Chapter 7 - Where She Doesn't Belong
Athena hadn't left the house alone in weeks.
She didn't realize that until she was sitting in her car in the grocery store parking lot, hands resting on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead like she had forgotten what she came here for.
James had asked her to pick up a few things for dinner.
Milk. Bread. Chicken.
Simple.
Normal.
So why did her chest feel tight?
Why did her hands tremble slightly as she stepped out of the car?
The automatic doors slid open with a soft whoosh, and the moment she walked inside, the world felt... loud.
Too loud.
Fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead. Carts squeaked across tile. Conversations blended together into a low hum that made her head ache.
She paused just inside the entrance, gripping the cart handle.
Her senses felt turned up too high.
Like every sound, every smell, every movement was pressing into her at once.
People brushed past her and she flinched.
"What is wrong with me..." she whispered.
She pushed the cart forward, trying to focus.
Milk. Bread. Chicken.
But as she walked down the aisles, she kept glancing around like she was expecting someone to be watching her.
Her heart pounded without reason.
Her skin felt too tight.
Like she wanted to crawl out of it.
She stopped near the produce section, gripping the cart harder.
"Are you okay, ma'am?"
Athena turned quickly.
An older woman stood nearby, looking at her with concern.
"Yes," Athena said too fast. "I'm fine."
The woman gave her a hesitant smile and walked away.
Athena swallowed.
She wasn't fine.
She hurried through the store, grabbing items without thinking, needing to get out.
Needing air.
At the checkout, the young cashier scanned her groceries slowly.
"Long day?" the girl asked politely.
Athena blinked at her.
She didn't know how to answer that.
"I guess," she said softly.
The cashier paused mid-scan and tilted her head.
"You have really pretty eyes."
Athena forced a small smile. "Thank you."
"They're brown but there's like... gold in the middle. It's really cool."
Athena froze.
"What?"
The girl leaned forward slightly, studying her face.
"Yeah. I've never seen eyes like that before."
Her chest tightened.
No one had ever said that to her.
Ever.
She paid quickly and left without another word.
?
Back in the car, she flipped the mirror down with shaky hands.
She stared at her reflection.
Her eyes looked normal.
Brown.
Familiar.
But as she leaned closer...
She swore she saw it.
A faint shimmer of gold swirling near her pupils.
She jerked back like the mirror had burned her.
"No..."
Her breathing grew heavier.
Her heart raced so hard she could feel it in her throat.
She snapped the mirror shut and gripped the steering wheel.
"What is happening to me..."
?
When she pulled into the driveway, James's car was already there.
Her stomach dropped.
He never came home this early.
The air around the house felt heavy.
Still.
She stepped inside slowly.
The door clicked shut behind her, echoing too loudly.
James stood in the living room.
Not sitting.
Not relaxed.
Standing.
Waiting.
His jaw was tight.
His eyes darker than she'd ever seen them.
"We need to talk," he said.
And something in his voice made her realize...
This conversation was not going to be small.