flirting you know?"
"No it wasn't." Sarah shook her head in denial.
Athena was too tired to argue and so raised a knowing eyebrow. "You two will be a thing by the end of summer, call it twin intuition."
After a few more hours of beauty rest, Athena decided that she would get up and go and get changed into some proper clothes, stretching her arms as she stood up. Sarah looked up at her, the crease in her forehead becoming deeper as she stared at her sister in confusion. Athena smiled at Sarah, heading towards the door.
"I'm going to go get dressed, see Dorota." Athena told her.
"I'll join you." Sarah jumped up.
"Awesome." Athena smiled, as the two walked out of the boat and back up towards the house. They greeted their dad as they passed him before the two sisters walked up the stairs, separating as they reached their respective bedrooms. Athena entered her room, yawning once more before going over to her wardrobe. She opened the door, staring at the many clothes inside and grabbing a pair of jean shorts and black crop top.
The girl then spent most of the day sat on her bed, trying to get started on her summer homework. She groaned a few times as she tried to do the work that she found unbelievably difficult. Her relief came when Dorota walked into the room, and Athena decided there she would do something far better than schoolwork and something she was far better at... gossiping.
"Dorota guess what!" Athena smiled at the woman, who raised her eyebrows at her.
"What?" She asked, sitting at the end of the blonde's bed.
"So Sarah and I were on the Druthers right? And John B came on this morning to drop off empty scuba tanks and he said that Sarah and I weren't allowed to say anything but I was trying to sleep so it was just those two talking." Athena began to explain. "And they were so flirting."
"Really?" Dorota smirked knowingly, standing up and looking out the window at whatever commotion Sarah was making out in the backyard.
"Yes." Athena nodded. "Sarah was all like 'I won't tell anyone, you're secrets is safe with me John B' and John B was basically like 'Dump your boyfriend, I love you, let's get married and have loads of little pogue babies'."
"Miss Athena." Dorota turned around with a raised eyebrows.
"What it's true!" The blonde laughed softly. "They'll be together eventually, I know it."
"Well you're usually good at seeing things." Dorota told her. "But your father would surely not approve."
"Probably not, but when it comes down to love and friendship, I don't think Sarah cares, especially not with the whole pogues versus kook stuff." Athena commented. "If Sarah really liked him then Dad would have to lock her in her room to keep them apart, that or move us to some remote island."
Dorota laughed as the two continued to lounge around and gossip in her bedroom, until the woman had to leave and actually go and do her job. Athena pouted as Dorota got up to leave, hearing Rose calling for her down the hallway. Luckily for her as Dorota left, Sarah came storming into the bedroom angrily.
"You okay?" Athena asked.
"John B just shouted at me for no reason whatsoever." She huffed.
"What did he say?"
"He thinks that I got him fired, apparently someone told dad about him being on the Druthers." Sarah sighed with narrowed eyes. "It wasn't you was it?"
"I haven't spoken to dad today, barely left my bedroom. I wonder who it was." Athena answered as she shrugged.
Sarah shrugged. "His loss."
Athena laughed as Sarah moved to lay next to her, happily taking the magazine that Athena handed her from the stack next to her bed. The twins spent the rest of the day, flicking through silly teenage girl magazines, gossiping and doing the stupid quizzes in their magazines.
𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦
this is literally the worst chapter ever i'm so sorry but here it is anyway.
next chapter she starts hanging out with the pogues!! i cannot wait to explore their dynamic