We Won't Back Down

Chapter Ten.

Athena Elwell.

So it had been a while since Ryan and I had started dating and I must say that I truly did enjoy being with him. It definitely helped to take my tortured mind off of Craig. However, at times I found myself thinking of him even when I was with Ryan. It always made me feel horrible, but it was what it was. I could date Ryan and try to pretend that Craig meant nothing to me, but I was beginning to figure out that I had been lying to myself for a very long time. But meanwhile, I was still hoping that I hated Craig as much as I had thought I did.
I made my way to the library on a Friday morning because my English class usually has Free Read Friday and I realized that I was bookless. Once I entered the library I noticed Jacky talking to Sheila. As I passed by them I remembered to congratulate him on his new and upcoming tour that he and his band had recently announced was a part of their near future.
“Hey Jacky, good luck on your tour, bro!” I happened to mention while passing by them I headed toward the back, closed off section of the library where they kept all of the good fictions. James Patterson’s Fang from his Maximum Ride series had recently came out and I was hoping the school library wasn’t lame enough to pass up adding it to their collection. I had been waiting two years for it to come out.
I was searching the bookshelves and found myself slightly arranging them so that the shelves weren’t so crowded. Normally I wouldn’t and I would give Sheila shit for it whenever she would do it, but that is because she actually worked in a library and things like that became a huge pet peeve for her. I smiled to myself and found the spot where the book should be and standing in front of the bookshelf was the one and only Craig.
“Well Mabbitt, didn’t know you could read.” I chuckled and he looked at me, rolling his eyes.
“Yeah Elwell, you could detach yourself from your boyfriend long enough to actually come to the library?” he shot back and I looked at him, anger welling up within me slightly, but I wouldn’t let him see it. I was about to retort, but the book in his hand caught my eyes.
“Is that…that book in your hands…is that Fang?” I asked seeing the blue cover with the guy that was supposed to represent Fang and the girl that “supposedly” represented Max. He looked at the book and smirked, seeing the longing in my eyes.
“Why yes, yes this would be Fang!” he stated, flashing it up with a smile. “I’m guessing you are a Maximum Ride fan as well?”
“Yes I am, now hand over the book if you want to keep that smile on your face!” I snarled, not wanting to see the book go to ruin with how good of condition it was in. I could just imagine it now, him eating nachos and the cheese just drippi… “For the love of God, Craig, give me the fucking book!”
He looked at me in complete shock and sighed, “Sorry, no can do, I’ve been waiting ever since I finished the last book.”
“The library in town be…”
“Nope they don’t have it in, trust me, I was the first person in there requesting it.”
“When the fuck did you get into reading?” I crossed my arms over my chest and he patted me on the head, heading towards the front.
“When did you start falling for pussies?” He countered before he handed the book to the librarian, glancing at me over his shoulder to see my shocked expression. I couldn’t believe he just said that.
“Well at least I didn’t fucking sleep with another girl after getting someone else’s hopes up!” I blurted out. Oh shit. He wasn’t supposed to know about my feelings on that subject. There a time back in our early high school years when I thought he was coming around. Then I heard he had slept with Alana Serpents (yes that was her real last name). I was devastated and my resentment for Craig grew stronger. He never dated Alana, but it was enough to disgust me.
I clapped my hand over my mouth, running the words “fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckshitdamnitmotherfuckingcocksuckingdickheadlowdowndirtycuntslurpingFUUUUUUUUUUUCK!” in my mind over and over again. His face ignited with understanding and his eyes grew wide with disbelief. I found it an appropriate time to run away. I turned on my heel and jetted out the double doors of the library, tears stinging my eyes and they welled up in them. I ran into someone with such force that I bounced off of their sturdy body and found myself in a daze on the rotunda floor.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry…Athena, are you ok? Where’s the fire?!” Monte exclaimed, holding out a hand for me to grab and I couldn’t get the strength to reach up and get it. I felt the tears starting to flow down my face and my chest started tightening. My body began to shake and the only thing that I could think was “Shit not this…not now.” I couldn’t breathe and I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my body, picking me up and taking me somewhere, but I couldn’t seem to see who or where I was going since my vision began to blur.
“Athena…Athena, please calm down…oh god, I don’t know how to handle this…” Monte whispered and just kept hugging me, “I swear to God, if you don’t calm down I’m gonna tickle you!” He said the first thing to come to his mind.
“What is goin…is she having an anxiety attack?” I could hear Robert’s voice say as he had entered whatever room Monte had drug me into.
“You can tell what is going on?” Monte asked, shocked but almost relieved as Robert came over to me and took me away from Monte.
“Hey now, come on breathe. Everything is gonna be ok now, I’m here for you and so is Monte.” He whispered in my ear and was swaying me back and forth and I felt almost a comforting feeling wash over me. “Just relax, let this feeling pass and breathe with me.”
I followed his pattern of breathing and next thing I knew; my whole world had gone black.

