NOT ALLOWED

CHAPTER SIX: FLICKERING FUN

"YOU know, I don't think Irene or my Dad would approve of you using such words to describe me." Mitch turned to look at Athena while the worker continued his search, "I'm pretty sure Irene nor your father would approve of me buying you guys a gun, would they?"

Athena didn't respond and instead glared back at Mitch- her way of trying to assert her dominance over the situation- "and might I remind you, none of you are certified to carry a gun, much less shoot one."

The teenager smiled this time, "Virginia doesn't require a firearm registration, Rapp." he smiled back at her, "no, but there is a minimum age requirement of twenty-one years old sweetheart." Athena scowled, "don't call me that."

"Alright!" the worker exclaimed returning from behind the counter, "I do have one, it'll cost you two-fifty, two eighty for the rounds that go with it too." Mitch gave a short nod and removed the small wad of cash from his pocket, "can I see some I.D. with that too?" he asked carefully taking the cash from the man as he popped the register open.

"Yeah, gimme a sec."

Mitch pulled his wallet from his opposite pocket and flipped it open quickly searching for his I.D. as requested, pulling forth the hard slip of plastic, he placed it on the counter and gently tapped his foot while he waited for the man to look it over and give him the gun.

Setting the gun against the wall behind him, the man picked up Mitchs I.D. and held it to the light hoping that there would be no problems with it, when he realized it was indeed a valid I.D. he set it back on the counter and slid it forward.

"Alright, let me get the rounds and the case out from the back for you." he mumbled disappearing into the back once more after he'd secured the register, just as the man disappeared into the small storage area Athena's phone began to ring. Removing it from the back pocket of her jeans she hit the receive button and brought the device to her ear, "what?" she questioned resting her free hand on her hip.

"Okay? The entire point was for us to get the thing and be done by the time you guys were." she paused almost as if she'd been interrupted before rolling her eyes, "stop arguing over yogurt and finish up, I really don't feel like listening to Apollo bitch about how long we were gone." looking up at the ceiling the girl let out a sigh before she pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call, it was pointless to argue with Aidan.

Ten minutes passed and the worker finally returned from the back with a case and three boxes of rounds in his arms, "that should be all of it." he stated setting it down on the counter before him, Mitch watched him with a careful glare as he slipped the gun into the case and secured it before sliding it across the counter to him.

The man grabbed the case and weighed it in his hands- almost as if he was worried it would explode- while the worker set the boxes of rounds into a doubled bag to prevent anything from falling out.

As soon as the worker had managed to set the bag on the counter Mitch snatched it up with his free hand before pawning it off to Athena to carry through the store, "thanks." he grumbled turning to leave, "yeah, have a great day!" the worker called oblivious to the fact he had just put a gun in the hands of four teenagers.

After walking for a few moments Athena felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, reaching her hand into her pocket she grabbed the device and glanced at the notification that had set her phone off, a text from Aidan.

"They're near the checkout now, they said to wait for them outside." assuming the man had heard her statement, she followed alongside him to the front of the store where they took a few steps outside and found an empty spot to wait for the others at.

Almost five minutes had passed when Athena found herself impatiently tapping her foot against the concrete that served as the sidewalk, "should I go in and check on them?" she questioned.

Mitch didn't bother looking at her and instead let out a sigh, "they're fine, if they weren't we would've heard something." he stated adjusting his grip on the handle of the gun case, "I hope so." she whispered to herself peeking through the entrance, there they were.

Athena smiled and let out a sigh she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in, finally, they could go back to the lake house.

"What took you guys so long?" she questioned as her brother and friends passed through the automatic doors, Grace let out a sigh quietly leaning her head against the side of the cart, "the guy made me sign the thing for Apollo's card, he's gonna be pissed." the girl smiled back at her brother, that would be the icing on the cake.

"Perfect, let's go to the car and get everything loaded up." Aidan gave a short nod and let his eyes graze the case Mitch was carrying, almost as if he could feel his gaze, Mitch shifted the case to his opposing hand- which just so happened to be farther away from Aidan.

Once they'd approached the jeep and gotten everything loaded up, they found themselves sitting in the car- the vehicle completely turned off- "you know, Ares, I didn't peg you as the type to want a gun."

Aidan turned to look at the older man, if Amber hadn't been seated between them he would've taken the chance and lunged at him, no matter how much smaller he was in comparison to Mitch.

