I wake up from my alarm without my usual headache. Athena must be in a good mood to spare me the pain.
I take my glasses of my bedside table and put them on.
It's been two weeks since I first woke up with her inside my head. Two weeks of pain coming and going.
Athena has thought me things I can do with her and a history lesson as well. She helps me whenever I need it, even if I don't always see it myself.
One of the things she thought me is that I shouldn't see pain as my enemy. Why? Well see, pain is a constant in your life. So if you see it as your enemy you're always fighting. Instead you should learn to live along side it. So that when others are in in need for your help, you can put your pain aside and help them.
So far it's hard to just forget the headache that comes with her. It's intense too. Sometimes I just wanna curl up into a ball and not move until it's over. I did it too. Athena did say it'll get better although I have to admit I'm not so sure about that. I think better words are 'getting used to it'.
I throw my blankets to the back of my bed and slowly get up.
I drag myself to the bathroom opposite of my room. When I get inside I stand in front of the mirror. I take a look at myself. My dark brown hair that reaches right over my shoulders is messy from sleep.
I take of my glasses and splash some water in my face to wake myself up a little.
After that I comb my hair and brush my teeth. I put my glasses on again, not in the mood to put my contacts in.
I return to my room so I can pick out my clothes for the day. I open my closet and pick out black dress pants and a white blouse. I decide to keep my hair loose.
I check my look in my mirror before deciding I'm happy about it. Although before I leave I do grab a black blazer and head to the kitchen to grab some breakfast.
I take a banana and an appel out of the basket and start making my bag for the day.
'I need my phone charger, my notebook, my agenda, my laptop... Wait... Where is my laptop?'
I look around lifting things up and placing them down again.
'So not in the living room... Maybe in my office?'
I half walk, half run to my office. Again I lift up a pile of papers and look in drawers. I try not to slam them close when I don't see it. I don't wanna wake Cristy.
I feel a headache building up. Great, why not? Another thing to worry about.
"What are you looking for?" Athena asks.
"My laptop." I respond.
"Any chance you saw it?"
"Mmm... Checked the living room?"
"Yupe. "
"Office?"
"I'm here now and I've had about every place."
"You sure? Even Holmes wouldn't be able to find anything here."
"Hey, I know it's messy but it's not that bad." I respond fake mad.
"Sure, whatever you say Skyler."
Athena's reserved laugh sounds inside my head. Over the past two weeks we became a lot closer. We're getting to know one another and slowly getting used to living with the other.
"May I give another suggestion?" Athena asks.
"Yes, please." I answer.
"Your bedside table?"
I half walk, half run to my room, again trying not to wake Cristy.
When I enter I go to my beside table and what is there? You guessed it, my laptop.
"Thanks Athena."
"Your Welcome." She responds.
I return to the kitchen and put my laptop in its bag. I take it with me as well as my other bag and head for the door. Athena stops me.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" She asks.
"Urm... No?"
"How about breakfast? And also how are you gonna start your car without your keys?"
"Good point." I respond.
I take my breakfast with me and grab my keys if the hook, knowing very well I'm running late... Again. I arrive about five minutes late. I rush into the office. I go to my desk and place my bag on it.
"And I thought your desk at home was messy." Athena said.
"Wauw, thanks Athena." I respond.
"What, I haven't been here before."
"Yeah you have."
"Yeah, but not as in 'I've been talking to you and paid proper attention'. I usually leave you alone when you work because you asked me."
"True, by the way, thanks for respecting that." I say.
"Hey Sky." James says.
James is my collegue. We are currently working on the same project. We've been friends for a long time and he's like a brother to me.
"Hey... James..." I say kind of surprised.
I didn't expect him to be right around the corner.
"Were you talking to yourself?" he asks.
"Urm... Yeah You know me... Always a little weird" I respond awkwardly.
Athena's laugh sounds in my head. She loves it whenever things get awkward, because we're talking to each other.
"True." James laughs.
"Urm I was wondering have you made the sketches?"
"Yeah I have. They're right here." I respond taking out my computer.
I quikly start it and open the program. I show him the sketch.
"How do you feel about this?" I ask.
For this project he is projectleader.
"I think it looks great. That and it matches with everything the client asked for, but it's also in your style."
"Thanks James."
"Can you mail me the document?" James asks.
"Sure." I respond.
"Thanks. Keep up the good work." He smiles and leaves.
"He seemed pleased." Athena said.
"That's because he was." I respond.
"Thanks for the help."
"You're welcome."
Athena had helped me perfect a few things. She was actually really good at architecture. To be honest it didn't really surprise me. She has all the qualities of a good architect.
I take a seat at my desk and take out some foam for a maquette.
I start putting the pieces together. The building I'm designing is in blue foam and the buildings surrounding it are in white.
After about an hour I have a full board of little houses everywhere.
