Chapter 7

Athena heaved a deep sigh and walked carefully around the room, she was careful not only because she didn t want to be spotted and thrown out but also because she doesn t want to slip and fall. The floor was too smooth and she fears that if she lets go of herself, that she might slip, it wasn t just her assumption but the fact that she had almost slipped when she had entered the hall. She searched everywhere her eyes could go, looking for only one person; she avoided her face when someone looked at her for a long time. She looked different from all of them, she knows and she had no intention of staying around for long, she just wants to see Frank and talk to him, after that she would leave. Minutes passed and Athena was beginning to have the feeling that Frank might not be in the hall, for Christ sake she had been searching for a long time and still could not find him, it s also not helping if the hall looked like it houses a thousand people and it was so difficult searching for someone in such a massive place. Luck finally shined on her face when two couples who were chatting in front of her separated and she spotted him, his sandy blonde hair, she sighed in happiness and picked a race, calling out to him, "Frank!" But she regretted her action when she ran for she slipped and had to grab onto a man close to her to steady herself. Her sudden weight on the man made him throw his drink on the woman with him who gasped and stared at her dress in horror. "I am so sorry, honey," the man apologized to her and turned to glare at Athena as well as the people around. Athena was afraid and she hesitated not in apologizing to him, "I am so sorry, I-I slipped and-and…" "Just get out," the man hissed before following his wife to the lady s room. Athena stared around at everyone who was looking at her, she wanted the ground to open and swallow her but such wishes never happen. Everybody started minding their business as they all went back to what they had been doing. Athena looked at where she had seen Frank and he was busy talking to the people with him, he didn t look her way and she decided to believe that he didn t hear her and so she continued walking up to him, treading carefully now with her steps. Frank chuckled nervously as he listened to the words of his companions, he prayed in his heart that Henry would ask for the securities to throw Athena away for damaging his wife s dress but he realized that his prayer wasn t answered when he had Carla s words, "is she coming over here?" "I think so. That reminds me, I heard her called Frank before her stupid stunt, could you by any chance know her, Frank?" Marvelous, a musician from Brand Entertainment asked. "What? Know her? Of course not," Frank laughed nervously. "I have never seen her in my life before," he let out a few laughs once more. "But she is still making her way close to us, I don t believe she doesn t know you," Liam, an actor said. "Oh, yes, now I remember, I think she looks like the beggar I gave some money two nights ago. You know how this beggars can be, show them a little kindness and they will follow you to the grave," Frank chuckled. "Well, I guess you have to tell her off now, you wouldn t want her following you everywhere you go and playing this kind of stunt every time," Mason nodded behind him and Frank knew that Athena was already close enough to hear what he had said. He turned back and seeing the tears in her eyes pulled on his heartstrings and he felt bad for what he said but his remorse only lasted for a few seconds as he toughened up his face, "what do you want from me? Did I make a mistake by giving you the money two nights ago? You said you wanted to feed your children and I helped, why follow me around? Yesterday you have appeared in front of my building and now here? What exactly do you want? More money? Then fine, I will give you more money, just stop stalking me, please." "This is not the right place, Frank, I think you should go to the balcony," Mason said. "Yeah, everyone s attention is already here," Carla added. Frank listened to the words of his friends and said to Athena, "follow me," and he started walking towards the direction of the balcony. Athena followed him with no hesitation, her mind was still occupied by his words, feed her children? A beggar? She still couldn t believe that she heard that from him. When they were outside in the balcony, Frank turned to her, "What are you doing here?" Athena looked up at him, the moon reflecting the tears in her eyes, "Frank, you called me a beggar?" Frank licked his lips and grunted, "listen, Athena, forget what I called you, now is not the time for that, just tell me, what are you doing here? I can t remember telling you about this party. So how did you come to know of it?" Athena sobbed softly, she sniffled and looked down at their feet, "I haven t heard from you and I was worried, I believed that you were harsh to me the last time because I showed up at the fashion show but you never came to find me since then so I went to your flat today and you were not there. I met Fred and he told me about the party so I decided to come find you." Frank hissed nosily, "really, didn t Fred tell you that you can t come here? Didn t he tell whose party this is? Huh?" Athena flinched at the tone of his voice, "he did but he also said I can t be allowed inside without an invitation…" "That s true," Frank interrupted, he was visibly curious, "how did you get in?" Athena wiped her tears away and was ready to answer him when he interrupted with a wave of his hand, "that s not important now, listen, I need you to leave this place, like right now." "But Frank, I really want to talk with you." "There is nothing to talk about; didn t I make myself clear the last time? Huh? Didn t I?" "Frank, I m sorry I came to the fashion show, please don t leave me for it." Frank groaned in a frustrated manner, "Listen, it s not about you showing up at the fashion show, it s more about you not being the one for me." "But you always said that I am the one for you, Frank, only me and no one else, remember?" "That was then, Athena. Things changed, time changed," he pinched the bridge of his nose, "what is it going to take you to see that?" "Frank, you just have to…" "Just take a look inside, Athena," he said, pointing at the door that leads into the hall full of dancing and chattering people, "what do you see?" Athena did as he asked, she looked inside the hall and saw them, people dancing, women dressed in beautiful attractive clothes, men dressed in nice tuxedos, talking to them and some dancing with them. She looked back at Frank with a gulp, "but Frank…" "Now take a look at yourself and me, what difference do you see?" He interrupted. Athena looked at herself, at the dress she was wearing that was not in class with the ones worn by the women inside, she looked at him and he was dressed in a nice tuxedo, just like the men inside. She knew what he wants to prove but she just doesn t want to accept it, "Frank please…" "Do you see it? What I am talking about? I belong here, Athena, with this people but you don t. Look at you, take a look at what