I sat impatiently in my seat, in approximately 1 minute and 12 seconds Athena should be here. I sat, doodling her name all over my notebook. The teacher was rambling about some kind of math question but my eyes were focused on the entry gate. It was almost time, my heart was burning in my chest. Tick. Tick. Tick. That was all I could hear, the yellow room felt like it was suffocating me from all sides.

At exactly 1 minute 12 seconds, it opened, and I saw her, MY Athena’s nails on the door painted blood red. “Sorry, miss. I caught got up in traffic!” She said, her British accent seeping into her words despite her choice in her words. She says she’s long lost her British accent but if anyone paid attention they’d see the obvious British drawl in her words. She smiled, an uneasy smile, it tugged at her cheeks uncomfortably but her eyes were lit up, practically shining. They always were.

She was late every day, at least according to school standards. And yet, she was never later than 1 minute and 12 seconds. She sat on the far right seat to me, like she always does. Her Auburn hair was intricately braided like she was a goddess. She smiled at her friends, her lips curling up into a half-moon shape. She barely ever looked at me, but one day she will. I will make sure of it.

“Emi!” Hearing my name pulled me out of my thoughts, I stood up, feeling everyone's eyes around me. Suddenly, I felt the need to vomit. “Solve this problem, Emeline, come on up.” Mrs. Windham eyed me. I swallowed bile and began making my way to the front. I closed my eyes as I could hear laughter. Laughter all around me. At me. I looked at the board in front of me, and back at the people (so many people) my mind blank. “Emi, Emi!” I could hear distantly. I felt my mouth fill up with bile, unable to swallow. I retched and threw up a mouthful of vomit on the floor. I wiped my mouth hastily. I heard so many gasps. Laughs. Whispers.

My eyes went to Athena, a sympathetic look on her face. My Athena. I knew she wouldn't laugh. “Can someone take poor Emi to the nurse’s office? And quit laughing you lot!” Mrs. Windhem announced. My stomach felt woozy as I saw Athena stand up, her luscious hair waving in the air. My face became a potent red. “I.. I'll help you, Emi!” She knew my name. I smiled and walked with her.

God, she was so kind, so sweet, so different than anyone else here. I stopped at the nurse's gate, staring at her. “Do you need anything else?” She spoke again in that British drawl of hers. “Yes. I mean, no! I.. thank you.” I said. She gave me that awkward smile, “You're welcome, it’s no issue!” I stared at her back as she walked away. Her hips swayed like she was a Greek goddess. I felt my face burn as I entered the office.

The next day was more so the same, I woke up to Athenas' picture framed on the wall. I went to school and sat at my seat waiting for a glimpse of her.

But today was different, today I saw Athena approach me. I felt myself involuntarily smile. Her ocean-blue eyes dropped on mine, and she gave me that half-moon smile. But there was something odd. Something that I couldn't quite decipher. “Hi... Uh, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Do you wanna go to the dance with me?” She spoke, her eyes fixed on me. I felt my world crumbling around me. No. Play it cool. “Yea! Sure, if you want to…” I bit my lip as I'd seen the girls in movies do it. “Meet you at the dance then! Wear red!” I nodded all too excitedly.

Next Friday, my dreams will come true.

I spent hours at the shop, trying on every shade of red. From burgundy to orange-red to bright reds but at last, I decided on a blood-red dress. It looked almost medieval with the vampire neckline. I stuffed it into my backpack and ran home. I searched google and youtube for every makeup tutorial I could find.

“I really like you, Athena! No, too childish. I love you Athena. Ugh, now that’s too much.” I practiced in the mirror.

I had to get this right, there was no other way.

It was the night of the dance, I stared at the text from Athena.

‘don’t be late luv 💕’

I hurriedly texted back a reply.

‘Never for you.’ no, delete.

‘I won't be darling!’ delete.

‘don’t worry baby ❤️’sent.

I laid back in my chair and stared at myself. My bangs were framing my disproportional face. I tried my best to curl my hair but it looked straight in some areas and curled in others. I put on my mother's old lipstick, and blue eyeshadow, though you could barely see them through my glasses. I got into my limousine and as it drove, my mind ran with it. I wonder how it would be if she would kiss me. I let out a chuckle at the thought of dancing with her, with my Athena.

I reached the door, I braced myself. After I opened it, it would be like stepping into a new world, I would get to be with Athena. Prove to her that I deserve her love. I closed my door and pushed open the door, immediately I was hit by the sound of music and laughter. They are not laughing at me. I tried to focus on finding Athena but I couldn’t see her anywhere.

‘Where are you? I’m here. x’

_ seen

I stared at the screen waiting for a response but nothing. I went into the crowd, feeling trapped at every turn. Until, there she was, my Athena. She had her hair in beautiful waves, it looked like it was done professionally. Her body-tight red dress made her look like an old hollywood actress. I waved to her, “Hey, Athena!!” She looked over at me. There was a weird hint of guilt in her expression.

Before I could question her I heard a voice coming from the side, it was one of Athena’s bitchy friends. “Looking for this?” In her hand was my notebook. My.. Oh no. “Knock it off.” I heard another one of her friends say, Eliza, I think was her name. She must have gotten it when I was sick. I felt my whole world blackout. That means the date was a fucking ploy. There was so much laughing. So much fucking laughter. All around me. My cheeks felt wet.

“Emi, wait.” I could hear Athena say but all I could feel was the laughter. I ran out, my lungs felt like they were going to give out. I saw the forest around me, it was dark and quiet I could only feel footsteps behind me... Athena. I couldn’t control it any longer, my body started to shake.

“Emi.. hey, don’t cry I can explain-“

I picked up a rock and bashed it into her head. She froze, unable to process what happened. Confusion was laid clear in her blue pretty eyes, so I hit again. and again. and again. and again. I let out the laugh I’d been holding for so long. God, it was so hard to stop it, i could finally breathe. I could feel the warm blood splattering everywhere. Her head was cracked completely, almost a hole in its place. Her eyes were mutilated and red. The iris cut in half. I smiled, she was so red, so beautifully red- just like my dress. “Look! We match!” I said in between laughing fits. I pressed a kiss to her lips feeling the sweet taste of iron in my mouth. It felt like hours that I sat in that forest, just laughing. I pulled myself up and dragged her so gorgeous body to my car. I knocked on the window, and Marcus, my driver rolled it down. He stared at the body for a long while before sighing, “Another one?” I nodded with a giddy smile on my face. He got out and helped me carry the body to my trunk. After we got home I laid her body in my basement. It was a shame she couldn't move, I would have liked to see that smile again..

I was back at school. It was a rainy day. Tick. Tick. Tick. The clock was making me nauseous again. Then the door opened, blue nails holding it open. Eliza entered the room, my Eliza. I smiled.