AFTER BLACKOUT

I woke up on a familiar blue suede couch, in a house that smelled deliciously like homemade chocolate chip cookies. I glanced up to see my sister’s grey blue eyes, more blue and red from crying sitting right next to me, drooling slightly since she had passed out. I shook her slightly and she muttered something about not wanting to go to school because she wanted to tickles a…a duck?
“What the fuck are you dreaming about?” I asked her, causing her nearly to fall out of her sleep. She always could find a way to sleep in the weirdest positions.
“Wha…thank God, you’re awake, I was so worried about you!” She exclaimed, latching herself onto me and causing it to be harder for me to breathe.
“AIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” I wheezed and she released her death grip.
“Are you ok? What happened? Whose ass do I need to set on fire for this?” She went on a smorgasbord of questions, causing me to hold up a hand.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa hold the phone, first answer my question.” I said and she motioned for me to go on, “Where the hell are we?”
“Oh, we’re at Max’s house.” She stated like it was nothing. I stared at her and blinked a few time before I managed to speak.
“Max’s house? Why the FUCK are we at Max’s house? I thought you guys despised each other.” I said looking around at the familiar living room.
“It’s a long story.” She sighed.
“Sheila?” I rose an eyebrow at her.
“Alright. Well basically, I got pissed at Jacky for not telling me he was going on tour and I found Max outside and we were smoking. And then Dragon Lady busted us and we escaped together and then he started talking about the past. He started listed off all of the stuff that he remembered about me and it upset me so much I started crying and he decided to bring me back here to help calm me down. And then not too long after that Monte and Rob showed up with and unconscious you and said you were having an anxiety attack and just fucking passed out. So they brought you to the only person they could think of, Max’s mom.” Sheila explained. But she lost me the phrase we were smoking.
“Smoking Sheila? Smoking? Really?” I looked at her sternly.
“I’m sorry, I just was so done with everything. I just gave in I guess. It won’t happen again.” She promised, though I had a feeling it would.
I sighed and looked over at my phone that had lit up on the coffee table by the couch I was laying on. My face twisted with confusion as to who would be texting me. I reached over and picked it up, catching glance at the name on the screen. It read as Mabbitt. Shit.

1:30 p.m.
Athena, we need to talk. Call me!
1:33 p.m.
Come on text me back, I know you are seeing these.
1:41 p.m.
Ok well, looks like your probably too busy fucking your boyfriend to answer me back.
1:42 p.m.
Sorry that last text was out of hand…just answer me back. I want to know why that situation was brought up.
2:16 p.m.
Where are you and your sister? No one can find either of you.
2:34 p.m.
There is a rumor circulating that you left in the arms of Monte and Robert… are you ok?
2:50 p.m.
Well school is over, I’m going to go to your house to find you!

