"Everything's arranged for Norway"
Yehezkel's voice echoed over the phone as Athena squalled ecstatically.
"I love you" she said lovingly. "You know what" she began again, "I'll come over with stuff, let's make dinner together"
"Like you can make a meal"
The line went silent, "I hate you"
He chuckled,
"You knew I meant I'm coming over with a meal" she said in a pout," But its straight from home by the way"
"Hm, you went home today?"
"Yh, I went to see mum and dad" she paused, "Let's go together next time, they miss you"
"So they can nag about grandchildren? I'm great thank you"
"But you're old enough you know, at least get a girlfriend"
Yehezkel scoffed, changing the subject, "I'm going golfing with the guys after doc's appointment" he paused, "Why don't you come along?"
The line went quiet for a while,
"Worried about Damien?"
Athena sighed, "I don't want to sound way ahead of myself but he did have a crush on me back in school"
"Athena" he called, "He's married and his wife is pregnant" pause, "There's nothing to worry about"
"I know" she sighed again, "I've been avoiding him and I made it painfully obvious, I don't know what to say when we come face to face" she paused, "I know you might say these are just excuses but it's a big deal for me"
"It shouldn't be"
"-But it is"
Yehezkel scoffed, "He's one of the most responsible and understanding person I've known in my life, no harm in seeing where things go right?", "But" he added, "Come if you want -or don't, it's up to you"
…" Well, you're not wrong" She began, "I don't really like golfing all that much but sure, we can go together"
Athena could hear Yehezkel smile elatedly over the phone leaving her with a small grin as well.
"I'm home now" he spoke, "You can come for dinner -with the meal"
"Go away"
He chuckled lastly before cutting the line.
Athena had just finished work as well and headed home. The idea of Norway made her belly butterflies hurt, as well as the bittersweet after effect of the thought of golfing with Yehezkel and his friends.
They were a small group of 4 and of the same age;
Damien Luther.
For as long as she could remember, even if just a little, he had always been the elder brother to them all and Yehezkel was right, he was the most understanding. He accepted responsibilities as simply as breathing and never considered it a problem but that was something that annoyed her about him.
He was too understanding.
Sometimes, it felt like he just accepted things too easily and didn't know how or when to put up a fight but he was a good man and always made sure to take care of them all, that's why it hurt her even more when she rejected him and ran away back in the past -even inviting her for his wedding.
Julio Martinez.
The sound of his name stung her the wrong way. The most insensitive among the guys but was the type to stand up for any of them when necessary. Many who didn't know him took one glance at him and believed him to be a playboy, him not being married also felt like a confirmation. Nothing but a promiscuous lad but truly, that was far from the case.
Julio was picky. Picky taste in women, picky taste in clothes, in houses and even down to irrelevant things like cutleries. Athena would from time to time emit annoyance at how childish she saw him to be and genuinely, he cared less.
With this, they often got into fights when they were younger.
Duke Harrisons.
A very simple man. He liked what he liked and disliked what he disliked. He was one, among the 4 that she could sit with for hours without saying a word and would never grow uncomfortable. To Athena, it felt like, when they talk, it was easy to say anything to him but at the same time, if she said nothing, it was still alright.
Duke was, in her opinion, the most handsome among them all and was a diligent architect, a path independent of his family's business. In the midst of his warm characteristics, she couldn't help but question certain of those features whenever it came to her brother.
As soon as they all graduated,
Duke gifted Yehezkel a house, the one he lives in currently but that wasn't just it, Duke always loved to gift Yehezkel things and she couldn't particularly claim anything over his actions because they had similar tastes. She had also noticed how whenever her brother did things, Duke always gave his full attention unlike he did for others.
Or maybe, she over imagined it.
And then there was her brother, Yehezkel Fionn, the one she knew all too well among the guys. The 2nd most annoying besides Julio.
Athena settled on her comfy couch as she walked into her home. The next step was to pack up for the Norway trip but as she laid her head, her phone buzzed.
Lifting up her phone, she came to see a text -similar to an address and slowly guilt washed over her, an unsettling cold from her spine up.