A new year has just begun, yet instead of hope, it is misery that rises from the ashes. The number of reports of missing individuals begins to rise in January, enkindling fright to everyone, especially concerned parents. Most of those who disappeared are young adults, all children of wealthy families. The first month of the year seems like a curse.
Under a maroon outdoor umbrella placed just outside a café is a lady typing on her laptop as she drinks her coffee, wearing a black sports bra, a gray blazer placed atop of that, and linen trousers as her bottom. She scrolls down her feed, only to see people expressing their grief in the comment section of her latest vlog.
The aforementioned 'latest' vlog is her most recent video as a popular social media influencer. Athena Loide is a well-known vlogger from all over the world. She frequently creates daily, vacation, motivational, and other types of vlogs to delight viewers. She is also renowned as an anti-bullying campaigner and an LGBTQ+ community ally.
Caring Marites 4 hours ago
Athena, you'll be missed on camera, but I'm delighted you're starting a new chapter in your life! Best wishes!
Jakey FryingPan 21 minutes ago
Are you really leaving, Athena? This is too much for my heart ToT. Since then, you've been my go-to YouTuber for solace. I suppose nothing truly lasts a lifetime.
calcheese ni madumb 6 hours ago
Heyy, is this for real?? We will miss you, Athena!
Snakespeare 21 hours ago
I can't believe you're going to go. I simply want to say that you saved my life, and I am eternally grateful. I was at my lowest point when I discovered your channel, and you saved my life. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here today.
Athena smiles as she scrolls down the thread. Their remarks surely moved her heart. Fans like them are one of the reasons Athena decided to pursue being an influencer when she is just starting in this industry. Her major motivation is to encourage people, particularly young people and those who have been bullied, to persevere in the face of adversity.
Being an influencer has altered many people's lives, including her own. She couldn't be happier now that she has her life in order. She has the fame, money, beauty, and stable life that everyone desires, as well as the attractive and loving girlfriend she never wants to let go of.
The lovely lover, by the way, is just in front of her, drinking a sweet Boba milk tea. She is dressed in a blue cami top, a cream cropped cardigan, and a blue checkered skirt as her bottom. Athena stares at her, which she noticed after a few moments. She asked her, “Athen, why are you staring at me?”
“Hm?” Athena raises her eyebrow and smiles. “Nothing. Your beauty is timeless. You're still the most beautiful sight to behold.”
The lover stops functioning. She glances at her, blinking constantly while she clutches the straw of her drink. She sighs and lowers her head, her cheeks going crimson. “Stop . . .”
Athena chuckles. “Astrid, love, I’ve been like this for years. Are you still not used to it yet?”
Astrid shakes her head. “I don’t think I want to get used to it. I want your words and anything you offer me to enthrall me in every possible way. Isn’t that nice?” She giggles and takes a sip of her tea.
The lovebirds have been together for years already. However, despite Athena’s love and support for the LGBTQ+ community, their relationship is a secret. Astrid is reluctant to come out of the closet for fear that her family would reject her for who she is. Albeit it’s hard and exhausting, Athena does her best to accept her lover's choice.
It is for the best, she tries to convince herself.
The Gavi clan, Astrid's family, runs one of the largest enterprises in their nation. Despite this, they are not as well-known as other affluent families since they choose to keep their lives private, away from public scrutiny. Additionally, they are no different from other families. Scars and flaws are inscribed on their souls behind the opulence.
Another reason why Astrid couldn’t come out is because of the pressure of perfection. As the only girl among her parent’s children, her mother has worked tirelessly to make her the living embodiment of perfection. Astrid must be immaculate and cannot make any mistakes, no matter how minor. Growing up, her mother made several homophobic remarks that led her to believe that being attracted to the same gender makes her less of a person or imperfect, being audacious enough to squander her mother's efforts in raising her, therefore rendering her unworthy of her mother's affection.
