Welcome To California!!

"Athena!! Athena!! Athena!!" I felt someone shaking me vigorously. They seem to be in a hurry. I groaned as I tried with no progress to go back to sleep.

"Athena!! Get the hell up."

I awake with a dull pain in my head, underlaying the numbness in my right hand. Even before I open my eyes, I know I wasn't on my bed. The air felt suffocating, heavy and damp, pressing against my skin like a clammy shroud. Where am I?

When I do decide to open my eyes, my vision is untrustworthy and sleep-blurred. All I can see are moving shapes of light and dark, the sky that had become dark and a shadow. I try to rub away the sleep fogging my vision with the fingers of my left hand. The right hand still feels dead and will not obey my directions, having slept on it for God knows how long.

"Are you awake now? Or are we going to have to miss our flight?" My brain seemed to wake up at those words.

Flight, Airport, Tears. Dad.

My mom let out a deep breath, bringing my attention back to herself. "I'll appreciate it if we don't miss our flight, and for that to happen, you have to get out of the damn car."

I nodded my head as I reluctantly got out of the car. My limbs and muscles felt dead as I stretched them out. She handed me my duffel bag as she led the way into the airport. I followed after her quietly, but before I entered, I looked around. Tears welled up from deep inside and coursed down my cheeks. My body looked calm compared to how tangled and frustrated my mind was. Gasps escaped my lips through the suppressed sounds of hiccups.

'I'll miss you so much, Dad. I never imagined a life without you. I was forced to choose a life you are not a part of, a life without love. I'll see you soon, I promise.'

"Athena!! Get here right now." I heard Mom yell from a distance. I quickly wiped my tears with my sleeves before running towards her. "What is your problem? You're just as stubborn as your father."

"Sorry," I muttered. Mom looked at me in annoyance.

"You irritate me, Athena. I didn't know you were such an ungrateful child. I'm doing my possible best to give you a good life, and all you think about is your worthless father. Such a shame. You're a shame." I refuse to give her the satisfaction of seeing me weak. This woman is not her. She's not the one that gave birth to me and took care of me for twelve years. This woman in front of me is a different person.

My dad curbed her. He always gave excuses for her absences in the house, the fights, her anger, and her outbursts. He made excuses for everything she did for three years. I may be his baby girl, but I wasn't stupid. I knew she changed, and it wasn't the good kind. Seeing her now has only proved me right.

She became someone else overnight. All because of money.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I had my eyes fixed to the ground. I can't even look her in the eyes. She scoffed before walking away.

'Oh well, Athena, if you're planning to see your dad again, you need to learn how to survive living in the lion's den.' I whispered to myself as I followed her quietly, not wanting to experience another one of her outbursts.

'Always remember that your mother loves you. No matter how much she has changed, her love for you is forever remarkable.'

You got it all wrong this time, Dad. She is a monster now, a beast who has sold her soul to the devil. I only hope she won't devour me before I escape from her prison.

**~**~**

"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to move." A security guard said, tapping me on the shoulder.

I wiped the stray tears from my eyes and stood up from my position on the chair. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize. But may I ask what plane are you boarding?"

"I don't know, actually. My mom asked me to wait for her here. She went to check us in for our flight." He nodded his head in understanding.

"That's quite alright. If you don't mind, I'm going to have to ask you to move to the other side."

"Alright, thank you." I gathered my bag as I made my way to the seats he directed me. I sat down beside an old lady before setting my things beside me.

"Are you okay, child? You look disturbed." I leaned forward, placed my head in my hands, and sobbed. Huge body-shaking sobs racked my body, each coming in a wave, and with every sob, I let out a low whimper.

"There, there, child. Stop crying. You'll be just fine." If only she knew. If only she knew how my mother sold her soul and is trying to take me down the same path.

"Athena!! I told you to wait for me over there. You should start listening to me because I'm the only adult that gives a damn about you right now." She yelled at me, the vein on her neck popping out in anger.

"That's no way to talk to her, young lady. She's only a child." She looked towards the old lady with disgust and hatred evident in her eyes.

"And who are you to tell me how to talk to my daughter?" I looked at the old lady, who looked taken aback by her response. "Let's go, Athena." She said with a clenched jaw.

I didn't say anything as I followed after her. But before I left, I heard the old lady whisper something.

"I don't know what you're going through, child, but I can guess now that I've seen your mother. I have an advice for you if you'll take it. Don't let her or the world break you. You have so much to give, don't let them weaken your strength."

She tapped my cheeks with tenderness before walking away.

"Let's go. Now!!"

*********

We landed in California.

She didn't want to tell me where we were heading at first, and I didn't care. The journey is probably the most dreadful one I've ever been on. I wonder if this was how we would be living our lives now. My mind kept drifting back to the old lady and what she meant.

"Let's go. Levi would be waiting." Mom said after we got our bags. I wonder who Levi was, but I'll be damned if I say anything.

"Leah!!!" A man came towards us with a warm smile on his face. He was a good-looking, clear cut man with definite features, a lot of very soft black hair, and thoughtful dark brown eyes. He gave off a weird aura, or it could just be in my head.

"Hey, Love. How was your flight?" The man kissed her on her cheek. I'm guessing this is her new money-making machine.

"Hello, honey. The flight was okay." I looked between the two of them. She does not love him. It's very evident in her eyes. Is this what wealth and riches do to people? If so, then I want none of it.

"Athena!! Aren't you going to say hello?" She nodded her head towards the man. I let my gaze trail lazily towards him. He passed me a smile and held his hand out for me to take.

"Hello, Athena. I'm Levi Sharpe, your Mom's boyfriend. I've heard a lot about you." I put my hand in his in a handshake. He smiled at me, a smile that made me feel like I could trust him.

"It's nice meeting you, sir," I said so as not to annoy my mother. I'd rather walk away and be alone.

"No, No. Call me Levi. We're a family now." I smiled at him, and he smiled back. At least he's nice and decent.

"Come on now, dear. Let's go to our new home." I nodded as I reached down to pick up our bags. "Let me get those for you. You must be tired."

I nodded as he led us to the car. He seems nice enough. Maybe my time here wouldn't be as bad as I thought.

Maybe I was too quick to judge.