The Girl In The Background

Chapter 6: Jax of All Trades

Deanna's POV

Monday morning came, I was seated on my desk while my classmates were chatting again with their groups. Athena still wasn't there but Freya already arrived and is discussing something with Jax at the far front of the room. Does Freya know what her best friend got herself into?

I was contemplating whether to ask her for three minutes when Athena showed up in a white cardigan, she was smiling at me as she set her bag. I couldn't dare smile back after what happened at the mall.

"Athena, can we talk?" I asked and she stopped smiling.

I didn't know why I was meddling with her life but as a twenty-four year old adult trapped in my eighteen year old teenage body, I just couldn't ignore what was happening to her. I wanted to grasp and catch her before she fully submerge herself in that hell hole and never get out of there forever.

I couldn't bear to see Athena, this wonderful smart girl, live a miserable life in the future. This is not how her life should play out.

"Yeah, what is it?" She asked, returning the smile that once faltered. She sat down in front of me.

"Does he do it a lot?"

She blinked and looked at me cluelessly, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I'm saying. I saw the marks on your arms. It's not even cold today and yet, you show up wearing a cardigan." I asked, my voice almost raising in worry.

Athena caressed her arms and avoided my gaze, "I feel a little chilly today so I wore this."

I looked at her straight on the eyes and said, "I saw it yesterday. Does Freya know?"

Athena looked like she had seen a ghost or a pale of freezing water washed over her as she freeze on her chair. She stood up and held my arm.

"Can we talk about this outside?" She pleaded. I gazed at her best friend who was still talking to Jax before I followed her.

Athena lead me to the staircase of our building, she stood on the landing of our floor. Athena was anxious as she glance everywhere, she didn't want anyone to hear our conversation.

"I'm guessing you haven't told Freya because I doubt she would let you stay in that kind of relationship if she knew." I asked. I noticed she wasn't about to start about the topic all by herself. It felt like she was embarrassed about it.

"It's not like this all the time, Dean. Dos is a very nice guy, he treated me well and cared for me. He just has his bad days like us." She explained, her voice worried as she defend her boyfriend.

"We all have bad days, Athena, but we don't go around hurting people, especially the ones we're supposed to love. He's abusing you!" I said, almost angrily.

Athena became hostile after that. She avoided my eyes and took a step back away from me. "You don't understand. You don't know anything. Dos loves me."

"Does he do that often?" I asked calmly, noticing that bursting like that wouldn't make Athena's situation better. She's probably brainwashed by that boy.

"Only when I go against him... Or when I win something and talk with other guys. It's just jealousy talking, Dean. Relationships are like that." She said, now trying to gaze up on me.

I sighed, "Athena, I know a relationship when I see one. And that's clearly not it, that's pure abuse and you're being brainwashed by him. Boys like that will never stop even if they promise you that they will. The only way to stop him is to get out of that relationship as soon as possible."