"Rapp, I'd watch it, I wouldn't peg you as the type to be shot by someone, much less a teenage girl." she paused, "and I hardly miss." he pursed his lips and gave a small nod, he was entertained, that much he would admit, but he was annoyed, why of all assignments, did he have to get stuck with a bunch of teenagers?

What purpose did he serve to them? Besides keeping them from doing something absolutely stupid.

No one moved to turn on music or speak to one another as they finished loading the groceries into the car and began to make their way back home, the car ride was entirely silent.

Which was an odd thing for them considering how they were always talking.

Athena could feel a pit in her stomach forming, one that came with the common feeling of anxiety that had been spread over her like a second skin since her mother's passing.

The inevitable threat of something bad on the way.

She could feel it creeping up on her, adjusting over her as it always did, making itself known before it pressed in and began to suffocate her once again.

The feeling made her conscious curl up into a ball and lock itself away from doing its job.

Which more times than not ended with Athena locked in her bedroom rocking herself back and forth in the farthest corner from the door.

And while she'd never admit it to anyone but herself, she found comfort within that anxiety.

Being able to tuck away and just hide for as long as she wanted, it was a desirable feeling. Not so much the problems it brought with it, but, the temporary feeling that she was safe, that she was hidden from the world and she didn't exist to anyone.

That she was just a figment of her own imagination.

Except she wasn't.

And every time she figured that out, it became harder to come to the realization the next time.

Turning onto the dirt road after a few miles, Athena tried her best to block out the sight she could already see forming before her.

Apollo would be standing on the porch- no doubt with their father beside him- and Pietro would be behind the two trying his best to avoid being a part of the situation.

As they pulled to a stop in front of the house, she saw none of those things.

Odd.

She wouldn't bother to question her luck though, instead, she climbed out of the car and headed for the small trunk to begin retrieving grocery bags, as she opened the trunk door, she took notice of Apollo exiting the house with Pietro following not too far behind.

At the sight of his brother, Aidan leaned over the top of the seat towards Athena, "what do I do? I can't get the gun in the house with him right there." the girl shook her head, there wasn't much either of them could do, "just leave it in the car." she mumbled quick to go silent when Apollo stopped beside her.

"You used my credit card." he stated crossing his arms across his chest, she looked up at him and pursed her lips, "I suppose we did." she mused looking to Aidan who smiled back at her, "I'd like my card back, now." Athena frowned, "and I'd like a please." she retorted resuming her actions as Grace and Amber climbed out of the car, letting out a sigh, Mitch followed behind them.

"Athena, give me my card or so help me-"

"So help you what? You'll call Dad? How's he going to be mad at us? We went to go get food so we don't starve to death." turning away from him, she handed two bags to Amber watching as she quickly made for the house.

Clenching his fist against his leg, Apollo let out a sigh, "please." he groaned. Replying with a smile, Athena held out her hand towards Aidan waiting as he pulled the card from his pocket and settled it into her palm, grasping it between her index and middle finger she then held the card out to her brother.

Apollo snatched it from between her fingers and frowned back at her before stomping off towards the house, "what stick is up your brother's ass?" Mitch questioned carefully grabbing one of the many grocery bags, "I'd like to think the same one that's up yours."

She watched as he furrowed his brows and grabbed another bag, he wasn't going to reply, it was best he not, because if he did, it wasn't going to be very nice.

"Aidan get out and grab some bags." Athena warned resting a hand on her hip, the boy let out a sigh and rolled over in the seat before slipping out past the door with a groan, "are you sure Dad isn't gonna be mad at us?" he questioned, she shrugged her shoulders, who cared if he was mad?

If he was, it was entirely his own fault, leaving his kids to fend for themselves in a house with no food or needed utilities, it was almost as if he had forgotten he even had three children.

Grace was the last one to grab a few bags quickly slamming the trunk door closed behind her before she began towards the house with Athena, inside, it seemed Apollo had made it his mission to start dusting, for what reason? None of them were sure.

Letting out a hacking cough, Athena waved her hand in front of her face as she walked the dust making it almost impossible to breathe.

"A-pollo, I swear-" she let out another cough, "I'm gonna fucking k-ill you."

He smiled carefully adjusting his mask over his face, "I doubt you'd be able to." he replied as he continued on with his dusting, seriously, how had he come to the conclusion that dusting would be a good activity to carry out while they were gone?

She seriously questioned if he had chosen no social life or if it had chosen him.

NOT ALLOWED

CHAPTER SIX: FLICKERING FUN