Day 4

Athena walked down the hallway of Padua high. Many people stared at her, or glanced, I think, because she was wearing orange rain boots—even though it wasn't raining in the slightest bit—short jeans shorts with suspenders, a heart camisole, and had her black mid-neck length hair in two small pigtails. It also maybe that some of the people recognized her from middle school and were shocked to see her here.

She strolled into the courtyard, thinking she would find Patrick and Kat there. She stands there for a few moments, people walking by her, some staring, some not. A duo of cheerleaders, behind her, closed in on Athena, callous and unkind smirks plastered onto their faces, much like their makeup. One, the leader, was of medium height, a half inch shorter than Athena, with bleach blonde hair, and quite a lot of makeup on. She was wearing a mini pink skirt, a tiny white tank top, and black heels.

The other one, her ever loyal devotee in tow, was simply the dark version of the leader; same height, same outfit—though just the dark version, black skirt, dark blue tank top, and black heels—, same basic haircut.

"Did kindergarten get out early today?" the blonde one asked, malice dripping from every word.

"Oh no", Athena said, turning around to see who was talking and then glanced down at what her insulters were wearing, "but I can see that the pimps let you out early though", Athena said, with a slight smile.

"What are you doing here, Athena?" the dark one asked.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking, Katie. I'm here to see Patrick", Athena told the dark one, now called, Katie, with a bored, flat tone.

"It's time to grow up, Athena"—Katie said, just about to reference Athena's outfit—"with your clothes and feelings. You know Patrick Verona has a girlfriend?"

Athena gave an over exaggerated dumb look to Katie, and then said, in a very mordant, alarmed tone, "Really? I'm just stunned—and shocked", she then broke the dumb act and said, in a potent tone, "Of course, Patrick is dating Kat!"

"Well, since you know that, maybe you should know that you should dress your age", the blonde one said to Athena.

Athena started to chuckle a fake laugh, "Oh that's so funny!" she spat out, in between bouts of laughter. She stopped laughing and then said, "But, Michelle and Katie, it would really help your ethos is you weren't dressed like a baby prostitute", she narrowed her eyes at Michelle, the blonde one, and then continued, "or a transvestite", she narrowed her eyes at Katie this time. Athena nodded at the two speechless girls, and said "Yeah", before walking away to an empty table, still waiting for Patrick and Kat.

She sat there, hands placed together, trying to whistle. Once in a while, a whistle would escape her lips, but, most of the time, she looked like an idiot, with her lips puckered up, moving her head in rhythm to the song she was whistling.

"Are you trying to whistle?" an English accent said next to her.

She looked up, still looking like an idiot—her lips puckered and eyebrows up—, and then said, "Yes, I've been trying to whistle for the past ten years. I'm thinking about giving up."

"Ah, God hates quitters", Blank said, sitting down in fount of Athena, her eyes following him, "'Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste death but once'."

"I'm quitting trying to whistle, not school, damn", Athena said, a slight chuckle at the end.

"I don't believe I've seen you here before."

"That's because I don't go here", Athena pointed to a visitor badge on her suspender, it gleaming in the sunlight, "I'm visiting some friends—if I can only find them."

"Well, maybe I can help", Blank said.

Athena, thinking that this might be William Blankenship—on account of his, what Kat had called it, "a disgustingly posh British accent that would bring shame to Laurence Oliver"—, said to him, "I don't think you wanna help."

"Of course I do. I'm student council president; I'm here to help."

"So much for being sorry", Athena muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"I said there's no need for you to help. The situation is perfectly taken care of", she gave him one of her most sincerest smiles, the one she normally reserved for her father, when she wanted to go out with her boyfriend. "I'm just going to simply sit here and wait for them by myself."

"By yourself?"

"By myself, alone, completely cut off from the world. I'm eighteenth century America", she swipes her hand to make Blank leave, "So go away Great Britain." Blank, well, gave her a blank look. "Ah look", Athena said to Blank, glancing at something over his shoulder, "here comes France and Spain right now", and at that moment, Kat and Patrick walked through the doors behind Blank, arm in arm.

"Hi Athena", Patrick said to her as they stood at the head of the table.

"Hey Patrick, hey Kat", Athena said, slightly smiling. The mood of the table was—well—it would sound better if I gave an example. It's like, on sitcoms, when the main character or whomever insults a stranger and a few minutes after that it turns out that that stranger is their new boss. The feelings and emotions felt by the said main character is exactly what Blank was feeling right then, a swirl of anxiety, fear, and guilt in the pit of his stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up.

Kat broke the silence by unlinking her arm with Patrick and holding her hand out for a shake. "Congratulations on winning on Friday", Blank took her hand, his hand was calmly with fear, and shook it, "I wish you nothing but the best."

"Thanks."

Patrick did the same thing too; he held his hand out for a shake and said the same basic thing, not a hint of angriness or rage in his voice or shake.

"I don't know what's going on", Athena faked it and held out her hand for a shake, as well, "but many happy returns."

Blank, silently and uncomfortably, stood up and left, wondering what the hell just happened. You may not care, but Blank expected to die today. He thought that the caveman was going to beat him up with his club and that Kat would either not acknowledge him or run him over with her eco-friendly car.

"That was the best performance I've ever seen", Athena said as Patrick and Kat sat down. "Patrick, no trace of anger or any of its friends in there, very impressed."

"Kat told me what's going on and everything", Patrick said, "I guess I'm in."

"Good, we just need to come up with a plan to destroy Tabitha Cook."

"We could put drugs in her locker", Patrick suggested.

"A) She hasn't been arrested at all in her life so the most she would get would be a slap on the wrist and B) We would have to get a crap load of drugs to even warrant her any time and that would constitute money—which, frankly, I'm not going to spend—and there's not even a guaranteed chance that we won't get arrested for the drugs."

A silence overcame the table as everyone sat to think. "I hate this", Kat said, flashing her eyes to Patrick and Athena, picking her fingers. "I hate revenge."

Athena tried to think of something to say to Kat, with her mouth open and arm to Kat. "Kat, you're dating a Sicilian, you kinda have to expect that and you're talking to someone who's dating an Italian guy, becoming vengeful is a serious side effect from it."

"Still, revenge is a dangerous road."

"No, the Bolivian Death Road is a dangerous road, but that's not important right. The important thing is that Tabitha Cook wronged you and spouting about revenge being bad isn't going to teach her that clawing her way to power through the souls and bodies of men is bad."

"But, can't we convert her by being nice to her?"

"Kat, we're not talking about Darth Vader here, we're talking about Fire Lord Ozai. Showing her pictures of compassion and benevolence and stuff isn't going to make her kind, defeating her at her own game will."

"Okay, okay", Kat said in a defeated quick hush, "What're going to do then?" Kat glanced at Patrick, deep in thought, searching for some consolation.

Athena leaned on her right arm, also deep in thought, Patrick's and Athena's face dark, their minds communicating with each. Both of their faces lighten, as though they've come up with an idea.

Athena, her head still leaning on her right arm, says to Kat, "You know what we could"—Kat peeked at Athena, as she struggled to find words—"you could forgive her."

Kat's face fell and, with each word falling hard from her mouth, says, "You just told me that we can't be kind to her."

"I did, I did", Athena said, interrupting Kat, lifting her head from her arm and sitting up straight, "Stay with me, as Wilde said, 'Always forgive your enemies—nothing annoys them so much'.