CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 91: YOU SOUND A LITTLE UNSERIOUS... MY PRINCESS.

The next day came faster than Athena wanted. She wasn’t just scared of her mother’s threat, she was scared of herself.

Oliver leaving meant more free time... more empty space in her head... more moments where the Phantom Fours could slip in and mess with her thoughts.

If they could cloud her mind like this while Oliver was still around, what would happen when he left?

She didn’t want to break his heart, but she didn’t trust herself either.

Now, on their way to the airport, Athena felt her world slowly collapsing.

She sat in the back seat with Oliver beside her staring out the window in silence.

She didn’t want to cry again. What was the use? Crying wasn’t going to change anything.

Oliver looked at her frowning face and moved closer. "If you keep pouting like that, I might ask the driver to turn back," he murmured.

Athena turned to him and rested her forehead against his. "I wouldn’t mind."

That made him chuckle instantly.

"Don’t tempt me... doll."

Athena smiled faintly and looked back outside. "I’m not tempting you... if I wanted to be selfish, you’d be between my legs by now... begging for mercy."

Oliver froze. Then he burst into laughter...deep, uncontrollable laughter that brought tears to his eyes.

Athena’s lips twitched in embarrassment.

"Athena... gods... you’ll kill me one day," he said admits laughter.

She turned away, cheeks warming.

When he finally calmed down, he leaned closer and murmured, "Actually... you didn’t lie. If I ever got between your legs... I don’t think I’d want to come back out."

Athena’s eyes flew open. "Oliver! Stop saying stuff like that." She smacked his chest lightly.

He caught her hand, leaned in, and whispered, "What? You started it."

"Yeah... but I didn’t go that deep."

Oliver’s smirk rose slowly dangerous, teasing, confident. "Deep? You sure you want to use that word with me?"

Athena nearly choked. "What the fuck, Oliver? The driver is RIGHT here."

She pointed at the poor man in front, who was desperately fighting for his life.

His face was bright red, his lips pressed together, and his eyes squeezed shut and open them again.

He muttered something under his breath nothing loud, just pure suffering.

They got to the airport.

Oliver didn’t waste a second, he pulled Athena into his chest and pressed his forehead against hers.

Athena felt her chest tighten painfully. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to keep it together.

"Take care of yourself... doll," he whispered.

Athena nodded.

"Don’t stay out too late. Have fun with your friends. Go to Felicia if everything gets too boring or too hard to deal with."

His voice shook just a little.

"I’ll be back, Athena... just stay safe, okay?"

Athena finally found her voice. It came out soft, small, cracky

"Don’t... don’t keep me waiting. I...I...you know I hate being alone in that big house, right?"

Oliver exhaled, almost like her words punched the air out of him.

"Yeah... I know. I promise I’ll come back faster than you expect."

He brushed her cheek gently.

"The driver will take you anywhere you want to go, alright?"

Athena nodded again, even though her heart was screaming.

"I need to leave now," he murmured.

"Yeah... go. I’m fine," she lied.

Oliver didn’t believe her for a second. He sealed her lips with his...hard, desperate, like he was scared this might be the last time.

People passing by stared.

Athena was in her white school uniform, and Oliver looked young but too grown compare to her.

They gave him weird looks, but none of it mattered.

Not to him. Not to Athena, especially not right now.

He broke the kiss slowly, kissed the tip of her nose, then her temple.

Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her like he wished he could take her with him.

All this time, she didn’t cry.

Oliver pulled away slowly, his hands sliding down her arms like he didn’t want to lose the feel of her.

He took a step back. Just one.

But it felt like a whole world opening between them.

Athena forced a smile small, trembling.

"You’d better come back," she said, her voice shaking even though she tried to steady it.

"I’m not burning those pancakes alone."

Oliver stopped.

Her words hit him harder than anything else.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, eyes softening in a way that almost broke her knees.

"Athena..."

He breathed her name like it hurt.

