Respect

Chapter 49: Test of Love

Athena's POV
It was late out and still going at it. This really had to come to an end.

Shortly after Zara and I had sat at the table, we were joined by two other people. A man and a woman. They never introduced themselves and I never asked. The man's glare at me sent chills down my spine. I felt so uncomfortable.

I looked around to see if Claudius was in sight, nothing.

'I'll be by your side the whole time' he said.

"So Athena" the man spoke, "What do you do exactly?"

I looked at him confused and unsure of how best to answer, which was odd because I knew what I did, I was a student.

"I mean like... You must work in a bar or something... Dancer, maybe"

"Excuse me, but I'm no striper" I said offended at his comment

"Hm, figures" the lady scoffed tauntingly 

"Then how on earth did my cousin come across YOU?" he said, playing with his lame excuse of a beard

"We met in an alley. He saved me from some bad men" I said remembering that dreadful night

"Classic Daniel" the lady said, "He stalked you, wow!"

"So, you're related to Daniel?" I asked

"Obviously" the lady said

"My name's Phillip and she's Veda. Close cousins of your.... Savior, perhaps" he said, "Though I doubt he'd be able to save you from Gustav" he said smirking at Veda

Who's Gustav?

They all laughed at his statement making me sick to my stomach. Their laughs sounded so evil and grim. I wondered how they were even related to Daniel.

*****
We sat and ate, when I realised I had to warp things up. Being around them was starting to affect my brain.

"Athena" Phillip called, "Why did you call for us to meet you. I'm hoping you have a death wish, then again, I'd like to believe you're not THAT stupid" he said taking a sip of his wine

"I wanted to talk to you about Daniel" I said

"Why, you're here to ask for his hand?" he said, causing all of them to laugh

"I.... want you to let him go" I blurted out, not looking at either one of them.

"What?" Philip responded

"I want you to let Daniel.... Out of the mafia"

"You stand corrected Phillip" Veda said, "She is stupid"

"What makes you think Daniel even wants to leave?" Zara asked, "Is that what he told you?"

"Sounds like a drank Daniel promise to me" Phillip said

"Athena, please tell me that's not what you came here for?"
"Okay" she said, after we shared an intense glare

"Let's just give her what she wants!" Veda said, "What would it take for our family to let him go? Right?"

I looked at her impatiently waiting for her next words

"Well, he'd have to be dead before ever leaving" she said

I stared at her in disbelief. How could she possibly say that about her own cousin, did these people not care about family?

"He's your family, you'd be happy to see him die?"

"Of course not! This is our family, and in this family, your only way out, is in a casket, and my dear Daniel gladly stepped into this life the day he was born" Zara said, with her hands firmly placed on the table

All of sudden, I wanted to leave that place. This was going no where. I got up and walked to the door. I held my chest and felt breathless. I wanted to cry. I faced my feet and tried to catch my breath, and not seem so weak.

"Oh and Athena!" Phillip called, halting me, "Watch your back. There lots of predators out there" he said smirking

I ran out the hall and saw Claudius standing near the door, I ran to him and whispered for him to get me out of there. We left with nothing more than deathly stares. I was so shaken and felt defeated even before the battle had began.

Claudius said nothing the whole way. We got home and he walked me to my apartment.

"Athena" he called silently, "Thank you for trying" he said offering me a soft smile

'Trying'
Did I really try?
Was that really the best I could do?
Did I even do anything?

I was angry at myself. I didn't do anything. Daniel couldn't possibly have to die to be free. Was that the only way?

I went to bed at 03am in the morning that day, exhausted, I fell into my comforters and practically died. I would try again. I had to get him out of that world.
  ________
I woke up to my phone ringing. I checked the time and hissed.

Who calls at 6am in the morning

"Mmm" I groaned into my phone

"Are you still sleeping?! Girl wake up!" Heather shouted

"Heather, if that's why you called me then hang up. I'm too tired to deal with your games, and it's too early for your jokes" I said, about to hang up

"Our finals start today princess, just incase it slipped her majesty's mind" she said plainly

"OH NO! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY IT SOONER?!" I shouted, bolting out of bed and racing to the shower. I had been so busy with the whole Daniel issue that I completely forgot that we had our finals to prepare for.

I got dressed and grabbed my bag and anything else I saw important, and dashed to school.

I got there in time and found Brady standing with Heather and our professor.

"Miss O'Mara" he called, as I tried to blend in with the small crowd around him, trying not to be noticed, "Is this when you're getting here?"

"Um, yes sir! I was just... held up. But I'm ready sir!" I said, trying to sound convincing

"Yeah, held up in your sheets" Heather whispered chuckling

"Miss O'Mara, I'll have you know that these exams will determine whether or not you'll be accepted in your last year intake. Take them as serious as they are" he said seriously, kind of scaring me.

I nodded in embarrassment as I gave Heather I deathly stare.

"Mind me asking...." Brady said, "Did you even study?" he asked, holding his suspicious smirk on his face as we walked to the exam hall

"I studied enough" I said frustrated

"Yah sure, enough to get you through the first sentence" Heather commented, as she burst into laughter with Brady.

These guys were making me feel worse than I already did.

"What were you up to anyway?" Brady asked

That question took me back to Daniel. I was thinking about him again. I could only look at Brady in silence. I couldn't tell him what it was I was doing. He would be furious if he found out that I had gone to meet with Daniel's sick relatives. He already never liked Daniel, I wasn't going to risk it.

We entered the examination hall as I surrendered my grades to God. If I did ace this exam, it would only be Him, because I hadn't touched a single book in days.

Here we go....