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chapter fifty one
EVERYTHING'S COMPLICATED
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Athena jumped off of her bike when she arrived at her destination, propping it up where she usually left it. She looked around seeing it basically empty. The girl furrowed her eyebrows, walking inside when she heard a voice.
"Athena?" The girl spun around to face Heyward, Pope next to him, both staring at her, confused. "Are you okay?"
Athena looked between the father - son duo, seeing the genuine concern written across both their faces before she broke down, stepping forward and into their arms. The two quickly caught her, wrapping their arms around her in comfort.
The girl sobbed. She didn't even know why this time, she thought she had used up all of her tears, that she would have none left but apparently not. Maybe she was crying because her brother did still love her? Maybe she was crying because she knew that Wheezie was getting used to being left when she wasn't supposed to? Maybe she was crying because her family had never shown the same about of concern for her than the Heywards just did? She couldn't pinpoint it exactly.
Athena stepped out of the hug, wiping her eyes as Heyward walked away, knowing she wanted some time with Pope.
"I can't do this anymore, Pope." Athena shook her head. "When did this get so complicated."
The two wandered down to the dock outside Heyward's shop, both staring out at the water.
"I mean this started out as some treasure hunt between friends for gold we couldn't even be sure existed and..." Athena sighed. "And now, look at where we are now. I mean we found the gold and everything went shit."
Athena moved so she was now in front of Pope, pacing across the wood floor they were stood on.
"Yeah, I guess there were some good things. Sarah found John B but I'm pretty sure she's gone to break up with him and me and JJ are now together, but who's to say that me and him wouldn't have happened anyway, I mean I was friends with you and JJ told me he's had a crush on me since we were twelve so all he needed to do was speak to me." Athena ranted, throwing her hands up into the air.
"But you know let's talk about the bad things." Athena began to list as Pope stood quietly, listening to her and letting her let all of her emotions out. "I mean Sherriff Peterkin was killed, Rafe shot her. I was there, I held John B's bandana to her wound and Rafe pulled me off of her dying body and she told me it wasn't my fault but I mean I could've..."
Athena paused her movements, placing her hands over her eyes before wiping her face. "I could've done something."
Athena wiped her face once more before continuing, "And after that Sarah and John B died! I mean I still have Sarah's mini memorial on my roof for god's sake! And then after that Sarah was shot, once again by my brother, and she almost died. You were kidnapped, Kie and I nearly drowned. I was shot, I was disowned and then I was welcomed back and John B nearly got sentenced to death and the Rafe got arrested and then my dad blew up in front of me and Dorota's gone! And... and... I can't."
"Hey, hey, hey, Athena. Breathe." Pope soothed.
"I- I can't, I..."
"Hey, look at me." Athena made eye contact with the boy, him placing her hand on his chest. "Breathe with me."
Athena did as instructed, taking a few deep breathes to regulate her breathing. When Athena's breathing was back to normal, Pope wrapped his arms around her once more, resting his chin on top of her head.
"You'll be okay, Thena." Pope reassured her.
"How do you know that?" Athena asked him.
"I don't, for sure." Pope spoke. "But I'll make sure that whatever happens that you're okay. This all has to end as some point."
"But at what cost?" Athena wondered, pulling away to make eye contact with him again.
"I don't know that either." Pope shrugged.
Later on, Pope and Athena went to the Chateau to see the other pogues. Pope was led in between John B and Athena as the trio laid on the HSM pogue, John B wallowing after his breakup with Sarah.
"I don't get it." John B sighed. "I don't."
"Love is five minutes of please for a lifetime of pain." Pope spoke.
"Wow." John B breathed out.
"You should be a poet Pope." Athena told him.
"So, okay, you and Kie. What's going on?" John B turned to Pope, Athena doing to the same.
"Yeah, talk to us." Athena encouraged.
"Um.. well... she just wants to be friends." Pope informed the two.
"Death blow." John B sighed. "Oh, no. I'm sorry man."
"Sorry Pope." Athena comforted.
"I... I didn't even see it coming." Neither John B nor Athena got to reply when JJ's voice interrupted their conversation.
"Hot potato, hot potato, hot potato, two!" JJ exclaimed, throwing a beer towards the three.
"Impressive catch." Kie spoke sarcastically.
"What are you guys doing down here? Having a good cry?" JJ asked the three.
"Cry?"
"Cry? What are you talking about — we don't cry." John B denied.
"I physically can't cry anymore today." Athena stated, holding her fingers up in a peace sign.
"You know it's not your fault, right?" Kie informed John B.
"You think she's come around?" John B asked the group.
"Yeah, dude. She's one of us." Kie stated.
"Oh yeah, don't worry about Sarah. She's far too in love with you not to come back." Athena reassured the brunet.
"Sarah's a pogue." John B spoke dreamily. "She'll come around. yep, you know, she'll come back to me. Right. You know, I was just think about it. I'm gonna do a backflip."
"You're lying!"
"I won't do it?"
"You won't!"
"You got any money?"
"Hold my beer that you already dropped." John B handed Pope his beer.
"Go JB!" Athena encouraged him.
"I wanna see you do it!" Pope exclaimed before John B did a backflip into the water.
"Woo!" Athena cheered.
"Yeah!"
"That's my boy!" JJ shouted.
"Woogity-woogity baby!" John B called when his head came back above water.
"John B!"
Athena laughed, moving to stand next to JJ, who placed his arm over her shoulder and his red hat on her head. Athena smiled softly as she looked around, before grabbing JJ's wrist and sliding a bracelet onto it off of her wrist.
"What's that?" JJ asked her quietly.
"I made it for you." Athena smiled.
"About time." Athena laughed slightly, JJ pressing a kiss to her head as the group continued to laugh and joke all night.
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𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦
some wholesome athena and pope for y'all
and happy athena with the pogues at the end — they are truly her real family
athena and jj's small moments >>>
next chapter belongs to kathena (kie and athena) so stay tuned
is anyone else here from england and actually dying in this heat because me too and it doesn't help that i'm going on holiday on wednesday so i have to pack and clean and go to work all in this heat 😩