Athena, on the other hand, is well aware of this. It kills her to know that Astrid still feels this way, but she can't blame Astrid for being hesitant to express her love to someone of the same gender. All she could do was console her and provide counsel. She constantly tells her that being a lesbian does not make her any less of a person, that her sexuality is not a mistake, that she is valid and worthy of love, and that she is deserving of every star in the night sky.
Astrid is beyond grateful to have her by her side.
“It’s getting late,” Astrid says, wearing her Guess Georgiana shoulder bag on her shoulder. “I should probably go home by now. My mom is waiting for me.”
“No,” Athena responds as she watches Astrid rise from her seat. “Can you spend more time with me?”
Astrid takes a look around. There aren't many people in the vicinity. “You know that I can’t. You are aware that my mother does not let me return home late.”
“So what?” Athena lifts her brow. “You're twenty-three years old. You are certainly capable of making your own decisions. Your parents can’t treat you as their baby princess forever.”
Astrid sighs. “What if someone saw us? What if a fan saw you? I just want to prevent negative outcomes.”
“I have my disguise.”
“Wearing sunglasses and a hat isn't going to keep your identity hidden, Athena.”
Athena stands up, approaching Astrid. She caressed her shoulders. “You’re just going to spend more time with me. You have nothing to worry about. As long as I’m here, nothing bad will happen to you. I will keep you safe at all costs, honey.”
“But . . .” Astrid hesitates. She looks up towards the sky. The sun is virtually out of sight, leaving the welkin to gradually darken. The dusk is wispy silver, with leaden clouds piling on top of one another. Despite the fact that the location they are in is blanketed with light green colors, akin to the color of jade.
Astrid looks back at Athena, who’s now pouting at her.
“Please?” Athena holds Astrid’s hands as she looks at her with doe eyes.
Astrid looks around for another time and lets out a sigh. “Fine,” says she, which makes Athena’s smile appear on her face.
Her eyes glistening in enthusiasm, Athena pulls her lover and runs. Astrid is taken aback by this, yet she quickly recovers and chuckles as they run freely in an empty street.
The sound of their laughter reverberates. Astrid, who was formerly worried, is now at ease—at least for the time being. The two lovebirds swing around, dancing to the music Athena plays on her phone.
They play chase, hide and seek, mock combat, and finally decide to rest. The pair has gone to great lengths to make the date worthwhile, but the clock is ticking. Astrid doesn’t realize that she’s too late.
They sit on a low wall along an empty road. Athena's smile fades when she notices Astrid shaking, as if she has seen a ghost. Astrid's heartbeat quickens.
Astrid is not conversing with her. She's trembling and taking deep breaths, perspiration streaming down her cheeks.
That’s when Athena realizes that Astrid worries about her mom. She sighs and asks, “What makes you so afraid of your own mom?”
Astrid avoids the questions and says, “I need to go home. It’s too late.”
Athena holds Astrid’s hand, and kisses it. “Maybe we should put this to a stop,” muffles she.
Astrid looks away. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, to your suffering, of course,” Athena says, touching Astrid's cheek and turning her face to meet her gaze. “I want you to enjoy your life the way you pictured it. Astrid, free yourself from them. You're an adult, yet you still live in their shadows. Without their advice, you can't even make major decisions.”
“Free myself?” Astrid frowns. “How would I do that?”
“Leave everything behind. Come with me as we flee. That is the easiest choice.”
Astrid frowns even more as she pushes Athena's hands away from her face. “Are you out of your mind? You already know I can't do that. It's difficult to leave everything behind when the weight of my family's legacy rests on my shoulders. I thought you understood that.”
“Oh, I do, and despite how desperately I want to tell the entire world that you are the love of my life, I kept understanding our situation. I’m willing to do it for real and I don’t care if people crucify me for it.”
“But I do care if they condemn me for it.”
“Then I guess you’ll have to lose me.”
Astrid is caught off guard. It takes her a few more seconds to respond. “We don’t have to break up. I know it's difficult, but you have to understand that I have obligations to fulfill. As long as we play the game right, we can continue our relationship without getting caught. We can do this together, but please, you must understand.”
