GODDESS ATHENA’S ROOM

I and Lady Athena directly teleported through the archway into Her room. It was five times the size of the room I was allotted with. The same source-less light as usual was hanging around in the room. I did not bother myself with it anymore. Sometimes maybe you should just give up on logic and start counting backwards in number system starting from the very end.

Sounds ridiculous, right. HAAAAAHHA, caught you. HAA...HA

While a family frame photo hung above a double-decker bed whose wood work was maxed out to its very details while the silk bed sheets were just so smooth that you wanted to rub your cheeks with it all day and never got bored. The other three sides of the wall were covered with gigantic bookshelves laid in with books, using every little corner of this equipment to its maximum.

I was just amazed to see these many books. A goddess of knowledge is sure to have her own personal library. Could she even be the librarian of the library in this divine realm?

As usual there was an awkward silence lurking all over the room now. Since Lady Athena was a goddess and she had to guide me towards saving a world, she thought to take the initiative and start a conversation.

“We gods had been given the task to select the children from the mortal realm from whichever place we saw fit. This week we had to monitor your class and select those whom we believed would fit perfectly for this job.”

“What do you mean?” This piece of information came as a surprise to me.

“We had been keeping an eye on all of your activities at school.”

‘Isn’t this privacy invasion?’ I thought to myself. Maybe in this modern era people are always being watched, if not on earth then either from heaven or hell. Maybe the god’s are not aware of laws and the personal rights of human beings or they just don’t care.

“We had to keep an eye on your class for a whole week and select children who are capable of wielding unique powers. Now when I see you up close, I remember I saw you then in the girl’s school washroom where three children splashed water all over you and ran away. At that time I got so confused about what to do after seeing that you were all wet. So I used my divine powers and being the goddess of knowledge, I efficiently placed an information command on the lady warden to carry a pair of sports uniform to the washroom at that point of time and give it to you after seeing your condition. Sorry, for telling you this and my inability to prevent that felony from happening. That was all I could do at that time.  Please forgive me from my incompetence.”

All of my brain cells were disrupted at these words and I brain-stormed to restore my previous memories. After she narrated me this incident, it did really happen in a strange way. Just at the end of recess the three delinquents splashed water from the other side of door all over me. I was reduced to a state where I could not go to class or even ask someone for help. I had to wait till dismissal or someone comes barging in. but in a very peculiar way I heard a knock.

“Yesss... What’s the matter?”

“I am the school warden. Here is your physical education uniform.”

Wait how did she know I was even here and what about my conditions. Did the delinquents tell her! I ruled out this possibility since they won’t be so kind to me ever in my life. Maybe she saw them committing the deed and wanted to help me somehow.

But now I realized that the one who came to the rescue was my goddess Athena. My heart had started beating faster than ever because this was the first time ever, someone helped me out of my necessity and not made fun of my situation and instead took action.

“Um..U.. Thank you. My Lady. But it hurts me that you call yourself incompetent. What you did means a lot to me?”

“Why do you say so?”

“It’s just as you described, while many gods and goddesses were monitoring us but out of all those you understood my situation, and helped me out by resolving the problem with the most delicate and proper way without hurting anyone. I will never forget your kindness.”

“HAHAHAAAHAHHA. Listen Sachi you don’t have to talk to me in such a formal manner. We are partners who are going to be reincarnated together. So we should treat each other as equals and be friends.”

“Wait! What a god and human equal?”

‘By looking at other Gods and angels it didn’t appeared to be the case. So, why?’

At this Lady Athena with her left hand lifted the front part of my hair which covered my face and for some time after staring at my face, with her right hand she pinched my nose lightly.

“It’s not fair. You are so beautiful and have such a pretty face. You even look more adorable than most of the goddesses I know. Even your skin is so white and soft like silk. Why do you even hide it in the first place? And yes from now onwards we will be friends.”

This was totally a new experience for me. I did hear it quite a lot from stranger and from my classmates or far-off relative that I am quite pretty. But hearing from a goddess made me feel that she genuinely felt that way. The most important part was that she really wanted to become my FRIEND. I was really in heaven. It felt like a huge burden had been lifted from my chest.

