Never Alone

Chapter 16

"Athena! Summer's almost done."

Athena crossed her arms and gave Charles a glare.

"I know... " She grumbled and crossed her arms. "It's unfair."

"What's unfair?" Zen asked and 'tsk'ed. "Little girls like you shouldn't be so lazy, you know."

"And big brothers like you shouldn't bully the little girls." Athena blew him a raspberry and crossed her arms.

"Don't act like you're so smart." Zen also crossed his arms and also blew her a raspberry.

"Why should I act smart when I'm already smart?" Athena countered back with a smug smile plastered on her lips.

Charles, who was just listening to them bicker, snorted and it slowly turned into a laugh. He just couldn't help it. Zen was crushed by a seven year old girl!

Zen looked defeated. Out of words. Like a fish out of the water.

It's definitely amusing.

Owen sighed as he entered. "I wish I was still in my highschool days."

Xavier chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Those days were the most memorable."

Zen gave them a 'what-in-the-world-are-you-talking-about?' look while Charles just just nodded slowly.

"You both sound like some really old couple who's got three or six kids but since I'm nice and not like Zen, I'll just not say anything other than that." Charles nodded to himself and Athena snorted.

"What he's saying is absolutely—What?" Zen turned to look at Charles in shock. "Are you saying that I'm rude?"

"And you're saying that I am?" Charles smiled innocently.

Athena rolled her eyes. "I'm saying that you're rude."

Charles pouted. "You don't wanna take my side?"

Athena shrugged. "You're on the losing side, Charlie. I hate losing!"

Owen shook his head. "So you're saying that you choose the winning side?"

Athena huffed proudly and nodded. "Always, Charlie."

"Anyways!" Xavier loudly clapped, earning all of their attention. "School's almost here. You know what that means."

The three groaned.

"I still don't wanna go to school... " Athena grumbled. Then her eyes suddenly brightened, as if a light bulb suddenly popped up.

"I should just skip a grade."

"Ah, ah, ah." Owen gave Athena a pointed look. "No, you can't do that."

"Yeah! That's not fair." Zen exclaimed. "Especially to us."

Athena raised a brow. "But what if I get to convince Owen and Xavier that we both can skip a grade?"

Zen whistled. "I love a good bargain, kiddo."

"But what about me?" Charles asked and pouted. "Don't I get that kind of advantage?"

"You're on the losing side, Charlie." Athena deadpanned.

"You called me rude." Zen said impassively.

Xavier pinched the bridge of his nose with a small smile on his lips. "Why do I feel like I'm way out of what these three are talking."

Owen shrugged. "Same. I feel like a mom though. I feel so old."

"That's because you are old!" Charles countered and Owen gave him a terrifying glare that made him gulp and look away from him.

Like a dog whose tail is in between its legs.

"I still love Owen even when he gets old and wrinkly." Athena comforted him with a small smile.

"How 'bout me, Thea?" Xavier asked softly and Athena looked at him with a warm smile.

"I love everyone even if they turn grey and old!" Athena said with a giggle and an embarrassed tight smile.

"I love you 'cuz you're my brothers... " She said quietly.

The four bodyguards' heart was about to burst when she said that. How she was embarrassed when she confessed and how she still smiled in the end. It was sweet and captivating.

Innocent and lovable.

Oh their adorable sweet baby sister.

"Since when did you get so brave?" Zen asks but he couldn't keep his tone from wavering

Athena shrugged. "Ever since you guys came into my life."

It was true.

Ever since they came into her life, they have shown her lessons that she haven't learned before. Those lessons that books won't ever have. They've taught her so much and Athena couldn't let them go.

As much as she tries to deny it, it's not her that's got them wrap around her tiny fingers.

It's them.

"Group hug!"

All of them surrounded Athena and Xavier carried her into his arms and hugged her as well as everybody else did.

Athena didn't protest and she giggled and hugged her brothers.

"Oh and by the way." Owen said while they were hugging. "You three can't skip a grade or else I'll ground you forever."

The three groaned.

"Fine. Whatever, mom!" Zen answered him.

Xavier chuckled. "Now, now. Don't stress out your mother, guys."

Owen groaned and glared at him. "Dude, no. Don't play along."

Xavier and the others laughed and teased Owen even further who tried to stop them.

He was hopelessly losing.

"Ha! Now we know that Wenny's on the losing side!" Athena commented with a proud grin.

Charles and Owen groaned.

"Thea, pumpkin, my lovable sister, I love you so much that it hurts but let's just enjoy this hug, okay?" Charles hopelessly begged and Athena hummed in agreement.

"'Kay!" She answered.

Yup, a perfect family indeed.

______________________________________

Sweet and perfect. Just a normal day for this siblings!

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