“I understand, Astrid.” Athena exhales a sigh, calming herself down. “But I don’t think we can still continue our relationship because I know that you will always choose your family over me and I know that you can get married anytime soon. I found out about your forthcoming engagement and am disappointed that you did not inform me.”
“H-how did you . . .” Astrid clicks her tongue and closes her eyes. “I didn’t want to burden you. You are already busy—working day and night, and I don’t want to stress you even more. I wanted to fix this myself.”
Astrid opens her eyes to see Athena averting her look and refusing to speak to her. She exhales a sigh and rises from her seat. “It seems like you don’t want to talk about it. I’ll take my leave. Let’s talk again next time.”
However, as soon as she takes a step forward, she feels some kind of warmth encircling her waist. Athena is hugging her from behind. The embrace is so tight that it's clear she's unwilling to let go.
Athena whispers, “Stay with me, please.” She turns Astrid around, looking at her straight in the eyes. “Tell me, does this make you happy?”
Astrid hesitates to answer. She lowers her gaze. “No . . .”
“Then this is exactly why I want us to run away. You are not happy at all. Do you want to be like this for the rest of your life? No, right? As long as we don’t take action, things will get worse.” Athena tightens her grip on Astrid’s shoulders. Her ocean blue eyes are reflecting Astrid, and it soon becomes watery with spending reflection of light, akin to the stars in the cosmos, blazing in her lenses. “What if the moment you return to your house . . . you might not be able to see me again?”
Astrid wipes away Athena’s tears. “You know that’s not possible to happen, love.”
“It is, Astrid.” Tears continue to stream down Athena’s cheeks. “Don’t you hate your mother? I mean, she has treated you horribly over the years. I couldn’t get how come you are so afraid of her, yet at the same time, you crave for her validation.”
With the sudden mention of her mother, Astrid begins to tremble again. Athena's words pierce her heart, making it difficult for her to keep herself from reliving all her mother has done to her. “Stop, Athena, please . . .”
Athena shakes her head. “No, give it some thought. Remember the times when she used to humiliate you in front of other people, when she starved you for days, and when she locked you in your room just because you made a single mistake. Recall everything thoroughly, Astrid.”
“No . . .” Astrid trembles, tears welling up in her eyes as her mind conjures up a picture of her mother, furiously glaring at her. It is such a sight she couldn’t erase from her mind. It is a sight she fears the most.
She tries to picture her mother’s smiling face in her mind. It is the sight she always receives if she achieves something, a sight that makes her feel worthwhile and appreciated. Though, dirty memories keep bugging her. She couldn't unthink any of it, no matter how hard she tried, as if it had already left a scar on her.
This results her to continue sobbing and completely break down in Athena’s arms. “Stop, please. Stop . . . Fine, I’ll go with you. Just, please . . . take me away from her.”
Athena tightens her embrace. She strokes her lover’s hair and kisses it. “Hush, honey, hmm? I told you, as long as I’m here, nothing bad will happen to you. I’ll take you away from them, I promise. I’ll keep you far from your nightmares. So hush now, my love. We’ll be just fine.”
Athena then leans in for a kiss. A soft but passionate one. Astrid closes her eyes and responds, seeking solace as she lets herself cry and be lost in her lover’s kiss. Athena, on the other hand, has her tears dry and doesn’t want to let go of Astrid. They stay like that for a few moments—feeling the warmth of each other’s skin, hearing the sound of their beating hearts, capturing every breath they take, and savoring the sweetness of their tongues.
The painfully romantic moment lasts until a black van arrives beside them.
“My service is here,” whispers Athena, letting go of Astrid.
An old man opens the door. Athena enters the van then she reaches out her hand to her beloved, saying, “Come with me, and I’ll never let you go.”
Astrid pauses and peeks inside the vehicle. She notices a man wearing a black turtleneck shirt sitting on the driver’s seat. As he is not facing her, she can only see his pulled back long hair, yet he appears strangely familiar—probably one of Athena’s staff in her studio. She then turns her gaze to Athena, lets out a heavy sigh, and eventually takes her hand.
Comments (0)
See all