Vi Presento a Athea (Introducing Athea)

XVII

This time, instead of the study, Athea was pacing up and down in the downstairs living room. She repeatedly checked her bag to see if she had gotten everything (including the extra pack of cards), all the while throwing glances out the window that faced the front lawn.

"Pacing around won't make time go by faster, y'know?" Patrick teased her from the kitchen. Athea stopped and turned suddenly, stomping her foot slightly with a pout.

"Shouldn't you be at work or something?" She decided to tease him too. He gulped dryly.

"I-I'm on my way! I'm just grabbing some dinner." Her dad flustered through his words.

"Staying the night this time again?" She asked, a bit concerned about her father's hours recently.

"Hopefully not the whole night through. But I'm bringing food just in case." He shrugged disheartened, also a bit bothered by how little time they were spending together.

"The next time you spend the night at home again, let's cook dinner together. Like old times." She intertwined her hands in front of her body with an exciting smile, remembering the nights as a kid where the family gathered to cook dinner together, chaos and happiness mixing themselves in the process.

"Pesto?" He smiled back at her, wrapping up the containers in a table cloth.

"You know it." She winked at him. Their moment was abruptly interrupted by her cellphone ringing. She let out a tiny "eep!" and started running around trying to find the device. She picked it up with anxious hands and the name "Jason" shone on her screen.

"Yes?" She managed to keep her voice straight. Patrick laughed with himself.

"Hey, I'm out front." Jason also somehow managed.

"Coming!" Athea tried to keep her answer simple and hung up. She glanced at her dad nervously and he shrugged back in response. "Hm..." She fidgeted with her keys between her fingers. "I'll call you if anything happens."

"Stay safe, kiddo." He smiled encouragingly. 

"Bye, now!" She said finally, walking out the door. Patrick shouted a "Take care!" back at her but he wasn't too sure she heard him.

Athea's blue Chuck Taylors banged down on the front porch steps as she rushed to Jason's car. From inside, the boy couldn't help but watch the sight of the excited girl, in her light short sundress, cardigan and All-Stars, her denim bag hanging from one of her shoulders and caramel locks loose in the wind. As she got closer to the vehicle, reality seemed to strike him and he deviated his gaze, trying to look unbothered.

"Hi!" She said, getting in and sitting next to him. His attempt at a cold and distant barrier didn't last a second under her light and warmth. He smiled back.

"Hey." He started the car back again. "Ready to go?"

"Hit the gas!" She said excitedly, pointing at the road ahead of them. He chuckled ("Sure thing").

Since the elderly home was downtown, this time their ride was longer than their usual one from school to Athea's house. Even though the girl didn't mind the quiet and was peacefully enjoying the sights of town, Jason gulped dryly in the awkward silence.

"Oh, by the way, if you want to plug in something, feel free to do so." He quickly nodded to the car radio, which had a cellphone extension cord connected to it.

"Are you sure? I don't know what you usually listen to..." She said, picking up her phone. Jason shook his head.

"I vibe to everything, don't worry." He glanced at her with playful eyes. Athea held back a giggle and plugged in her phone. She decided to put something she liked listening to on happy days, and soon enough Run the World!!! was blasting through the car's speakers.