“The reason I hide my face is because I think I look prettier than others and would stand out a lot. When the school had began and I was a transfer students, all the girls avoided talking to me in whatever way I tried. No one seems to have wanted to be my friend. Then I read somewhere that other classmates feel insecure when they are around someone who wanted to attract attention to only oneself. So out of desperation I considered concealing my face with my long hairs. But it had a totally adverse affect. My classmates started considering me a freak and even avoided me more as if I had never existed. As for your second question, I actually never had someone to call a friend before nor there is a family member who cared about me after my parent’s death. So…so… I… will be your friend Lady Athena.”

Tears were about to roll down through my eyes, but I stopped them from overflowing by looking upwards and also avoided facing Lady Athena for a while. But it was useless. The dam was already broken and the waves were set free.

At this point Lady Athena hugged me tightly near her chest and I could hear her heartbeat clearly. It felt so warm. I really wanted the time to stop there or flow continuously in that state. I was never alone, someone did really care about me in this world, and it doesn’t matter if I meet them after dying.

“Don’t worry Sachi; there is no need to hold back. Because I feel the same way. I too had been waiting for a friend for a very long time.”

At the end of these words tiny droplets of water fell on my cheek. We remained in that position for quite a long time even though we had stopped crying a while ago. We broke from our everlasting hug when we heard a knock at our door. Lady Athena opened the door and found an angel who came here to remind us about tonight’s banquet and feat.

“Sachi I think we should leave after getting ready for the banquet.”

“Okay then. I will be taking my leave and go and get ready in my room.”

“No, wait you can get ready here. I think I have a dress that will fit you well.”

“But is it really okay, for me to…”

“It will be fine after all you are my beneficiary from now on.”

I accepted her invitation and sat back.

For some reason we again ended in a peculiar situation because there was only one bathroom in that room to be used and if we took turns then we would be late for the feast.

We were taking a bath together. We sat across each other face to face at the ends of the bathtub but were just staring at its bottom.  There was no tap in the washroom and neither a shower unlike my room which was missing the taps and knobs of the shower to control water. But just by thinking of taking a bath I could bring forth water from the shower. But here it was different Lady Athena could summon water out of thin air and also control its temperature and any amount of water could be summoned at any time.

But out of nowhere Lady Athena jumped at me and started poking at my abdomen and the ticklish feeling overtook my body and I couldn’t stop laughing.

“Stop that. Please..anything but stop…”

“What are you talking about? The fun had just begun. After feeling your soft skin when I hugged you how could I stop myself now from touching you or snuggle you tightly in my arms.”

I don’t know whether she really felt that way or was just her way of teasing me. But I enjoyed it a lot. Maybe these are the things and moments you enjoy with your best friends.

After coming from the bath, Lady Athena moved her index finger in a circle and hot air started flowing around our body, in a helical locus which completely dried us unlike my non electric usage dryer which was damn too slow. I don’t know whether I will be able to do the same thing as Lady Athena does. Maybe I will ask her to teach me next time or even try it myself.

When I wore the outfit Lady Athena gave me, she started staring at me.

“What’s the matter?”

“I had no idea the dress will fit you this well. Also you look like a princess from a foreign land. It’s a waste having such a beautiful face if you keep covering it with your hairs.”

I started blushing and the only thing I could muster up to say was, “Thank you!”

But then I stopped and took a proper look at Lady Athena herself and made an attempt to compliment her.

“Lady Athena but you are quite a beauty yourself. I bet any God would be captivated by your alluring charm.” I wasn’t trying to deceive her or anything. I truly meant that what I said. But truthfully speaking I had used this line from a novel I read a long time back.

Goddess Athena was wearing a white gown with intricate fabric designs at several places. It was quite similar to my own gown which she had offered me to wear.

“Let’s go.”

Lady Athena took my left hand and started walking in the hallway leading the way to the banquet hall.

***