Blood Bound

Chapter 3: A Different Kind Of Normal

Chapter Three:

A Different Kind of Normal

The alarm went off at 6:30.

Athena reached out from under the blanket and slapped it.

The alarm stopped.

For three seconds, everything was quiet.

Then it started again.

Athena groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Athena!"

"I'm awake."

"You've been saying that for five minutes."

"I'm getting up."

Her aunt appeared at the doorway.

Athena slowly pushed the blanket down and looked at her.

"You don't look awake."

"I am."

"Then why are you still in bed?"

Athena glanced at the clock.

"Because the bed is comfortable."

Her aunt folded her arms.

"You have school."

"I know."

"And you're going to be late."

Athena sat up.

"Okay, okay."

Her aunt shook her head, trying not to smile.

"You've been at this school for one week and you're already trying to get late."

"That's not true."

"You were late yesterday."

"By three minutes."

"Still late."

Athena grabbed her pillow and threw it at her.

Her aunt caught it.

"Very mature."

Athena laughed.

"Give me that."

"No."

"Auntie."

Her aunt tossed the pillow back at her.

"Five minutes."

"I need ten."

"You have five."

"Seven?"

"Five."

"Six?"

Her aunt pointed toward the bathroom.

"Five."

Athena sighed dramatically.

"You're very strict."

"Someone has to be."

Her aunt walked away.

Athena waited until she was out of sight before muttering,

"Six would have been reasonable."

By the time Athena reached school, students were already filling the hallways.

She adjusted the strap of her bag and looked around.

She had been here for a week, but the place still felt too big.

There were too many faces.

Too many voices.

Too many people who already seemed to know exactly where they belonged.

Athena checked the paper with her timetable.

Room 204.

She looked at the signs above the doors.

"204..."

She walked past one classroom.

Then another.

Nothing.

She turned around.

A boy carrying a stack of books nearly walked into her.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

He continued walking.

Athena looked at the paper again.

"Where is this stupid room?"

"You looking for 204?"

Athena turned.

A girl was standing a few feet away, holding a water bottle.

"Yeah."

"It's upstairs."

Athena looked toward the staircase.

"Oh."

The girl smiled.

"First week?"

Athena nodded.

"I knew it."

"How?"

"You have the lost look."

Athena looked at her.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little."

Athena smiled despite herself.

The girl pointed toward the stairs.

"Come on. I'm going that way."

"Thanks."

"I'm Sofia, by the way."

"Athena."

"Nice to meet you."

"You too."

They walked upstairs together.

Sofia talked most of the way.

She complained about the teachers, the amount of homework, and how the cafeteria somehow managed to make every meal taste the same.

Athena mostly listened.

Every now and then, she laughed.

By the time they reached the classroom, Athena realized she hadn't felt uncomfortable for the entire walk.

That was new.

Athena took a seat near the window.

Sofia sat two rows ahead.

The teacher came in a few minutes later, and the room slowly became quiet.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, ma'am."

The teacher placed some books on her desk.

"We have a new student this term."

Several people looked at Athena.

Athena immediately wished they hadn't.

The teacher smiled.

"Athena Ludent."

Athena raised her hand slightly.

"Here."

"Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Athena stared at her.

"Now?"

A few students laughed.

The teacher smiled.

"Yes, now."

Athena stood.

She looked around the room.

There wasn't much to say.

"I'm Athena."

Someone at the back whispered,

"That's it?"

More laughter.

Athena looked at the teacher.

"Can I sit down now?"

The teacher laughed.

"Yes, Athena."

Athena sat down.

Sofia turned around and gave her a thumbs-up.

Athena smiled.

At lunch, Athena sat beneath a tree at the edge of the school courtyard.

She had chosen the spot because it was quieter there.

She opened her lunch and looked around.

Groups of students were scattered across the courtyard.

Some were talking loudly.

Some were taking pictures.

Others were arguing over someone's phone.

Athena watched them for a moment.

She wasn't jealous.

Not exactly.

She just wondered what it would be like to have people who already knew what she was going to say before she said it.

She looked down at her food.

She hadn't had friends like that in a long time.

Maybe she never had.

"You're eating alone again."

Athena looked up.

Sofia stood in front of her.

"Again?"

"You ate alone yesterday."

"So?"

"So I'm sitting here today."

Sofia dropped her bag beside Athena and sat down.

Athena looked at her.

"You didn't ask."

Sofia opened her drink.

"You looked like you were going to say no."

Athena laughed.

"Maybe I would've."

"Too late."

Sofia took a bite of her sandwich.

They sat quietly for a few seconds.

Athena looked at her.

"You really talk a lot."

Sofia stopped chewing.

"Is that a complaint?"

"No."

"Good."

She continued eating.

Athena smiled.

After another few seconds, Sofia pointed at Athena's lunch.

"Did you make that?"

"My aunt did."

"She cooks well."

"Most of the time."

"Most?"

"She burned pasta once."

Sofia stared at her.

"How do you burn pasta?"

Athena shrugged.

"I don't know."

