by Lechna Baram
“You're so beautiful.” He sighed as he fixed my clothes and I buckled his belt. I chuckled and pecked his forehead.
“Even when I'm drunk and sweaty?” He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.
“You're always beautiful,” he said and helped me off the counter. I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. I really love the man standing in front of me. “You know what I love the most about you?” he suddenly asked. I shook my head. “Your eyes,” he said. “They're so pure.” He bent to kiss my eyes. Just as I was about to talk, we heard banging on the door.
“I think we need to go,” I mumbled.
“Yeah,” he said as we walked to the door. Damian unlocked it then opened it to find a girl glaring in our direction.
“This is the girl's toilet!” the girl exclaimed in annoyance.
“We know,” Damian and I said at the same time before walking out of the toilet with huge grins on our faces. We walked to the table where we found Isaac, Rose, Dean, and Alena sitting and drinking. When we approached them, Isaac moved slightly to make room for us. Alena and Dean were grinning knowingly in our direction. I couldn't help but grin as well. The guys resumed their conversation. Damian was talking with Alena while I noticed Isaac looking at me. He leaned closer to me.
“I thought you said you were single,” Isaac whispered in my ear. I caught Damian watching us from the corner of his eye. I grinned then turned to look at Isaac fully. I smirked, taking a bottle of beer, only for Damian to snatch it away, glaring at me before handing the bottle to Dean.
“I am,” I told Isaac, smiling.
Chapter 51
One of You Soon
“Damian,” I called from the guest room.
My hands were shaking as I held the small piece of paper tucked in my handbag. I breathed in and out to control myself. I didn't want to cry or break down. I heard steps and then Damian, followed by Dean walked in the room. When Damian saw my facial expression, the smile on his face disappeared.
“What's wrong?” he asked quickly.
I turned the little piece of paper in his direction so he could read what was written in what seemed like blood.
'One of you. Soon -J'
“What does he mean by 'one of you'?” Dean asked. Damian walked to me and took the piece of paper from my hand. He observed it carefully, trying to see what else he could get from that little piece of paper.
“It means he's going to attack one of us soon,” I told him, my voice trembling.
“Where did you find that?” Damian asked.
I pointed to my handbag. He raised his head in confusion.
“I think we should tell the others.” Dean proposed. I nodded in agreement. I mean, their lives were in danger as well. They should most probably know about it. All three of us walked downstairs where we found Isaac, Alena, and Rose watching a show. I stood behind Damian. I was feeling really guilty for putting their lives in danger as well. I didn't even know why that man was after me.
“Why do you look like you just saw a dead body?” Isaac joked. When no one laughed, he gasped. “Someone's dead?” he asked then when no one replied again, he started apologizing. “Oh my God! I'm so freaking sorry,” he said. Damian breathed out in annoyance while Dean chuckled.
“No one is dead. Yet,” Damian said and showed them the piece of paper.
“A piece of paper from the piece of shit?” Alena asked, making the three of us nod. Isaac blinked once, twice, then thrice before lifting his hand up to get a word in.
“Isaac, we're not in a class! You can talk without raising your hand.” Rose pointed out, trying to calm herself.
“Talk.” Damian ordered because it seemed like Isaac knew something about that paper.
“I put that in her bag yesterday at the club,” Isaac said, looking a little bit confused. “In fact, a girl told me to,” Isaac said.
“What did she say?” I asked.
“She told me that a guy told her to put the paper in your bag but as she didn't know you. It was going to be awkward,” Isaac said. I took a deep breath. So my attacker was still a man. “Can someone please explain the situation to me?” he finally asked.
“Someone is trying to kill Athena,” Rose said.
“Apparently, now he's willing to hurt one of you,” I told them, then sat down on the couch as I felt like my legs were about to give up.
“Who?” Isaac asked. “Who's trying to hurt you?” he asked.
“If we knew, we wouldn't be here,” Damian snapped. “I've got something more to tell you,” Damian said as he turned towards me.
“Go on,” I urged as he sat next to me.
“We caught the guy who attacked you in the park yesterday. He simply said that he communicated with the man through text,” Damian told me. “That's why I was on the phone for forty-five minutes,” he said. Oh. So he was not working.
“So the guy who came to the club last night might be the psycho?” Dean inquired.
“Or he might have been employed just like the first one,” Damian explained.
“I want to go back home,” I said.
Rose's eyes widened.
“It's only been two days since you got here, Athena!” she exclaimed.
I shook my head and stood up. I was going to pack my things and return back to my apartment. I don't want any of them hurt because of me. I started making my way to the room but Damian quickly caught my hand, pulling me back to the living room.
“That's what he wants, Athena,” Damian said softly and slowly ran his hand up and down my back in a really soothing way. “He wants you to be all alone, defenseless, so that it's easier to get to you.” I smiled and turned to look at him and my friends.
“I prefer him taking me than hurting you,” I told them. Dean scoffed while Rose rolled her eyes. Alena chuckled at their reactions while Isaac stared at me in admiration. He turned to look at my friends, seeming to gain confidence from their reactions.
“Listen, keep your movie quotes to yourself,” Rose said, shaking her head.
