Never Alone

Chapter 19

With the rumors being taken care of, that doesn't mean that Athena likes the aftermath of the situation.

"I saw you on TV. What happened?" Athena could clearly hear the amusement in Janice's tone as she smirked at her.

"Me too, doesn't that make you seem so... Miserable now?" Mayka asked and there's no way Athena wouldn't notice the smugness in her tone. Mayka then giggled. "I'm not trying to be offending or anything, Thea! We're friends, aren't we? Friends are supposed to be honest with each other."

Athena hummed in thought, looking at her with a warm smile plastered on her face.

"There's a difference between being honest and being rude, Mayka. You should know that."

Mayka's lips turned into a frown and she glared at Athena. The little girl just sipped on her orange juice, praying to the heavens that they won't ask any more questions about what happened with her family.

"But..." Athena said, taking a drink from her cup again and she smiled at them. "It's fine now!"

"Is it?" Mayka asked sadly. "What if it's not? Will you be okay?"

Her concern was fake. That much, Athena could tell. Her tone was sad but the way she looked at her, it's as if she's looking down on Athena.

"Why wouldn't I?" Athena raised a brow.

"Well, your father cheated on your mother. My parents told me that that is very bad." Janice said, shaking her head in disapproval.

"They're right." Athena nodded. "It is bad but those were just rumors. I remember a quote saying that rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools and accepted by idiots." Athena titled her head to the side with a challenging smile on her face.
"Don't you think that it's true?" Athena said, her tone unwavering.

Honestly, whenever something comes up, such as these kind of situations, Janice and Mayka would be the number one people who'll invite her over for a 'sweets party.' Of course, she couldn't say no because her brothers would always force her to come.

She hates meeting with the two girls.
Well, the reason why they forced her was to not cause suspicion. If she doesn't show up then they'll just get someone to make some more lies.

Athena sighed, feeling defeated.

"I heard from a little birdie that Theodore came to see you." Janice put on a tight smile as she look at Athena for answers.

Truth be told, Janice have a little crush on Theodore. She's always beside him and she's always trying to talk to him.

Sadly, she knows who Theodore likes.

And it's definitely not her.

Mayka gasped, looking at Athena in disbelief.

"We're friends, Athena." Mayka gritted out the word friends and the little girl just grimaced at Mayka's point of view of what relationship they have. "You should've told us."

Athena suddenly got uncomfortable but she tries not to show it.

"Yeah, Athena." Janice said with a bitter tone laced in her pleasant one. "You should've invited us. The more the merrier, right?"

"How was he?" Mayka asked dreamily. "We didn't get to say goodbye to him when he took a vacation to France."

Athena could feel the heated glare from Janice when Mayka asked.

She still answered out of politeness. "He's fine. He couldn't wait to go back to school."

"So why didn't you call us?" Janice pushed on, leaning back on her chair with a heated glare. "So that you could be with him alone?"

Athena gave her a smirk. How amusing, indeed. Janice and Mayka just loves trying to tick Athena off but honestly, nothing ticks her off more than being in their presence.

"He didn't invite you, Janice... "

What she's saying is the truth.

She's not being rude to them. She  asked him about them and he didn't want them to come.

Mayka and Janice gave her deadly glares and Athena felt kind of bad for saying those words but they're really being personal about the rumors. Athena knows that those rumors were nothing but lies but it still stings and it still hurts when people make words that becomes lies.

"You're being rude." Janice demanded, glaring at her.

Athena thought about herself being rude and hummed in thought.

Was she being rude?

"I'm sorry, really." She said honestly but she was giving Janice a challenging look. "But I'm not lying. You could ask him if you want."

And with that, she jumped out of her seat and waved goodbye at them.

"Thank you for the treats!" Athena said and smiled. "Till next time!"

No one uttered a word and Athena took that as a sign to leave them.

When Athena found her brothers, she let out a sigh of relief.

"You look tired." Charles commented and Athena couldn't help but chuckle.

"They were tiring." She shrugs and she was just not in the mood to entertain them.

"They didn't do anything, did they?" Owen asked with concern laced in his tone.

Athena gave him a reassuring smile and shook her head.

"Nope!"

"You sure?" Xavier said and Athena pouted, crossing her arms adorably.

"M' fine!" Athena huffed out. "M' not a kid!"

Zen grinned. "Really sure?"

Athena giggled and nodded. "Really, duper sure."