"That's actually impressive."

Athena laughed.

For a few minutes, they talked about completely unimportant things.

Teachers.

Homework.

Food.

A boy in their class who always fell asleep during mathematics.

Nothing important.

And somehow, Athena liked that.

Nobody was asking her about her parents.

Nobody was asking about the past.

She could just be Athena.

Over the next few weeks, Sofia kept finding her.

At lunch.

Before class.

Sometimes after school.

Athena didn't understand how Sofia always knew where she was.

One afternoon, Athena was sitting in the library when Sofia appeared and dropped a book onto the table.

"You disappeared."

Athena looked up from her notes.

"I was in the library."

"I know."

"Then why did you say I disappeared?"

"Because I couldn't find you."

Athena stared at her.

"That doesn't make sense."

"It does to me."

Sofia pulled out the chair opposite her.

"What's that?"

"Homework."

"You're doing homework voluntarily?"

Athena smiled.

"I don't want to fail."

"That's boring."

"You're the one who complained about our math teacher for twenty minutes yesterday."

"Complaining doesn't mean I want to study."

Athena shook her head.

"You make no sense."

"I know."

They both laughed.

It was strange.

Athena hadn't expected to like anyone at this school.

When she'd first arrived, she had planned to keep her head down, finish her classes, and go home.

That had seemed easier.

But somewhere between Sofia stealing fries from her lunch and complaining about teachers, things had changed.

Not dramatically.

Just enough.

During a group assignment,the teacher had put them into groups of three.

Athena and Sofia were already together.

Mia walked over with her notebook.

"Are you guys full?"

Sofia looked at Athena.

"We're missing one."

Mia pulled out a chair.

"Perfect."

That was how it started.

Mia was quieter than Sofia but somehow just as funny.

She didn't talk as much, but whenever she did, she usually said something that made Athena laugh.

Soon, the three of them were sitting together almost every day.

Athena still didn't tell them everything about herself.

They knew she lived with her aunt.

They knew she had lost her parents when she was young.

They didn't know the details.

Athena didn't talk about that night.

She didn't like to.

And they didn't push.

That made it easier.

One afternoon, the three girls were walking toward the school gate when Sofia suddenly stopped.

"Wait."

Athena and Mia turned.

"What?"

Sofia pointed at a poster on the wall.

"School trip."

Mia walked closer.

"Where?"

"Pompeii."

Athena leaned forward to read it.

A weekend trip.

Two days.

Athena smiled.

"That actually sounds fun."

Sofia looked at her.

"You want to go?"

"Maybe."

"You have to."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

Mia laughed.

"That's not how decisions work."

"It should be."

Athena shook her head.

"You two are impossible."

"And you're coming," Sofia said.

Athena smiled.

"We'll see."

That evening, Athena came home later than usual.

Her aunt was in the kitchen.

"You look happy."

Athena dropped her bag beside the stairs.

"I am."

Her aunt turned around.

"Good day?"

"Yeah."

"Anything interesting happen?"

Athena walked into the kitchen.

"Sofia is trying to force me to go on a school trip."

"Are you going?"

"I don't know."

"You want to?"

Athena thought about it.

"Yeah."

"Then go."

Athena smiled.

"Really?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"I don't know."

Her aunt wiped her hands on a towel.

"You're eighteen, Athena. You can go on a school trip."

"I know."

"Then stop looking at me like I'm going to lock you in the house."

Athena laughed.

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"I wasn't."

Her aunt smiled.

"Go."

Athena picked up a piece of fruit from the counter.

"Thanks."

She started toward the stairs.

"Athena."

She turned.

"Yes?"

Her aunt looked at her for a moment.

"You're smiling a lot lately."

Athena touched her face.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

Athena smiled again.

"Maybe I'm just happy."

Her aunt's expression softened.

"I hope you are."

Athena nodded.

Then she went upstairs.

Later that night, Athena sat on her bed with the school trip form beside her.

Her room was quiet.

The stuffed rabbit was still sitting on the shelf, older now and slightly worn.

She picked it up.

"You've been here a long time."

She smiled.

Then her eyes moved toward the photograph on her desk.

Her parents.

She reached for it.

For a moment, the room disappeared.

She could almost hear her father's laugh.

She remembered sitting beside him at the table.

She remembered her mother's voice calling her downstairs.

The memories still hurt.

They probably always would.

But the pain wasn't as sharp as it used to be.

Athena placed the photograph back down.

She didn't feel guilty for smiling anymore.

For years, she had thought that being happy somehow meant she was forgetting them.

She was beginning to understand that it didn't.

She could miss them and still laugh.

She could remember them and still make new memories.

She could have a life that wasn't defined by the night she lost them.

Athena picked up the school trip form again.

She signed her name.

Then she smiled.

For the first time in a long time, tomorrow felt like something she actually wanted to see.

She had no idea how quickly that feeling would change.

Because while Athena was busy making plans for an ordinary school trip, somewhere far away, another person was preparing to enter her life.

And he wasn't coming to Rome by accident.