“We're not in a movie,” Dean added. I could feel Damian nodding from behind me.
“We're in real life and we're going to find that piece of shit, okay?” Alena asked. Isaac nodded excitedly. I laughed at how determined they sounded. I was so lucky I had them.
“This is not a movie,” Isaac said. “But it does sound like one,” he added, referring to the previous dialogue. A pillow came flying in his face and he prepared to glare at Rose but when he turned, he noticed Alena with a sheepish smile on her face.
“Calm down, sweetheart.” I heard Damian whisper in my neck, giving me goosebumps. “We're going to fix that and everything will be fine.” I turned around and lightly pecked his lips. He smiled, wrapping his arms around me.
“Thank you for being here,” I whispered so only he would hear. The other guys were busy arguing and talking among themselves. He tightened his arms around me, then lightly pecked my forehead before pulling away.
“Always,” Damian said as he pecked my nose, making me giggle lightly.
Oh damn. I love him but I hate giggling.
Chapter 52
Nightmare
Hearing the captivating sound of a waterfall, I ran towards it. It was attracting me. I pushed away the leaves, jumped over the woods, trying to reach the waterfall. My clothes were torn. It was dark out there. I could see something reflecting. Yeah, it was the moon. The moon was reflecting on water. A smile spread on my face as I approached the lake. There was a huge waterfall. It was so beautiful. I didn't care how dirty I was right now. I knew I was standing on mud.
“Athena.” I heard someone croak. I turned my head towards the voice. Someone was calling me. And that someone was in pain. I noticed someone on his knees on the other side of the lake. Behind him a hooded figure was standing, holding a knife by his throat. My heart raced at the scene in front of me.
“What are you doing?” I shouted at the hooded man. The man kneeling in front of him, seemed really hurt. “Let him
go!” I yelled. I only saw the smirk of the hooded figure as he slowly lifted the other man’s head. I felt my heart stop when I realized it was Damian. Damian was badly hurt. I felt to my knees when I realized that the hooded man was going to kill the man I love.
“Athena, run,” Damian groaned in pain.
I shook my head frantically. I wasn't going to leave him there. I couldn't. I could feel the tears falling on my face. I was helpless. What could I do to save him? The hooded man raised his head a little but the darkness hid his face from me.
“He is going to die because of you,” he said, chuckling. That dark chuckle gave me goosebumps. “They all died because of you,” he added. Just then, I felt the mud on which I was kneeling turning warm. I was breathing heavily. It was like a living nightmare. I slowly bent my head to look at the ground. There was no mud. No. It was a red liquid. It was blood. I was sitting on blood. I lifted my head again to look at the hooded man. He was smirking. I could only see his mouth and he was smirking. He then raised the knife and motioned behind me.
“Look at me, Athena,” Damian begged. “Don't look behind you,” he said.
My breathing was quick. I had to look. I tentatively turned to look behind me. A sob escaped my mouth when I saw the bodies of my friends and sister on the ground behind me. Thomas was lying on top of them. My hands flew to my mouth as I started crying.
“And he's next,” the hooded man said, making me turn to look at him and Damian. With one last smirk, he brought the knife to Damian's neck.
“Damian!” I screamed as his throat was sliced open. “No!” I screamed and started crying. The pain I was feeling was unbearable. I could feel myself shaking.
Or was it someone shaking me?
“Athena!” I heard someone shout. The next thing I knew, my eyes opened and I was trembling with fear and sadness. I saw Damian sitting next to me on my bed. He seemed worried. “You were screaming,” he said as he put his hand on my forehead. “You have fever, kitten,” Damian told me as he stood up. “I'm going to get you some medicine,” he told me but I took his hand in mine and pulled him back on the bed.
“It was just a nightmare. I'm okay.” I tried to reassure him. Damian didn't look so sure. Neither was I. My friends and my sister were too important for me to lose. Damian was too important. “You're sleeping here tonight,” I whispered as I rested my head on his shoulder. He nodded and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer to him.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Damian asked. I sighed.
“There's nothing to talk about. You were all dead,” I simply said and heard him take a deep breath. He tightened his arms around me, then freed one of them to lift my face so I was looking at him and our nose were touching.
“Athena, everything is going to be okay.”
“You were dead, Damian. Everyone else was. You were all dead because of me,” I mumbled, shaking my head. I was risking their lives by staying with them. I was so selfish. I took a deep breath then shook my head again to stop him from talking.
“Athena.” He sighed.
“I'm okay,” I told him, then buried my face in his chest again. He kissed my head then patted my back in a soothing way.
“Sleep, kitten,” he whispered. I closed my eyes but I knew that I wasn't going to find sleep so quickly. I was really risking my friends’ lives for my own. I needed to get out of there before getting them even more involved. I was never going to forgive myself if one of them got hurt because of me. I lightly kissed Damian's chest. I was glad he stayed with me. He seemed to be really worried about me.
“Good night, Damian. I love you,” I whispered, knowing that he wouldn't hear me because he was already sleeping. I knew I was going to regret my decision but I didn't want anyone else dying because of me. I sighed and slowly moved out of the bed. I pecked Damian on his forehead before walking slowly to my suitcase. I didn't care about me dying anymore. What I wanted was my friends safe and out of this messed up situation.