you wore to a party." "This is my best dress and you know it, Frank, I will never intentionally humiliate you," she choked on her tears and closed her eyes, "you used to like me wearing this remember? That day we went to watch the fireworks, you said I looked beautiful in it, that s why I wore it, because I want you to see that I am the same Athena, Frank, it s me, don t do this to me. A lot of things have happened to me during the past two weeks, you didn t even bother to look for me, why Frank?" Frank wiped his face in a frustrated manner, "listen, I told you already, things has changed Athena, look at me, I am not the same Frank anymore, I have changed. I now drink and dine with celebrities, big tycoons, businessmen, my life has changed Athena and I adapted to it. But you," he pointed his finger at her, "you never change, you are the same Athena, year in year out nothing new happens to you. We watched that firework two years ago and you still have this dress, you never buy anything new, you keep reusing everything that you have." "How can I buy something new, Frank, I have been paying back our debts, the ones I got because of you, you promised to give me back the money to pay back, you never had and I am using all my salary to pay up. How can you expect me to buy something new? How can I do that?" "Listen, Athena, I know I am owing you and I will pay back, I promise, just let me have that money I have my eyes on, I will find you and I will pay back every single dime but I am sorry, like I said before, we can t be together anymore, you are not the woman for me, we are not in the same social circle anymore so please, stop coming to find me, I don t want my new friends to see you or know that I have ever associated with you. Go," he heaved a deep sigh, then turned and walked into the hall. Athena watched him go and she saw him approached a beautiful blonde who looped her hand in his arm and together, they joined the group he was with before. Tears trailed down her cheeks and she didn t bother to wipe them anymore, she looked down at her dressing, she had dressed so much so that he won t feel embarrassed by her but still, he was. The black dress she had on was bought for her by her mother, it was the only expensive clothe she had and Frank had loved it the first time and other times she had worn it, except for today. The black shoes she was putting on belonged to her mother and although she knew it didn t go with the dress but she had worn it nonetheless because it was the only thing of hers that doesn t have a hole in it. Watching Frank inside, she knew she need to stop deceiving herself, he will never want her again, he will never love her like the same again. She turned and climbed down the stairs; she went to the fountain and sat on it, her tears mixing with the water. She closed her eyes and snippets of the night two weeks ago flashed in her mind. She shook her head sharply, she had wanted to tell him about it tonight, even though she knew he might hate her after finding out but she didn t like hiding something from him and something of such nature but who would have taught that he would reject her again like he did that night? She wiped her tears, sobbing really softly and listening to the distinct music, in there was the man of her dreams, probably dancing with another woman and here she was, crying even after attending the party just for him, going through all the troubles of sneaking in. "You shouldn t let him get to you like that," someone said and she turned sharply, she could make out a shadow near the animal shaped flowers, "you shouldn t allow any man such." "Who-who are you?" She asked, standing up from the fountain she sat. "Just someone who feel sorry for you." Athena wiped her tears away, "thank you but I am fine now, so you don t need to worry anymore." "Is that what you are telling yourself? I m sorry but I never meant to eavesdrop on your conversation but when I saw you sneak into my home, first I was amused but then I realized that you remind me of someone and I had followed, not usually my thing though, but who would have expected that I would hear what I heard?" "You shouldn t eavesdrop on people s conversation," she wanted to reprimand him but then she recalled what he said, "oh God, I am so sorry, I promise I am not a thief, the security wouldn t let me in and I really wanted to talk to my boyfriend so I did what I had to, I am terribly sorry," she let out series of apologies. The man beside the flower chuckled, a low rich sound that told her she shouldn t mess with him, "I think you should say ex boyfriend from what I heard." Having the truth being thrown at her by the stranger, Athena couldn t hide the pain that flashed through her eyes, she looked away from his shadow and closed her eyes, willing the tears to not fall. "You know, it s okay to cry after a breakup but if you ask me, a man who leaves a woman because of how poor she dresses is nothing but a coward. Women are elegant in nature, you just have to invest on them to get what you want and you my dear, should believe in your natural quality." Athena shook her head softly at what he said, "no, I am not that woman, those that fit into your description are the ones dancing inside," she looked away from him and wiped away her tears, "I can never be them." The man in the shadows answered, "you only believe in that because he said it," he stepped out from the darkness and approached her with gentle graceful movements, "every woman is unique, elegant and graceful, you just have to bring it out." Hearing his words and how close it sounded, she looked at him only to gasp and cover her mouth with her hands; she took a step back but forgot that she was standing close to the fountain so she fell backward into the water. She surfaced immediately, her eyes still locked on the man who didn t even shift in his position or even bothered to help her out. She sat in the fountain, her hair dripping water on her already wet body. When she got over her shock, she cried, "you." The man before her smiled and walked closer, then offering his hand, he said, "hello Athena." Athena shook her head vehemently, "it can t be, it can t be," she kept muttering. "What, that I am a ghost or something?" He smiled. "You…what are you doing here?" "I mentioned earlier, Athena, this is my home," he smiled once more, revealing pearly white teeth. "Oh that s true," Athena murmured to herself. The man stretched out his hand further, "come on, it s chilly out here and you don t want to catch a cold now, do you?" Athena looked up at him again, at the face that had haunted her dreams for two weeks now, the face that always does sweet sinful things to her in her dreams. She would have given anything never to see him in her life again but here he was, right before her, and she was in his home. "Come on, Athena," he urged, "I know I am handsome but it s not worth catching a cold for, besides, you can look at this face as much as you want from now on," he chuckled. Seeing the shock in her eyes, he grinned, "what? You think I am going to let you run away like you did before? Well, think again, my dear goddess."