Athena sighed once more as the screen on her desktop refreshed. No new emails. Again. She clicked her Skype tab. Not online. Still.
The date was June 8, 2030. In other words, her twenty-first birthday. She should be happy. Overjoyed, even. She was finally old enough to drink.
But now, at 11:52 PM, only 8 minutes remaining before her birthday was over, not a drop of alcohol had passed her lips. Blackquill had offered to take her, Phoenix, and any other friends she felt like inviting to a fancy sushi restaurant, where she could get nice and drunk on expensive sake. But she had declined. The reason being a promise that had been made to her 3 years before.
"Tell ya what, Athena. When you turn twenty-one, I'll personally take you out for your first drink."
"Oh? Is that a promise?"
"Sure. I promise!"
That promise had been made by Apollo. Apollo, who she hadn't seen in a year since his last visit from Khu'rain. Apollo, who had left two years ago to help reform the legal system of said foreign country. Apollo…
The man she loved.
Though she had never told him of her feelings, what she felt was undeniably love. She tried to lie to herself at first. But she had finally come to terms with it. But by the time she had, it was too late. Apollo's mind had been made up. She had wanted to tell him, but she knew it would either end with him declining her feelings or making him feel all the worse for leaving.
Athena glanced at the clock once more. 11:55 PM. She wasn't even sure why she was still awake. She had no reason to stay up. She had work the next day and she still did not plan to partake in any alcohol. Letting out one last sigh, the redhead pressed the power button on her desktop with her foot and stood up, heading to her bedroom to call it a night.
When suddenly, there came three knocks at the door.
The lawyer stared at the door, wondering who on EARTH would be knocking at this ungodly hour. She waited a moment, thinking that perhaps she was simply hearing things. But then the knocks came again. Someone was most certainly at the door, waiting for her. She slowly made her way to the door, her heart beating a mile a minute as she slowly reached for the knob. She turned it and ever so slowly pulled the door open. Her ears began to pick up on a heartbeat. A familiar heartbeat. She was certain she had to be imagining things. No way was that person at the door.
She finally pulled the door open in its entirety…
And was greeted with the greatest birthday present she could ever ask for.
"Hey Tiger." That familiar voice she loved so much said. The person held up two wine glasses and a full bottle of wine. Expensive wine. "Hope I'm not too late to celebrate."