Chapter 2

*What really happened**

**Life has thrown many challenges at me, but that doesn't mean I'll give up. Never. "Believe that everything in life will be okay, and then you'll see that there's nothing to be afraid of," my grandmother used to say to me. I took her advice, and although I still haven't seen that 'okay' manifest, I won't lose hope.**

I finish my day shift at the restaurant, and after changing into my street clothes, I leave and head straight home. I need to hurry because I'm worried. My parents have been alone all day today. No, they're not sick or anything, just... preoccupied. Preoccupied with drinking and getting high every day. Yeah... They're not the best parents, and they're certainly not role models, but they're still my parents.

I blame my stepfather for the state my mother is in. She was quite young when my biological father lost his life in battle in Afghanistan, and Liam, my stepfather, tried to help her cope with my father's death. By that, I mean he dragged her into his vices. Now, after all these years, they're both unrecognizable.

I finally get home, and the first thing I do before anything else is make sure my parents are still breathing. 

"Mom? Dad? Are you okay?" I ask as I enter the living room where they spend their days on the couch. 

They open their eyes, seemingly startled, then burst into laughter together. 

Great... 

"I'm going to make dinner," I say, ignoring their laughter. 

Anyway, in a few moments, they'll be crying. 

As soon as they stop laughing, I hear them sighing, and I roll my eyes, already accustomed to these outbursts. 

I don't even know the last time I was able to talk to them. I don't even know the last time they weren't drinking or high. I open the fridge and sigh when I see it's empty. 

Damn it... They've cleaned out the fridge. 

The only time I get to see them sober or not high is when they raid the fridge. Since I was at work all day today, I haven't seen them. That's probably why the fridge is empty. 

"I'm going to buy some food," I say to them, even though I know I won't get any response. 

I take out my phone and check my account. Thirty dollars. 

Damn it... 

I leave the house, locking the door behind me—the last thing we need is for someone to break in—and head to the nearest store. After a ten-minute walk, I reach the store and start browsing the shelves for discounts. I have to make do with the money I have until my next paycheck. It's not going to be easy, but it's not impossible either. 

After putting a few buns, hot dogs, and mayonnaise in the basket, I head to the checkout. 

"Good evening, Athena. How are you feeling?" asks the lady at the checkout. 

Mrs. Stella is a very kind woman. She always helps me when I ask for it and never judges me for how my parents are... unlike my friends. 

They all chose to pretend they didn't know me, even though we used to get along so well. 

Well... I don't blame them, but I wouldn't judge anyone based on their parents. 

"I'm feeling great, Mrs. Stella," I say with a smile as she starts scanning the groceries. 

"You know... One day, God will realize how much you've suffered and reward you." 

"Let me know when that day comes," I say with a chuckle, trying to stay positive. 

Remember Grandma's words, Athena. 

"I don't know when, but everything will be okay." 

Well... Who am I to argue?! 

After paying for the groceries, I grab the bag off the counter and leave the store, thinking about Mrs. Stella's words. Maybe she's right, but life has disappointed me too many times for me to expect anything good from it. I start humming a random tune to take my mind off all the problems I have. 

I see a child playing with a ball by the side of the road and smile. I used to be so carefree, too. 

My smile doesn't last long because I see a car speeding toward the child, who's chasing the ball that has rolled into the middle of the road. 

Oh my God... 

I run toward the child and push them out of the road to keep them from being hit by the maniac driving recklessly. The next thing I know, my grocery bag slips from my hand, and I feel myself flying. 

Well... That's how long my life lasted. 

I close my eyes, expecting to meet the pavement, but that doesn't happen. Instead, I fall onto grass. I lie on the ground for a few seconds, staring up at the sky above me, blinking rapidly, trying to make sense of what just happened. 

Am I dead? Where did all this grass come from? 

I sit up and look around at the scenery. It's so... extraordinary. It's as if human pollution hasn't touched it at all. 

I must be dreaming. This can't be real. 

I'm caught off guard when I'm suddenly surrounded by a few people with spears pointed at me. 

"Hi? Is there some kind of costume party in town that I don't know about?" I ask, eyeing the spears in front of me. 

"Praising the authority of Petorth, the All-Knowing and Omnipresent god, what are you doing on this land, Earthling?" 

"Oh, I get it now. It's some kind of role-playing game. I have to admit, you guys went all out. The costumes, the spears, the scenery... I like it," I say, admiring everything around me. 

Okay... I can play along with them if that's what they want. 

"I, Athena Mikaelson, praising Queen Mary, apologize for appearing before your lordships in such a manner," I say, adopting a theatrical tone. 

They look at each other in confusion, and I burst out laughing. 

God, my dreams are getting more and more unrealistic. 

"It was nice meeting you and playing with you, but I think it's time for me to wake up," I continue, walking past them and noticing a cliff. 

A perfect way to wake up from a dream. 

Without thinking too much, I jump off, knowing that this will wake me up, but nothing happens, and I start to panic. 

Damn it... Now I'm definitely going to die. 

Before I hit the ground, someone catches me in their arms and saves me. I open my eyes to see what's happening and scream hysterically when I realize we're in the air. The man who saved me is in the air with me. 

"Wait a minute... Are those wings?" I ask, stopping my scream in shock.