MATTIA
I yawned as I left the building, leaning against the limousine. It had just hit 2am and I was ready to go home. But I wasn't allowed to leave till Athena was.
"I'm here, I'm here" she said, walking out the place with her purse in her hand. I smiled and opened the door for her. We clambered into the car, me undoing my tie and her letting her hair down as we began the hour long journey back to her house.
"Did you have fun?" I asked her. She kicked her heels off and sat back in her seat, looking at me.
"I did, sorry it took so long to finish" she said, moving closer to me and putting her head on my shoulder. I smiled widely, kissing the top of her head. She reached out, intertwining her hand with mine and smiling at them.
"Where did Joey go?" I asked, grazing her skin with my thumb. She furrowed her brows, shrugging.
"I have no idea, I don't care anymore"
"Oh?" I said, facing her properly as she took her head off me, staring at me "isn't he your boyfriend?"
"I'm breaking up with him tomorrow"
"What?" I looked at her to make she was sure, the last thing I needed was me being the reason for her having another screw up "are you sure you wanna do this?"
"Of course I'm sure, Mattia, the boy abuses me for fucks sake" she snapped, moving closer to me.
I went silent for a second, letting her rant about it until she sighed, collapsing back in her seat again. I reached out, tucking a strand of hair out of her face.
"You're cute when you're mad" I said quietly, looking in her eyes as she glared at me.
"I'm sorry" she said, taking my hand and holding it in hers.
"No I am" I said "it's your decision to break up with him, I just don't want any of this to make you look bad". She nodded her head slowly, looking guilty as she stared out of the window.
"Athena?" I said, taking her chin and turning her face towards me "you are going to tell them, right?"
She moved her face away, proceeding to look out the window again as a frown appeared on her face. I facepalmed as we got closer to her house.
"How can you not tell them about how he-"
I was cut off by my phone ringing. She looked at it then at me when I sighed "this isn't over". She smiled at my words as I put the phone to my ear.
"Mattia, Mattia something has happened"
It was my Uncle again. I furrowed my brows, getting him to calm down so he could explain properly. But he kept panicking and saying "home home". I put the phone down, giving the driver my home address.
"We're at your house, you can go" I said to her but she shook her head, staying in the car.
"She's not gonna listen, go" I told the driver. I ran a hand through my hair but a thousand things were going through my head. I couldn't sit still let alone think straight. Athena's hand was on my leg and I looked at her dead in the eyes.
"If anything happens to my Mom, I'm killing him"
"I won't stand in your way" she said, nodding her head slowly. She knew exactly who I was talking about but there was no time to speak as we got to my house. I ran out the car, my hands fumbling around in my pocket for the keys as I heard her behind me.
"Hurry" she said as I placed the key in the lock, turning it and bursting into my house.
"Ma!?" I shouted, looking around the house. Athena ran in front of me and took the downstairs but said that she wasn't there. I ran upstairs, shoes and jacket still on as the faint smell of blood clouded my lungs.
I placed a hand over my mouth and nose, eyes filling with hot tears as I moved towards her room.
There she was. Lying on the hardwood floors in a puddle of her own blood. I felt blood rushing to my head as I leaned on the door for support, taking quick breaths as tears ran down my face.
It was almost as if I couldn't see anything else but her. My world, my support system. Athena gasped from behind me but I could barely hear her from the ringing that had gone off in my ears. I dropped to the ground, my legs giving way as I knelt in front of her body. Her body which had turned a pale colour, her hands which were now red with blood.
I'm sorry, the voice in my head spoke. I reached out for her hand, my body tensing up as I felt how cold it had become. I didn't even know how long she was here for. Alone, vulnerable and weak. An easy target.
My forever best friend.
