Oh Merlin, not more girl talk

Athena took a moment or two to try and decode the dreamy look that was supposedly on her face. She could feel a smile tugging at the sides of her lips. She had that stupid butterfly feeling in her stomach Hufflepuff’s went on about and she did honestly feel light and fluffy inside. Oh Merlin...she was a jacket potato. Athena giggled aloud and put her hadn over her mouth, hoping to stifle her giggles. She closed her eyes and exhaled gently before reopening them and looking over at Pricilla as the girl began to babble. Athena sat up and her eyes shot to her hairline at Pricilla’s assumption. Athena paled considerably at the thought and her mind flicked back to the boy on the bus, the kind, lovely boy that meant her no harm. He’d never meant her harm. He’d never hurt her. As much as Athena didn’t want to admit she’d slept with him and thoroughly enjoyed it, she needed to for Kendall’s sake. She didn’t want Pricilla telling anyone that, much less confront Kendall about it.

“Of course he didn’t rape me!” Athena hissed, her eyes wide with alarm. “Do you think I’d let him anywhere near me if that was his intention? Really, Cilla...he wouldn’t be breathing right now if he had; or had tried to. No...I was...” Athena’s cheeks flushed bright pink and she ducked her head, an involuntary smile on her lips. “He was everything they say he is and it kills me to admit that.” Athena played with the edge of one of the pillows as she thought. “He was even better than that god forsaken Spanish wizard who I had that summer fling with last year - and Christ, that is saying something.” A giggle left Athena’s lips again and she held a pillow to her chest. Athena bit her lip and smiled to herself before sitting up once more and looking at Pricilla, a rare, goofy grin on her face. “I’ll get Brew shall I? I’m starving, actually.”

As if on cue, food appeared on a giant tray between the two girls. It was laden with everything they’d need for a ‘girlie’ sleep over. Athena immediately reached for the bowl of strawberries and she took a handful before grinning at Pricilla again.

“My House Elves are clearly, very well trained.” She commented with a small laugh. “Merlin....how are you? I’m sorry...I feel as if I haven’t asked. How’s Tobias...he seemed pretty, well, miffed at the party. I presume you cheered him up?”

Cilla nearly stared in astonishment as Thea did the one thing that she rarely did... giggle. Cilla could have leaped for joy, if she hadn't been so content laying on all of these soft pillows. She made sure to keep an eye on Thea's facial expressions as she spoke. It was a habit of hers, when Cilla was chatting away, usually babbling as normal, she made sure to keep an eye on the person she was talking to, even if she didn't appear to be, because she liked to know what they thought.. it was a good tool, being able to talk, and still completely understand what the other person was feeling, just through their own emotions.

Cilla grinned at Thea again, and then sighed. "Well if it wasn't rape... and you found him.. great." Cilla said shaking her head. "Then I don't know what you're worrying about.. obviously you have a connection that you are just to worried to see!" Cilla looked at her friend and smiled at her, jumping up when food appeared in front of them. "Food! Yay!" She grinned and took a handful of popcorn, and a handful of M&Ms, and put them in her mouth at the same time, savoring the sweet and salty taste. Cilla waved her hand and laughed. "Me and Tobias are fine... he was just.. whatever at the party, and yes.. I did cheer him up." Cilla's eyebrows shot into her hairline, before she giggled again and took another handful of M&Ms.

Cilla sighed and looked at the ceiling. "I swear that boy... I love him to death, and all he ever thinks about is sex!" Cilla laughed a bit, but it sounded forced. "Not that I'm complaining by the way! It's GREAT... but I just feel bad.. for you I mean... why can't you be happy with someone too? I mean.. Kendall.. I can see something there Thea! Don't deny it! You two... you're.. cute... if that's the word for what you two are, and I really like that you can be yourself around someone.. and yet you're so afraid, and I see it! It's sad.. loosen up Thea! Before you kill yourself." Cilla sighed and grabbed a soda from the tray, opening it up and taking a sip of the bubbling liquid.

