I•C•E// r.s.l.❣

1.6

Rocky Lynch

Ross is pissed, Riker went off with a girl, Ellington went back to Rydel (turns out they had a girls night in) and David was sat with one of his mates by the corner of the bar, which left me with Ross and his equally drunk friends.

He was bearable, occasionally. A few minutes ago he randomly tried to crawl into the bathroom and I had to pick him up and throw him back to his seat. Luckily they were keeping him entertained enough for him to not move anywhere, just giggle a lot.

One of his friends piped up. "Aye, so how's the Athena dare going? Have you hit that?"

"Not yet man, not yet. But she passed her test, so I should have a green light soon."

His buddies cheered for him. I frowned.

"I wouldn't even wait for a green light." Another one said.

"That's called rape." I piped in.

"Call it whatever but get close to her and I'll break you all." Ross threatened, but the fierceness in his tone was balanced out by the giggle that came after it. "She's so hot though."

"Ross, the dare thing is a joke, right?" I asked him quietly.

"Shh." He held my face in his hands then winked and resumed giggling. I pushed his hands away.

He wouldn't do that to her; he loves her and he knows that would just about break her- especially after the end of their test today.

He loves her..right?

Ross Lynch

I opened the door to David's office. "You called me?"

"Indeed I did. Take a seat Ross." He nodded to the chair. I followed his orders, sitting down with effort. My hangover was the worst today, and no matter how many bananas I ate, the headache was still throbbing like hell.

"What's up?"

"When you're..under alcoholic influence." He paused, walking around. "You tend to do three things. You crawl away from people-"

"Literally?"

"Yes." He snapped, then continued. "You giggle a lot, and, you tend to slip up on secrets."

"I didn't say anything about F.A.S.T., right?" I grew tense.

"I would have preferred it if it was about F.A.S.T." He stopped, then turned to face me, pure anger in his eyes. "At least then you wouldn't be playing a girl."

I was lost as to what he was on about until it hit me. "That was a joke, I'm not-"

David slammed his hand on his desk which silenced me. "Give up already, Ross. Shortly after Rocky left because he was done looking after his brother instead of having fun, you basically yelled it to the whole bar! You are just playing Athena as a silly dare with your friends to see who can get in her pants first!"

Then there was silence, in which the air became unbearably thick. David opened a window, and had a glass of water. "I don't want you near her, ever again. She goes into a room and you leave. She says hello and you say goodbye."

I spoke up. "Why are you-"

"Because I'm her dad!" He boomed, loud and clear.

"What?" Athena's tiny voice came from the door and I turned so fast my back clicked. Before either of us could say anything, she dissapeares into the hallway.

"Fuck my life." I jumped from my seat and grabbed the key from the door, locking David in his office. "Athena, wait! I need to tell you something-"

"Haven't you said enough, Ross?" She turned around. "Talking seems to be your hobby. You can say lovely, beautiful things and then destroy me in seconds, again."

"It's not what it sounds like-"

"It's exactly what it sounds like. Just answer me this- is what David said true?" Her big doe eyes looked into mine and I truly regretted even thinking of hurting her.

She was everything to me, and I was about to lose her.

I could lie, say I was drunk and just messing around, but I can't lie anymore.

"For the first month, I was in with this dare. But then I realised, you were trying to protect us all, and that, I still love you more than anything." I said. "And I'm sorry."

"It's a really shitty feeling, you know. It's like a limb has been ripped out or something, or worse. It just feels so bad, and if that's what you aimed to do with your game, then well done Ross, you win." She blinked away tears. "Never speak to me again."