chapter five
helping you not get caught
The next day, Athena woke up to Dorota opening her curtains. The woman smiled at Athena as she sat up slowly before leaving the room. Athena slowly made her way out of bed, walking towards her wardrobe. She opened the door, once again staring at the clothes on the other side. She picked out a white playsuit with flowers outlined in black. The waistband was under her bust and it looked more like a dress, which was all a part of why she loved it so much.
She put on all her jewellery, and tied her hair half up, pulling a few strands out to frame her face. Athena then left her room, walking down the stairs and grabbing her black high-top converse. The girl decided late last night that she didn't feel like going to the beach clean-up today with Sarah, Topper and all their kook friends and so she thought she'd help out at a local hotel she worked at.
She walked into the kitchen to see her dad making a sandwich. He looked up at her as she entered, "Hi sweetie."
"Hey dad." Athena greeted him.
"Where are you off to?" Ward asked her.
"The hotel." Athena told the man.
"Want me to drop you off?" He offered.
Athena turned to him from where she was grabbing a chocolate bar from the cupboard, "I'd love that."
"Okay, meet me at the car, I'll be there in a second." He threw the car keys towards her, the blonde catching them. Athena then stared at the keys in her hand in shock, her mouth dropped slightly, actually surprised she caught it.
"I caught them." Athena stated. "Did you see that?"
"I did." Ward laughed slightly. "Well done Athena, I'm proud of you."
"Thank you." Athena smiled, turning and bouncing out the kitchen and towards the front door happily, eating her chocolate bar as she did. The girl opened the door, making her way over to the car, which she unlocked before sliding into the passengers seat.
A few moments later, her dad opened the driver's side door, sitting in his seat as he held his hand out for the keys. Athena passed her father the car keys, to which he thanked her, starting to car and beginning to drive towards the hotel. Athena sung along to her playlist, which she had already plugged in, Taylor Swift blasting through the speakers loudly.
Once Ward pulled up in front of the hotel, Athena unplugged her phone, despite not being able to use it, sliding it into her little bag that she had brought with her. The blonde smiled at her dad as she opened the door.
"Thanks for the lift." She told him. "I'll be home later."
"See you soon. Have fun, stay safe." Ward called after her as she hopped out of the car and walked towards the entrance of the hotel.
Athena greeted the receptionist, sliding into the seat next to her. Despite not being good academically, one thing Athena could do was speak to people (although she never liked to do so), she could communicate well and manipulate her language to best fit the needs of whoever she was speaking to, which is why when she first went to hotel to look for a job they put her at reception, answering call, taking bookings and checking people in.
She logged onto the system, looking up at the line that had formed. It was summer, and unfortunately for them, OBX was a perfect summer vacation area and so the hotel was very busy that time of the year. She put a smile on her face, looking up over the counter.
"Can I help?" Athena called out, a middle aged couple approaching, two children, one around Athena's age and the other only around nine or ten following behind them. "Hi. Welcome to the Outer Bank Hotel."
"Hello, we have two rooms booked under Forbes." The woman smiled.
"Okay, let me check." Athena typed on her computer, looking for the woman's last name. "Oh yes just here, a twin bedroom and a queen ensuite."
"Yes." The woman nodded, her smile widening.
"You are in rooms 302 and 303." Athena stated, grabbing the keys from the draw under the desk. "Here you go. Have a nice stay. If you need anything do not hesitate to ask, reception phone number on the landline in the room is 222, the bar is open until midnight for guests but the pool closes at 10:30."
"Thank you."
"No thank you, have a nice stay and a fantastic time here in outer banks." Athena smiled nicely. The woman grinned at her as the man chuckled under his breath, knowing that she was definitely faking it, their two kids following. Athena let out a small sigh before peering over once more. "Can I help?"
And once again she did the same thing with different families. Athena continued to work for a few hours until she decided to take her break. She told Amber, the other receptionist on shift, who nodded with a small smile before logging off her computer and standing up from her chair. Athena stood on the other side of the desk, writing down on the notebook that had everyone's names so the boss knew she had gone on break.
"Athena, hey!" A voice shouted. Athena turned to see Pope rushing towards her, his three friends following as well as a security guard. "Hey Athena, please tell these nice men we're allowed to be here because we're here to see you."
Athena's eyebrows furrowed for less than a second before she played along easily, looking towards the security guard. "Yeah, Gary, they're with me. I need them for something."
Pope let out a sigh of relief that luckily went unnoticed by Gary. The pogues had found a tape recorder that held a message for John B from his dead, along with a map with coordinates to the gold they were looking for, which meant they needed internet and so had to go into Kook territory which was the only place that had internet access.
