"Let me take your hand, I'll make it right"
-Chord Overstreet
On Tuesday we finally went back to school. There were no news from Volkov so we figured we must be safe for now. Or maybe not. Maybe that's what he wanted us to think. Let our guard down and make it easier for him to attack.
Either way, we couldn't just stop living our lives and wait for him to make a move. We had already taken all the measures we could to protect ourselves. We heightened the security of the mansion and prepared a safe house, just in case.
"Everything will be okay." Alex keeps saying, "We are ready for an attack, both at our house and the mafia's base"
I'm not that optimistic. I feel like we're missing something, it can't be that easy. You know that feeling, when you're leaving the house and you keep checking for your keys or your phone. Like there's something you forgot but you can't remember what. That's how I'm feeling right now. But, then again, almost every time it's just your paranoia playing games on you and you have everything with you. Maybe Alex is right. Maybe we truly are prepared.
"You're being awfully quiet today." Blake points his fork at me, accusingly.
"Mhm." I hum in response, "I'm a bit tired from the trip, that's all." I send him a small reassuring smile.
"Are you sure it's just that? You seem troubled. Did something happen with lover boy over there, because he hasn't stopped staring at you." Emery frowns, glancing at Grayson for a second and then back at me.
I turn around as well and find him at my brothers' table in the middle of the cafeteria, his burning gaze on me.
I smile at him but he frowns in return, seeming worried. He looks down, picks up his phone and then looks back up at me. Not a moment later I receive a text.
Are you okay?
I smile and reply.
Of course.
His frown deepens but he doesn't get a chance to reply because Apollo slaps the back of his head and takes his phone from him.
Gray looks at me with an apologetic expression after trying and failing to retrieve his phone, but I just shake my head, smiling.
I turn back around to my friends. "Everything's fine between me and Gray." The smile still intact.
Emery smirks, "More than fine, it seems..."
"Emery, we're just-"
"Don't even saying you're just friends," Blake interrupts me, "You might not use any labels but everyone at school knows that you're off limits."
I open my mouth to reply but then I close it again. Indeed, I can't say that we're just friends, I don't want to. I feel much more for Grayson for him to be just my friend, Blake is right. But then again, we're not official so what am I supposed to call him?
I huff out a breath, "Can we just drop the subject. Please." I plead and they nod in response.
The time passes by quickly after that. We finish our lunch and when the bell rings we start heading towards our classes. In my case, that was science.
My relationship with science is not ideal. I enjoy it but only when I understand what I'm doing. Thankfully that's most of the time but I still have my moments. Keep in mind that this is my first year at a school and all those missed years start showing. No matter how much I studied by myself, it's not the same as having a teacher.
Thankfully the class was over before I realized it. And so did the next one.
Finally, school was over and I was headed towards my locker to grab my stuff and leave. At least that was the plan before I saw Gray leaning against it. I slowly approached him and stopped in front of him, smiling sweetly.
"Hey." I whispered. The corridors had emptied out by now but I didn't dare disturb the peace and calmness that came with his presence.
He sighed and looked down at me, hugging my waist and pulling me closer. "Will you tell me what's bothering you now that we're alone?"
I stiffened in his hold but didn't reply. I rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. I know he just wants to help but I don't want to worry him with my irrational fears. But can they be considered irration when there's such a big threat uppon us? No, stop... We're safe, we're safe, we're sa-.
"Athena, please... Seeing you like this, it's killing me. Let me help you. Tell me what's wrong. " He murmurs, pulling away and cupping my cheek gently.
"I-I'm scared. I'm scared and I'm worried and I feel so helpless just standing here when my family could be in danger. I want to do something, anything! Just the thought of one of you getting hurt... Grayson you don't understand I-I... -" I trail off, not being able to keep the tears inside. "I can't lose you. I can't..."
Grayson pulls me back to his chest, placing one hand in the small of my back and cupping my head with the other. "You're not gonna lose us, I promise. Everything will be okay. I will protect you, Athena. All of us will."
I pull away and look at him with a frown, "I know you will... I know it and that's what scares me the most." I whisper, my voice barely audible.
Grayson is about to reply when my phone rings. I take it out of my pocket and see it's Ares. I show him the name and pick it up.
"Where are you, Athena?"
"I'm on my way with Grayson. Are you at the car already?" I say while Grayson gathers my stuff from the locker.
"Yeah, hurry up. The others have already left. We have to pick up Noah as well."
"Okay, we're coming out now." I say as we exit the school doors.
Ares is already in the driver's sit when we reach the car and Gray takes the passenger's . I, of course, take the back. I don't really understand why everyone prefers the front so much. I like having my space, being out of eyesight and in my own little world. Sure there's the rear view mirror but Ares rearly uses it.
"Why are we picking up Noah today? Isn't it Apollo's turn?" I ask, leaning my head against the window, watching the trees pass by in a blur.
Due to our our little delay, Ares had to take a shortcut through a more secluded road to get to Noah's school so we wouldn't be late.
"He said he had to go buy some stuff before the stores closed up. I told him he had plenty of time to buy those stuff after he picked up Noah because the stores close at night." Ares explained.
"Okay... And what did he say?"
"That there's no time like the present. Then he proceeded to get in his car and drive away."
I rolled my eyes. That sounds like something Apollo would do. Anyway, it's not like I mind picking Noah up. I was just curious.
"Now that you reminded me about it, I'm gonna give him a call and ask him what those precious stuff he had to buy are." Ares says and reaches for his backpack.
"You can ask him when we get home, now is not the time." I say reaching for the backpack and trying to take it from him.
"No, I want to know. He was acting extremely suspicious -"
"That's just Apollo, he's always cryptic and mysterious. It's his was of messing with us."
"Athena, give me my backpack now." Ares turns around and glares at me.
"Keep your eyes on the road, Ares." I warn, pushing his face away.
He glances to the front and then turns back around.
"Athena-" He begins to shout but Grayson cuts him off.
"ARES, WATCH OUT!"
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Over 100k reads... What the actual fuck is going on? This was supposed to be just a silly little story that I wrote for fun. I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am for each and every one of you that has read my story. I love you so much! Thank you.
I know it took me a while to update but I was extremely busy these past two weeks. I'm honestly exhausted. But, here's a new chapter. Hope you enjoyed it!
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-A