'I will never let you cry again... '

She stood up and went to take the broom that was made to lean against the wall. A happy smile appeared on her face as she began to tidy the room. This was the first time in her life to tidy a room. She had never tidied her room in the past...

She felt so content and she hummed a song that she knew. At this moment, she looked like a little housewife. If only Little Snow was here...

She sighed softly at the thought of her cute little rabbit. Athena missed it badly. She especially missed those cute big eyes that were always filled with innocence.

Athena also missed Thunder. That arrogant stallion... It always looked like the whole world was under its control. Very soon, she was going back to them. A small part of her did not want to leave Darren's house. It was so peaceful and quiet here. It made her forget all her worries and enjoy every single moment she was still alive.

Right, instead of worrying about the future, it was better to just enjoy the time she had... It was quite surprising that her illness has not been acting up lately. Still she knew that she had to take her medicine. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. It won't do any harm if she did not take her medicine just for a few more days, right? She did not have any of her medicine with her right now...

After she was done sweeping, she took a bucket full of water and a mop. She dipped the mop into the bucket of water and began to mop. Athena stopped mopping for a moment and wiped off the sweat on her forehead with her sleeve. Tidying a house was not as easy as she thought it could be.

She continued to mop the floor as she hummed a song softly. Athena enjoyed doing this.

"Stop doing all these stupid things and start thinking of how to make yourself stronger, you moron!"

Athena stopped doing what she had been doing and turned to look around. She did not see anyone. "Who is there?"

"You are looking in the wrong way," the creepy voice chuckled. "I am right here."

She turned around but did not see anyone. She scratched her head. She was hearing things as usual! She twitched her lips and continued to mop the floor.

"You fool! I told you to stop doing all these stupid things! Why are you so stubborn?!" The voice yelled, sounding a bit angry.

"Come and make me," she replied indifferently.

" Can't you just listen to me?"

"Why should I listen to something that I can't see?" She retorted. " Why don't you just show yourself?!"

Silence followed. Athena felt relieved when that annoying creepy voice stopped nagging at her. She could finally clean in peace...

"For now, I can't show myself," the voice said curtly.

" What a pity," Athena said looking a bit sad. " If you could show yourself right now, I could have hit you with this mop!"

" You!" The voice said, infuriated and fell silent.

"You what?" Athena said sarcastically. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Ah! You are more annoying than I thought."

Athena chuckled. "You are the one who is annoying."

"Do you know who you are talking to?"

Athena dipped her mop into the bucket and answered lazily, "No, I don't. Not that I care..."

"You are going to regret this one day!"

"Regret what? I would really appreciate it if you stop buzzing in my ears like a confused bee. It's really annoying."

" You..."

"Thank you for your understanding," she said as she headed to the living room.

The voice did not say anything again. Athena sighed heavily. She wondered if she was going insane.

"I am just trying to help you," the voice finally spoke up.

Athena groaned in frustration. " Help me with what? I don't know if you are real or not! I don't know if I am going crazy, talking to the air. I don't know what's going on..." Her voice lowered. "...I don't know who I am anymore."

"But..."

" Just leave me alone," she interrupted. "Go away."

This time, the voice no longer bothered her. Athena threw the mop down and began to hit the wall with her fists. She screamed and poured all her emotions in her pinched. Her confusion, anger and sadness. Her knuckles began to bleed but she did not feel any pain. She cursed the heavens for doing this to her.

She just wanted a normal and happy life. Was it too much to wish for? She dreamed of getting married to a handsome ordinary man one day, have children and live happily with her family till her hair turned white but this... This is not what she wanted.

Athena fell to her knees, feeling dejected and sobbed quietly. Her soft sobs echoed in the nearly empty living room.

She cried until no more tears came out. Athena began to laugh at herself. Maybe that voice was right. She was a moron... A coward. She was so pathetic. Everyone she came across with would always look at her with sympathy filled in their eyes. She tried everything she could to become stronger but by the end of the day she is still the same weak and pitiful Athena.

She rubbed her swollen eyes. What's the point of bawling her eyes out? That won't change anything. Athena stood up slowly and picked her mop. She sighed and began to mop the floor. If she wanted to be strong then she should stop being a crybaby.

