Chapter 57: Chapter Fifty Six

By lunchtime, Eros was already waiting for me at our usual spot beneath the towering oak tree in the school courtyard. It was our little sanctuary—a place we retreated to whenever we needed peace, quiet, or just a break from everything. We’d stay there, eating lunch until the bell summoned us back to the chaos. I loved it.

He was leaning back, legs stretched out, arms folded behind his head like he had all the time in the world.

I walked up to him, a sandwich in hand. “You’re early.”

“I wanted to make sure no one cornered you again,” he said with a lazy half-smile.

I chuckled as I settled beside him. “I don’t think they’ll try that again anytime soon.”

“You’ve got a reputation now,” Eros teased. “Athena the Fierce.”

“Oh, stop,” I laughed, nudging him with my elbow.

“No, I mean it. That took guts.” His voice softened. “Most people wouldn’t have stood their ground—especially not against someone like Scarlett.”

I glanced down at my sandwich. “I was just tired… tired of feeling helpless. Tired of shrinking just to make room for others.”

He turned toward me, eyes intent and sincere. “You were never helpless, Athena. You were just underestimated. There’s a difference.”

I looked up, meeting his gaze. For a moment, everything around us seemed to blur into silence.

“Thanks,” I said quietly. “You’ve always made me feel like I mattered… like I wasn’t just someone passing through.”

“You’re not just someone,” he replied, his voice low. “You’re someone, Athena.”

Something about the way he said my name made my heart skip. Like it carried more meaning than just a word.

Before I could say anything else, a few students walked past. One nodded at me. Another… smiled.

I blinked. “Did that girl just smile at me?”

Eros chuckled. “Looks like your fan club’s forming.”

I rolled my eyes, though a smile tugged at my lips. “I don’t need a fan club. I just want to survive the school year without being shoved into a locker.”

“That might be harder now,” he teased. “You’ve officially become interesting.”

For a while, we sat in a comfortable silence, the wind whispering through the oak leaves above us.

“Can I ask you something?” I said eventually.

“Sure. Shoot.”

“Why do you hang out with me?” The question slipped out softly, uncertain. “You could be with anyone. And you’re… well, you.”

He tilted his head, thoughtful. “Because you’re not like anyone else. You don’t fake it. You don’t care about popularity or playing games. You’re real.”

I studied his face. “Most people think being real is boring,” I murmured.

“Then most people clearly don’t know what they’re talking about,” he said with a hint of disdain.

A smile bloomed on my lips—warm, honest.

“You’re not what I expected, Eros,” I said.

“And you,” he replied, bumping his shoulder gently against mine, “are exactly what I didn’t know I needed.”

I laughed softly, unsure if I should take him seriously. But something in the way he looked at me made me believe every word.

Later that evening, after finishing my essay, I sat by the window, gazing up at the stars. My thoughts wandered to Eros—to the way everything was beginning to shift.

My life was changing. From merely surviving to discovering strength. From friendship to something deeper… something I wasn’t ready to name just yet.

But one thing was certain: I wasn’t invisible anymore.

And I would never let myself be small again.

*****

The next day at school, I made my way to my locker and paused when I saw a small envelope taped to the door. One word was scrawled across the front in loopy cursive:

“Peace?”

Curious—and slightly suspicious—I peeled it off and opened it.

Hey Athena,

I wanted to apologize for everything. Maybe we started off on the wrong foot. I’d like to talk—just you and me. Let’s meet behind the gym during free period today. No drama. Just a conversation.

—Scarlett

I narrowed my eyes at the note.

“Too good to be true,” I muttered under my breath, scanning the hallway.

Later that morning, I showed the note to Eros during class.

He read it once, then scoffed. “You’re not seriously thinking of going, are you?”

“I don’t know,” I said hesitantly. “What if she’s actually trying to make amends?”

He leaned back in his chair, shaking his head firmly. “Scarlett doesn’t do apologies. She does schemes and sabotage. This is a setup—I can feel it.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, torn between instinct and curiosity. “Maybe that’s exactly why I should go—see what she’s planning.”

Eros leaned in, voice low and serious. His eyes darkened slightly. “Then I’m coming with you.”

I shook my head. “No. If she sees you, she won’t make a move. I need to catch her in her own game.”

Eros stared at me, clearly uneasy. “Then at least promise me you’ll be careful. If anything feels off, don’t wait. Walk away.”

I smiled softly. “Promise.”

When I arrived behind the gym during my free period, the air was heavy with tension. Scarlett was already there, arms crossed, lips curled into a saccharine smile.

“Athena,” she greeted sweetly.

“Scarlett,” I returned coolly.

“I’m glad you came.” She gestured to a bench. “Sit?”

“I’m good standing,” I replied.

Scarlett let out an exaggerated sigh. “I just wanted to talk. Maybe I overreacted. We’ve both been a little… fiery.”

“Is that what you’re calling it now?” I raised a brow.

She chuckled. “Alright, maybe I was a bit vicious. But look at you—confident, bold. Maybe I did you a favor.”

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

Just then, movement caught my attention. A group of students rounded the corner—Monica, Tasha, and a few others—all with their phones out, cameras rolling.

And that’s when it hit me.

A setup. My heart dropped.

Scarlett hadn’t come to make peace. She wanted a reaction. A viral clip of me losing my temper, looking like the aggressor.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, stepping back. “This was never about an apology, was it? You wanted a performance—me snapping on camera so you could play the victim.”

Her smile wavered. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m not stupid, Scarlett.” I raised my voice just enough for the phones to catch every word. “You tried to bait me so you could twist the story again.”

A few students hesitated, phones lowering slightly as glances passed between them.

“Paranoid much?” Scarlett snapped, but her voice had lost its edge.

“No,” I said calmly. “Just not naïve anymore.” I turned toward the spectators. “Hope you got that on video—Scarlett’s fake apology, her little ambush, her plan to paint me as the problem. Real classy.”

Some of them looked unsure now. A couple even began walking away.

Scarlett opened her mouth to respond, but I was already walking away, leaving her speechless in the wake of her own failed performance.

Later, I met Eros in our usual spot beneath the oak tree.

“You were right,” I said, shaking my head. “Total trap.”

He held out his palm. “Told you. High five?”

I laughed and met his hand with a satisfying slap.

“You’re a force of nature, you know that?” he said, smiling in that warm, easy way of his.

“And you’re my anchor,” I said softly. “Honestly, without you, I’d have lost my mind.”

Eros didn’t say anything at first, but the look in his eyes said more than words could.

We stood there in silence, side by side, while the school buzzed in the background—Scarlett’s plan unraveling, whispers already spreading.

But me?

I stood taller.

And for the second time, I knew I wouldn’t let anyone shrink me again.