I took my suitcase and walked out of Rose's house at three in the morning.
Chapter 53
Other Side
What on earth was I thinking when I stepped out of the freaking house? It was so cold out there. The security guards stared at me as if had I lost my mind. I stood by the gate, trying to figure out what to do. I was lost. I didn't want to get back in the house. But I didn't want to go away from them as well. I took put my phone and called the first person I knew would be awake at three in the morning. I put the phone to my ear and silently prayed to hear his voice instead of the tonality of the phone.
“Athena?” Ross answered, sounding really worried. “Are you okay?” he asked quickly.
“I need a ride,” I told him.
“It's three in the morning!” he exclaimed in disbelief.
I sighed and took a deep breath.
“I know,” I mumbled.
I heard him sigh. I knew he was most probably shaking his head.
“Text me the address,” Ross said before ending the call.
I leaned against the wall. I must look pretty helpless with my suitcase by my side and my sleepy face.
“Are you alright?”
I turned my head to see one of the guards standing by my side. He seemed to be in his forties. I nodded and offered him a smile.
“You don't seem to be,” he said as he smiled back.
“I'm just tired and sleepy,” I told him. He stared at my suitcase then back at me.
“Maybe you should go back inside and sleep then.”
I chuckled then shook my head.
“I'm Thomas,” he said as he put his hand forward. I shook his hand.
“My little brother's name is Thomas,” I told him. “I'm Athena.”
He grinned.
“Mr. Spears won't like the fact that you're out here.”
“He won't like the fact that I'm leaving as well but what he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?” I asked with a little grin.
He shook his head then turned to look at one of the guards.
“I'll have to get back to my position. If you need help, I'm over there,” Thomas said as he pointed to the door. I nodded, offering him a nice smile.
After a few minutes of waiting in the cold, I noticed a familiar car approaching. My eyes widened when I realized that it was Chris. Oh damn. Damian was going to be freaking mad. Chris smirked then pulled the car to a stop in front of me. I bit my lips in nervousness. I was going to kill Ross.
“You're getting in or not?” Chris asked.
Should I? Or should I go back inside? Without thinking more of the situation, I got in the car. I threw my suitcase in the backseat.
“Are you okay?” Chris asked, his body leaning towards me. I nodded.
“I told Ross to pick me up,” I mumbled as I rested my head against the window.
“He's actually at my place,” Chris said. “Are you okay?” he asked again.
“I told you I'm okay,” I huffed in annoyance.
“Then why were you running away?” he scoffed
. I wanted to slap him. No, not because he betrayed Damian. But because he was asking too many questions.
“I wasn't running away. I needed space,” I told him when he started driving.
“From Damian?” he asked, a frown on his face. I shook my head.
“From everyone.” I didn't want them to be in danger. I sighed. Life was so complicated.
“Damian can be cold at times,” Chris remarked out of the blue. “I'd understand if you're walking away from him,” he said, but before he could continue, I motioned for him to shut up.
“Coming from the one with who his girlfriend was cheating with, you can keep your comments to yourself.” I snapped. Oh Ross. I fucking hated that guy right now. I noticed Chris clenching his jaw. Suddenly he stopped the car and turned to glare at me.
“It's easy as hell to talk when you don't know both sides of the story, Athena.” Chris snapped back. I blinked several times. Well, I wasn't expecting him to
actually burst out. I rolled my eyes and stared at the road instead.
“I never slept with Rosemary.” He sighed, returning to his initial position.
He didn't? I turned my head slightly to look at him.
“You didn't?”
“No. That day, I was at Damian's and Rosemary was flirting with me. She was clinging on to me. Damian walked in and he just assumed that Rosemary and I were fucking. He believed Rosemary, that bitch who was cheating on him every single time just to get a business deal at time, instead of me, his supposedly best friend at that time,” Chris scoffed.
“You didn't try talking to him?” I asked.
“I did. He pushed me away. Even after the humiliation, I still tried to talk to him. But he was so goddamn in love with that whore,” Chris said with clenched jaw. “And you know how stubborn Damian is.” Chris added, then started the car again. I could hear the pain in his voice. This situation with Damian was annoying him.
“Try talking to him again. Rosemary is not with him anymore. He might want to clear things up.” I proposed. He gave me a side glance, then a curt nod.
“I'm pretty sure he'll come banging at my door later to look for you. I'll talk to him then,” Chris said with a chuckle. I huffed, knowing that he was right. Damian was like that. “Now, will you tell me what's happening?” he asked, a frown on his face. I took a deep breath. I had to tell him. I needed to get the worry off my mind. I needed to share it with someone. I started telling him about everything that was happening in my life. I knew that the ride was going to be long, so I didn't mind.
Chapter 54
Chris’s House
“Ross is sleeping on the couch,” Chris told me.
I walked into his house, looking at the huge mansion which looked bigger than the last time. I noticed Ross sleeping on the couch, with his mouth wide open and he was snoring, making me chuckle.