She was about to finish cleaning the living room when the door was opened and a smiling Darren walked in. Didn't he ever get tired of smiling?

"There you are," he exclaimed as he walked towards her. "It's good to be home. It's like we are a married couple... What's wrong?"

Athena turned to look away, not wanting to let him know that she had been crying. Darren frowned and looked at the mop she was holding. "Give me that. I once told you that you should leave all the house chores to me." He grumbled as he took the mop away from her.

Darren caught sight of her bloodstained hands. "What happened to you?" The wounds on her hands were still fresh. "Look at me, Athena!" She refused to look at him.

"Have you been crying?"

She did not reply. Darren noticed the bloodstained wall. His eyes darkened. "Athena, tell me what happened to you."

Athena's eyes turned teary. She blinked, trying to fight the tears back. No, she was not going to cry again. Not in front of Darren.

He forcibly made her look at him. He looked into her red eyes worriedly. "Why were you crying? Why did you punch the wall?"

She could no longer hold back the tears that were threatening to fall down. "I am so afraid Darren..."

His gaze softened and stroked her gently. "What are you afraid of?"

Athena began to sob. "I am so afraid Darren," she repeated. Darren looked at her helplessly and began to console her softly. "Then don't be afraid. Nothing is going to happen to you."

" I am afrai..." she hiccuped. " I don't know myself anymore."

He took out his enormous handkerchief and wiped her tears away gently. "Never be afraid. You have to be strong and fearless to survive in this world Athena. Now don't cry anymore."

Athena looked at him with her big teary green eyes.

"Stop crying," he coaxed her gently. "You look very ugly when you cry."

Athena,"..."

"You really do look ugly at this moment," he said with a grin. "I prefer to see you smiling."

"You are the one who looks ugly," she retorted. He pulled up a long face and pouted. "How can you say I look ugly? I am the most handsome man on Earth!"

Athena was speechless. This narcissistic man!

"Stop staring at me like that. I know that I am too handsome for you to resist," he chuckled. Athena rolled her eyes and looked away.

" Athena?"

She turned to look at him. She raised an eyebrow when she saw his serious expression.

"I will never ever let you cry again," he said as he stared into her crystal green eyes. "I promise," he added.

Athena coughed awkwardly. This man... "Umm, I need to finish cleaning the house..."

"You don't have to. I will do that. Let's go and treat your wounds," he said as he led her to the bedroom. "If I ever see you hurting yourself, I won't hesitate to beat you up with a stick!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

His smile widened. "Why don't we try it?"

Athena gulped. She could tell that he really did mean it. "But I am not a child anymore!"

"You are still a child in my eyes. How old are you anyway? Fourteen? Thirteen?"

"Seventeen!" She said with an exasperated look.

"You look too small to be seventeen. Still I am way older than you."

"How old are you?" She asked curiously.

"I am older than your father," he said mysteriously. Here he goes again.

"Let's just pretend that I never asked. How was your hunt today?" She changed the subject.

"Good. I caught two deers and three rabbits. We can spend about a week and a half with that meat."

Athena nodded. "Did you find my bracelet?"

He shook his head. "It wasn't there." Athena sighed heavily.

" What is it very important to you?"

Athena nodded silently.

She suddenly thought of Little Snow and felt sad.

"What's wrong?"

"I just miss my pet."

"You have a pet?"

"Yeah. A little cute rabbit. His name is Little Snow."

She sat on the bed and he began to treat her wounds gently. Athena watched him treat her with utmost care like a fragile glass that can be easily broken. "Are you always like this to everyone?"

He looked up in conclusion.

"I mean being this kind and gentle," she said. He slowly bandaged her hands. "I am only this kind and gentle to you," he replied with a smile that reached his eyes. "Are you hungry?"

"A little bit," she answered as stared at her bandaged hands.

"Come," he said as he dragged her out of the room and went to the kitchen. "Do you know how to roast a rabbit?"

Athena blinked and answered embarrassedly, "I... I don't know."

"Have you ever cooked before?"

Athena shook her head and her face flushed. Darren began to make a fire. "I will teach you how to cook."

Her eyes lit up in excitement. "Really?"

He nodded. "We will start with roast this rabbit. Sit down and watch."

Athena watched and listened earnestly to every word he said. She would ask a few questions and Darren would answer her patiently.