However trying to get in went badly. They went through the kitchen with JJ's access key as he worked there sometimes, but security had caught them as they left the kitchen and told them that if they couldn't produce a valid reason for them being there or access cards for each of them then they'd be kicked out and never allowed to return.
The group were just to lose hope when Pope had spotted Athena down the corridor, grabbing Kie and rushing over to the blonde along with the others.
"Oh my apologies Miss Cameron." He smiled at her. "Off you go."
He gestured for them to go to wherever Athena needed their help to be. Athena smiled as she began to walk in the direction the pogues came from, Gary watching them the whole time. The blonde huddled closer to Pope.
"Where are we going?" She whispered.
"Computer room." Pope stated.
Athena nodded, leading them to the computer room. She opened one of the doors, allowing them all inside before closing it again.
"Sweet lord, the internet." Pope praised, him running forward to log onto one of the computers. "I've missed you."
"Let me get in there." JJ ordered, pushing himself forward. "Gotta check out my insta models."
"We don't have time." Kie shot his idea down quickly,
"I've got the map." John B said, putting a map on the table next to Pope, coordinates scribbled across it.
"Read the coordinates." Pope instructed.
John B began to read the coordinates but Pope struggled to put them into the computer.
"Pope, what are you doing?" Kie asked him.
"It won't work." Pope told them. "It's not clicking."
"Oh you have to—" Athena spoke up, stopping short with an awkward chuckle when all four of them turned to her suddenly as if they had only just remembered she was there. "The computers are old so it gets stuck sometimes. I can try."
Pope stood up, gesturing for Athena to sit down. Athena sat in the chair, wiggling the mouse a bit before clicking down on the right click button a few times harshly. She then turned to look at John B over her shoulder.
"What coordinates are you trying to find?" Athena asked. John B looked at her then Pope then back to her before he let out a little sigh and began reading the coordinates.
"34 57 30 North." He read. Athena typed in the numbers, practically slamming her finger on each key so it actually worked. "75 55 42 West."
The group watched at the Earth appeared on the screen before it zoomed in on where the coordinates were. Athena tilted her head to the side slightly, staring at the middle of a bit of water, confused on what they could be looking for that's there.
"Boom, continental shelf right there." John B commented.
"Well, if it's off the deep end it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?" Pope stated, sarcastically. Athena's eyebrows furrowed, spinning to face him.
"Treasure hunt?" She repeated, looking between the four friends. "Wait, what are these coordinates for?"
The group ignored her as they watched screen slowly zoom in further. They watched in silence, all eyes narrowing to see how deep the water was where the coordinates were.
However, they were all interrupted when JJ spoke up. "Guys, they're people coming."
Athena turned around, standing up from her chair quickly. The pogues began to panic as she made her way to the door, each of them trying to get her to stop moving. The blonde began to open to door.
"Thena, what are you doing?" Pope asked her quietly. She waved him off, shushing them all as she walked out of the room.
"Athena I didn't know you were working today?" Chris questioned her.
Chris was another security guard. He was sweet and knew the girl from around the hotel. Athena smiled at him sweetly, knowing that, although it wasn't a good thing, she was good at lying and getting people to walk away from her.
"I wasn't supposed to, but with the hurricane and all, I thought I'd come and help." Athena shrugged smally.
"Oh yeah," He nodded, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What were you doing in the computer room?"
"Well, turns out they had enough staff to help so I thought I'd get started on my summer project." Athena explained. "You remember? The one where I start my own charity so I can raise money for people on the cut, so they can have a stable home or get off the island."
The man nodded, eyeing her slightly, "Yes... um, I remember. Well have fun." He began to walk away from the room, only looking over his shoulder to call a fleeting warning. "You been careful around those pogues, okay?"
"I'll try." Athena scoffed, rolling her eyes as she walked back into the room, not noticing the curious eyes on her. "You been careful around those pogues. Yeah well, Chris, there is a bigger chance that my brother kills me before a bloody pogue does. God! Stupid kook vs pogues, stupid society!"
The pogues watched in awed silence as she finished her rant. She looked up from the floor when she was done, noticing the eyes on her and giving them an awkward smile. "Hi."
"What was that?" Kie asked.
"Are you actually starting a charity?" JJ questioned.
"How do you get kooks to get donate if you are?" John B added onto his friend's question.
"I didn't realise how much you really hated the island rivalry." Pope stated, sharing an amused smile with Athena, the two knowing he was being sarcastic. They had had many conversations about how much they both hated kooks vs pogues.