He wanted to go back, she could see it in his eyes.

He wanted to drag her into his arms again.

He wanted to stay.

But the airport announcement echoed overhead, reminding him of the flight... the distance... the reality.

He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to turn.

Athena lifted her hand weakly and waved at him.

Her fingers trembled, but she still waved.

Oliver looked back once again.

And his face twisted like leaving her was physically painful.

"I’ll come back," he said, voice thick.

"You better not burn those pancakes without me."

Athena tried to laugh, but it broke halfway, turning into a sound she had to swallow quickly.

He nodded at her slow, lingering before turning and walking toward the gate.

Athena stood there. Watching his back.

Watching the distance grow with every step he took.

One step.

Two steps.

Three.

Her chest tightened like someone was squeezing her lungs from the inside.

Her breath trembled.

So Athena stood there, feet glued to the floor, her fingers clutching the strap of her school bag so hard her knuckles turned white.

The moment his figure disappeared into the crowd, reality dawn...something inside her snapped quietly, painfully.

Her vision blurred. Her legs shook.

And her heart felt like it dropped straight into her stomach.

She pressed her hand against her chest, trying to hold herself together.

For a moment, she couldn’t breathe.

And then the tears finally slipped slowly at first, then the dam broke.

.

.

.

GRAVECREST ACADEMY

After Oliver left, everything felt empty even herself.

She drifted down the long corridor of Gravecrest Academy, lost in thoughts she couldn’t untangle. She knew she was late for class, but she didn’t give a damn. She could always cover it up later. Right now, she couldn’t even think straight.

Because she was so lost in her head, Athena didn’t notice the sudden shift around her, the way murmurs faded, soft giggles died, and the students instinctively stepped aside. Eryx was cutting through the hallway with powerful strides, a storm with a destination.

She only realized something was wrong when his shadow fell over her.

Before she could react, Eryx grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing. Athena gasped. The entire hallway gasped. And then, of course, every shameless student pulled out their phones to record.

Wow Fantastic. Just fantastic. Her life is such a trope.

Her face burned crimson when she saw several students recording the scene like it was premium content.

"Eryx...put me down! What the hell are you doing?" she snapped, hands pushing against his back.

He didn’t even spare her a glance.

Being thrown over his shoulder made her short school skirt shift up, revealing her black full-butt protective shorts and the smallest white pale skin above her thigh and high socks. Eryx noticed...of course he noticed. He also noticed the hungry stares from boys and wolves, and his jaw ticked with barely restrained violence. As much as he wanted to rip their eyes out right now and feed it to them, she came first...so he placed a large hand over her exposed skin, palm settling directly over her butt.

The entire hallway lost their minds.

Athena sucked in a sharp breath when she felt his hand there. "You absolute bastard... Maniac..."

She cursed him with every single cuss word she’d ever learned, and Eryx only smirked. To make things worse, he slapped her butt lightly just enough to shut her up. Laughter erupted from the watching crowd.

Wow. Amazing. They’re all enjoying this, she thought, mortified.

He carried her into an empty room thank God no student followed or Heaven knows what she would have done. Eryx finally slowed only when he reached a chair. Without warning, he slid her off his shoulder as he sat down, making her land straddling him again. Just like the other night.

What is it with this guy and putting me on his lap? Athena thought, increasingly convinced this was some kind of sick hobby.

The second her butt pressed down on a particular spot, Eryx released a low groan, head falling back. Athena nearly combusted.

Before he could recover from his idiocy...yes, that’s what she called it, she started raining hits on him.

"What the hell was the meaning of that stunt you pulled in the hallway?" she snapped, voice shaking with rage. "What exactly was the need for that bullshit?"

Eryx tilted his head, lips twitching.

"Raising your voice at me while you’re practically sitting on my cock?" His voice dropped, teasing, sinful. "You sound a little unserious... my princess."

Athena went red instantly, but she kept her chin raised. Anger was hotter than embarrassment.