Athena hummed quietly to herself, a tune she did not know yet adored all the same. She sat up when the food arrived and reached for a crisp. She popped it into her mouth and bit down onto it, the crunching sound like music to her ears. She smiled a little to herself and reached for another as she listened to Pricilla speak. Admittedly though, Athena’s mind was a million miles away. She was thinking about the holiday she knew Apolline was planning for her and whoever else wanted to tag along. She was thinking about everything but what Pricilla was saying and though she felt awful for it, Athena didn’t care as much as she should have done. She liked where her mind was at and she was perfectly fine with the idea of keeping it in its happy place. She knew that by the time she thought about going to sleep, her dreams would be plagued with her real happy place; and Merlin knew how much she wanted to be there.

“Are you coming to the villa this summer?” Athena asked suddenly.

Images of an ocean-facing villa in the Mediterranean began to plague Athena’s mind. She could smell the salty sea air, wet sand, barbeques going on the beaches below and the unmistakable scent of sun-tan lotion on hot, pealing skin. She could feel the sand between her toes and the wind dancing across her shoulders. She could feel the gentle lap of the waves against her body as she floated among the aquatic life that the Mediterranean was decorated with. Athena usually hated the fact that she was exiled there during the summer but this year she was looking forward to it in a manner of speaking. She needed to get away from the UK, for fear of going absolutely frigging mad if she didn’t. She hated the rain and she hated the persistent snow. She needed some sunshine. Everyone needed sun in their bones and Athena was not happy about how pale she’d become. A summer in the villa was just what the doctor ordered.

“Only when he’s with you!” Athena countered before grabbing a handful of M&M’s herself. “He is so quiet when he isn’t!” Athena popped a few M&M’s into her mouth before thoughtfully adding. “He’s brilliant when you’ve left homework too late and can’t be bothered to right up foot long essays yourself.” And wasn’t that the truth? Athena smiled to herself but couldn’t help but look at Pricilla as if she had three heads. “What on earth? Oh, Cilla! I’m not going to kill myself over anyone or anything! Kendall and I aren’t anything. There isn’t even a Kendall and I. What happened at the party was Darius’ way of being a spectacular arse. I...he...” Athena sighed. “He does make me feel safe - Kendall, I mean. But I...I refuse to set myself up for a fall. I know what he’s like and I don’t want to get hurt. It’s safer this way...for me, at least. Besides, I can live without that kind of affection. I have done. I do. I just...need to stop myself from getting attached. Merlin knows I want to but I don’t want to have to deal with the hurt, Pricilla. I can’t deal with the hurt...not if I get attached. If I let myself then I won’t be able to let him go.”

Athena dropped her gaze to the floor in embarrassment. The truth of her words was enough to put chills in her bones. She closed her eyes and gave a shaky sigh before lifting her head and murmuring, “If you repeat this to anyone then I swear to Merlin that I will murder you in your sleep.”

Cilla stared at Thea as she randomly asked if she was going to the Villa. "Were you paying attention to anything I just said." She said, almost sounding a little hurt, before she grabbed another handful of popcorn, and staring at Thea. Sure she enjoyed going to the Villa with Thea, it was a wonderful vacation, being able to float in the ocean, and tan on the beach, it was a fun time, but unfortunately, Cilla wouldn't be able to spend the whole summer with Thea there this year. "I might for a few days.. but mother has me off going to Paris and stuff." She said making a face. "If I didn't know better she was getting my wedding dress fitted.. which.. knowing my mother she probably is... always thinking a step ahead.." Cilla made a face and looked at the ground, setting a pillow in her lap and squeezing it gently.

She looked up as Thea described the way Tobias acted when not around her. "Really? He's quiet? I would have never guessed.." She said, biting her lip and staring off into space, before looking back at Thea when she said she wasn't going to kill herself over the situation with Kendall. "Sometimes I wonder about you Thea..." She said shaking her head. "And you know, I wasn't just talking about Kendall when I said you gotta loosen up! Look at yourself! Your so tense you can't even lay back on the pillows properly... you keep up your attitudes and your weird way of acting... and you ARE gonna kill yourself.. maybe not purposefully.. but you will.. you gotta loosen up.. Thea, you need to get laid." Cilla shook her head, looking at her friend. "And laid by someone you don't have to deal with in the morning.. lets go to a club! Come on Thea! We'll sneak out and go to a club, it's fun! I do it all the time."