She sighed as they all spoke at once. First pointing towards Kie, "That was me helping you not get caught, wouldn't wanna cut this fun little party short." She let out a laugh, but they all just stared at her so she turned towards John B and JJ. "Yes, I'm starting my own charity. I had the fact that everyone who lives on the cut live in these shacks that hardly survive the winter and I'm living in a house with four extra bedrooms that are never used."
"That's awesome." John B commented.
"And I get Kooks to donate by not telling the truth. Half of them are mums that hate watching girls cry so they give me money, or men, that I hate, who just stare at me lovingly and hand over money." Athena shrugged. "I've already done it. How do you think Lucinda's family moved to figure eight."
"Men." Kie grimaced, a disgusted look on her face.
"Don't I know it." Athena agreed, sharing a fleeting glance with John B. "Anyway, what are you looking for nine hundred metres under water?"
She didn't notice the lovestruck look on JJ's face as she spoke. One that had been there every time he thought of her since he walked her home. Something about Athena was captivating, and every time he learned new things about her, he fell for her more and more because she just reconfirmed everything he already thought about the blonde. He shook his head, snapping his head away from her and averted his gaze to the rings on his hand.
"The Royal Merchant." John B shrugged.
"The Royal Merchant!"
"Yeah, that's what I said." John B sent her a weird look, his eyebrows furrowed at her exclamation. Athena wide eyes returned to normal at his statement, tilting her head to the side as she narrowed her eyes at him with a small smile.
"Anyway, the drone's there. It's in the impound yard out back." JJ continued the conversation from when Athena was outside.
"How much is on the Royal Merchant again?" Kie asked.
"500 million." John B told her.
"500 mill." JJ repeated as Pope ran to stand in front of the door.
"500 million dollars?" Kie asked, as if she wanted it to be confirmed.
"Yep." John B nodded. Kie stood up from her chair quickly, walking over to stand in front of Pope, who was disagreeing with the plan, but she stopped herself from moving him out of the way, spinning to face the group behind her.
"Athena wanna come?" Kie invited her along.
Athena hesitated as JJ quickly spoke up, protesting easily, although his heart wasn't in it. "Woah Kie, she's still a kook."
"Shut up JJ." Pope ordered.
"She helped us get in here." Kie started quickly. "And she's another girls and three you all heard how much she hates kooks, and she's proved to be a good distraction. Sounds like one of us in the making."
"I agree." Pope added. "And she's great company."
"Whatever." JJ muttered. He didn't have any reason to disagree, and to be honest, he would love for her to come along, so he can spend more time with the girl. He just had appearances to keep up within his friendship group, kook hating appearances.
"So—" Kie looked back at Athena. "You can be on lookout with me."
"Come on." John B nudged her.
Athena thought for a moment before nodding. "Sure, I'll come. I have nothing better to do."
The group smiled and began to leave the room, Pope still protesting as they did so. They all ignored him, Kie throwing an arm over Athena's as she guided them out of the hotel and towards the twinkie.
"How do you know our Pope?" Kie asked Athena curiously.
"What do you mean?" Athena replied.
"I mean he pulled us over to you when we were about to get caught and kicked out, which I would've done if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't see you. And he said you were great company." Kie raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, um." Athena looked around, making eye contact with Pope.
"She helps out at my dad's so we've worked together before." Pope interrupted, moving over to stand next to them, noticing the lost for words expression on Athena's face.
"Yeah." Athena nodded. "I've helped out there for like three, four years now, so me and Pope have crossed paths inevitably."
Kie nodded, leading the way to the van. Athena slowed slightly, staying behind to talk to Pope. "Thank you."
"No problem." Pope smiled. "Can I ask you why you couldn't tell them I tutor you?"
"My dad doesn't even know you tutor me." Athena stated. "I don't need anyone else knowing that I'm an idiot who doesn't understand basic maths."
"JJ can't do maths either." Pope tried to comfort her but his face dropped when she sent him a look. "Oh, okay, I get it."
Athena let out a laugh before the two caught up with the others. Kie sat in the passenger seat next to John B, who drove done the road towards the scrap yard. Athena sat next in the seat behind Kie, while Pope and JJ settled on the floor. Athena looked around as they laughed at something JJ said, a small smile on her face.
She was finally one step closer to feeling as though she belonged.
𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦
ahh so Athena had her first meeting with the pogues. She isn't an official pogue yet but because Pope knows her and likes her and Kiara likes her as well and John B is kinda fascinated by her love for the cut it won't be long until she is.
Also this gives a little bit of an insight into what Athena thinks of the island and the kooks vs pogues stuff and it shows a bit of her personality. she loves helping people and as shown before she doesn't really care for money especially since her family has so much so she doesn't mind creating a charity where she gets none of the profits