~LINE BREAK~
I finished cleaning my workspace. After I made the maquette of the area my building would be in, I did some sketching for a new project my boss put me on, concidering my project with James is almost finished.
I packed my bag and hung it over my shoulder. My headache came back. You might think 'Did it ever leave?'. As a matter of fact yeah it did. Whenever we're in public Athena tries to spare me the pain. That and the awkward looks when I seemingly talk to myself.
Since I was last in the office this morning, I was also the last one to leave. I closed the door behind me and locked it.
I walked to my car. I got in and when I tried to start it it didn't do anything. I tried again... Nothing. And again... still nothing.
"What's the problem Skyler?"
I look in my rear mirror. I see my eyes light up with its usual golden rim when Athena talks. I prefer looking into a mirror when we talk. Then it feels like I'm actually talking to a person and not a voice inside my head. It makes me feel a little more sane.
"My car won't start that's what." I respond.
"Mmmm... Try again?" Athena suggests.
I scoff, but do as she says and try again. Still nothing though. I keep trying until I tried ten times. I sigh. This isn't working.
"Maybe you should call Cristy." Athena says.
I nod.
"Good idea."
I already know that if Athena was physically here she would smirk. I take my phone out of my pocket and call Cristy.
"Ugh... Just great. That idiot doesn't pick up."
My frustrated voice is replaced by Athena's calm one as her words leave my mouth.
"Stay calm Skyler. There could be a dozen reasons why she isn't picking up. Call her again and leave a voicemail. At least let her know what's going on."
I nod. For some reason the fact that Athena is with me calms me down. Even if she isn't here physically.
I think it's because her being calm inside my head keeps things clear for me. That makes I have just my feelings to worry about and not hers as well. But then again, what do I know?
I call Cristy again and as I suspected she doesn't pick up, so I leave a voicemail.
"Hey Cris. Just calling to let you know my car broke down so I have to figure out another way to get home. Don't worry though I'll be fine. Call me back when you hear this."
I put my phone back into my bag. I suppose the bus would be my best option now. One slight problem it's about a 20min walk to the busstation, through the creepiest streets around here. The fact that it's dark and cold outside isn't really helping either. But like I said, it's my best option now.
I get out of my car, lock it and start walking. I'll call the garage tomorrow.
"Urm... Skyler what are you doing?" Athena asks.
"Going home that's what." I respond.
"How?"
"The bus."
Athena stays silent, but I know she's alert and on edge. Somehow I feel it. Like she's ready to jump in and take over when something happens. I'm glad to have her watch my back.
I turn a corner and walk into a street with barely any lighting. I see a child searching through a container. When the kid turns around he takes a bite of a paper plate.
I scares me to death. I want to do something, but Athena stops me.
"Look." She says.
"His eyes."
I take a look and behind locks of dirty (litterly) blond hair I see forest green eyes with a golden rim around them.
My breath catches in my throat as he stares back at me. He nods at me and then disappears with his plate still in his hand.
"I-is he... Like me?"
I have to force the words out my throat as I walk along.
"Yes. His body held the God of nature: Pan." Athena explained.
"But... He was so... Young..."
It takes a while before Athena answers.
"Choosing a mortal to live with is hard. First of all, you need to live with them until they die so you better pick someone you like. Second, they need to be incredibly strong. Emotionally, physically and Mentally. Thrid, as you have experienced yourself, it comes with an incredible amount of pain and it only gets worse for your body the longer the God stays in your head. Kids like him... They don't usually live that long."
I can barely believe what I'm hearing. Athena's words sound in my head and this time she's not saying them.
'Gets worse... Don't usually live that long...'
I keep walking. It isn't that far anymore.
I reach the station. Finally. I look at the time table. I have a bus in 5min. There's a man of about my age sitting underneath the huge board.
I don't see his eyes but I know he's looking at me from behind his dark locks. A lot of mystery hangs around his personality. He's clothed all black and his hair is covering part of his face and his eyes.
I avoid him and head to the right busstop. As I walk he follows me.
"Athena... Any chance you know who that is?"
"I'm afraid not. To know if he were a God I'd have to see his eyes just like you."
I just nod and try to stay calm. When I look behind me I see he has a bad leg and there for a bit wobbly. I take my place at the stop and he stands still besides me.
Okay, now he's starting to freak me out. Luckily I see the bus arriving. Right before I get on he brushes past me and slips something in my pocket. And with that he's gone.
I get on the bus a little dazed. What just happened? I take the thing he slipped in my pocket out as I sit down.
It's a piece of paper. It has some text on it that I can't seem to read.
"Athena? Any chance you know what this is about?" I ask on a hushed tone.
"How and where did you get that?!"
Hi guys, new chapter! Hope you guys like it. We made it a little longer to make up for the lost time when we didn't update. Enjoy!
Xoxo
Athena_Hades9901