I glanced at the clock on the wall and it read out 3:13 p.m. and almost on cue another text message came in from Mr. Mabbit.
“Ahhh fuck thisss!” I exclaimed shutting off my phone and Shelia gave me a strange look. “Sorry my phone was being blown up.”
“Hey, you’re up!” Max’s mother exclaimed coming in with a big honking plate of chocolate chip cookies. My mouth just started watering right on cue.
My eyes welled up with tears again. But tears of joy. I hadn’t eaten at all that day so I was fucking hungrier than a one eyed nine horned flying purple people eater. I grabbed 3 cookies off of the platter and shoved them into my mouth all at once in one single motion. Max’s mom laughed a hardy laugh.
“There’s my little cookie monster.” She said through spurts of laughter. I smiled with my mouth full and Sheila about died of a giggle fit. “Oooh how I’ve missed you girls.” I cocked my head to side in confusion.
“We’ve missed you too. With our parents being gone all the time now. You were like a second mom to us.” Sheila said with sincerity.
“Well you know I’ve been trying to get Max to invite you over for dinner for past four years now. The boys talk about you girls all the time so I’m fairly caught up with your lives, though I’m sure there’s lots I’m missing.” His mom smiled, her green eyes beaming at us.
“So how has life been going for you?” I asked as I finally finished my mouthful of cookie.
“Well you know, I got to tell you it has just been wonderful. I have a pack of loving sons who play their music way too loud in my basement every afternoon right about 3:15. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Still waiting for Max to get a girlfriend. Hence the reason I’ve been trying to get him to invite you girls over huh. “She winked at Sheila. I let out a small chuckle and she turned red. “I pick up 8 hours a day, 6 days a week at the hair salon and I love the job but it just wears me out, I’ll tell ya. Other than that, not much is happening. The boys are getting ready for their band battle at your family’s store that’s coming up real fast. Are you girls gonna bring out the “mystery band”? She smirked at us in way that told us the jig was up. She knew.
“How…when did you find out?” Shelia asked, having made it very clear that no one was to speak of the band outside of the shop and the house.
“Come on, the boys were complaining that you guys were telling them about this band of girls that could beat them and I was like…op, I know who those girl are!”
“You always were a genius Mrs. Green!” I smiled at her and took another cookie and she handed me a napkin. I looked into the mirror on the wall and there was chocolate literally all over my face.
“Well I try, now what is this that I hear about you smoking because of my son?” she looked over at Shelia and she pouted and tried to look innocent.
“It was a one-time thinggg!” she whined and looked over at me.
“So, what happened to cause your anxiety attack?”
“Do we really have to talk about it right now?” I whined, not wanting to talk about me, anything but me right now. They both looked at me seriously and I sighed, looks like I wasn’t getting out of this one. “Well, I went to the library and found Craig with a book that I wanted, causing us to fight over that and he said some things that angered me and I countered with something that I wanted to leave in the past. It just brought back all the heart ache and pain that I encountered in the past, triggering a full blown anxiety attack in the halls of our high school.”
“That boy caused that?!” Max’s mother looked like she was bout ready to beat that kid senseless upside the head. “Ohhh I’m gonna beat that boy senseless upside his head!” I had to stop myself from laughing at the irony.
“It’s fine, it’s over now and I want it to be put in the past.” I stated, standing up and she hugged me tight.
“I’m just glad you are ok.” She smiled as she pulled away, looking at the cookies. “oh do you think you could bring these down to the boys in the basement?”
“Sure thing.” I said grabbing the plate and Sheila followed me downstairs. I about tripped down the stairs because I couldn’t see a thing. It was pitch dark down there and I could hear loud noises coming from the bottom level that sounded like they were either watching a scary movie or playing a video game.
When we emerged on the ground level, the boys were all lined up on the couch watching Rob play Silent Hill on console. Ohhh this was gonna be good.
“Fuck with ‘em?” I whispered to Sheila.
“Fuck with ‘em.” She murmured back. We both ninja rolled over to the couch after I set the cookies down on the last step of the stairs. Crouching behind the couch I watched as Sheila lifted a finger to her lips insinuating silence, then she rose up and pulling a few strands of Max’s hair. He jumped and whipped around as she ducked behind the couch so as not to be seen. “The fuck!” Max whispered.
I stood up and leaned into Monte’s ear and let out a ghastly moan. I ducked in time for him to lurch forward, a few popcorn cornels flying out of his bowl along with few cheese puffs he had mixed in. Of course. “Did…d-did you guys hear that?” he stuttered. Too funny.
Monte turned back around and sat back after seeing nothing behind him. I watched Sheila lick her two fingers and run them down the back of Max’s neck. “Fuck!” He yelled out.
“Dude, chill. Game getting to you?” Rob chuckled.
“I swear to god, something just touched me…and It. Was. Slimy.” Max bitched.
“Oh calm down. Don’t get your panties in a twist baby.” Rob teased him. Max sat down and Monte threw a cheese puff at Max.
“Dude, cut it out!” Max complained.
“Dude relax, you fuckin’ scared or something?” Monte laughed.
“You know what, fuck you and the horse you rode in on Mont.” He grumbled. We clapped our hands over our mouths and tried not to snicker too loud. Then once they went back to watching Rob, we nodded at one another and slowly rose up, Sheila between Rob and Max, and I between Rob and Monte. We counted to 3 on our fingers.
“Heeey!” Sheila said in creepiest voice you could imagine.
“How’s it goin’!” I finished on the other side. Instantaneously all them screeched like little girls and jumped out of their skin, the entire bowl of mixed popcorn and cheese puffs flying everywhere and the game controller Rob was using managed to take a nice trip across the room. Sheila and I dropped to ground, dying with laughter. That was probably the best shit you’ve ever experienced.
“FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!” they all yelled at the same time and then they looked back and someone turned on the light. Max had been the light guy and was staring dead on at us and Robert paused the game.
“Fucking fuckers fucking, fucking with us fuckkity FUCK!” Monte, the only one who hadn’t turned around completely and went on a rant of saying fuck.
“Well, that surely does show how much you can say it” Shelia snickered at him, causing him to turn around and glare at her.
“Imma keel youuuu!” he snapped and literally jumped over the couch, giving her a noogie. “Yeah, sucks doesn’t it?!” he exclaimed laughing and she was just pouting towards the end.
“Come on guys it wa…ooh piece of popcorn!” she exclaimed and I couldn’t help but face palm.
“Oh god, here comes the ADHD Shelia.” I stated and looked at Robert who had snuck up on me and he just stood there smiling all creepy like. “What ar…” I went into a fit of laughter once his long slender fingers started working their ways on my sides, tickling the hell out of me. “oh god, for the love of god Robert, stop it, oh my god, please stop, I can’t breathe, Ahhhhhhh!”
“Oh my god, my mom’s famous cookies!” Max stated and all the chaos that was happening stopped all for the sake of cookies. We all ran over to the plate and within a matter of second, all three dozen cookies were demolished. We were all sitting around with aching stomachs when I heard a voice I didn’t want to hear at the very bottom of the stairs.
“Athena, we have to talk.” Craig’s voice said and I felt every bone in my body come to a sudden halt.