CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: UNKNOWN POV
Few years ago…..
Each year, Riverview High School hosts a junior high spelling bee in which Athena and Dylan were among the children who were taking part in this event this year.
The spelling bee has been going on for an hour now, with a child being eliminated every minute if they misspell the word given to them by the judges.
Out of 20 students, Athena and Dylan made it to the final round, but as Dylan was about to spell the word given to him, he missed a single letter, and the word was given to Athena, who spelt it correctly and was crowned the winner of the spelling bee.
Dylan was furious that the daughter of a nobody was smarter than him and beat him at something he had spent months training for in order to impress his father so that he would finally notice him and stop comparing him to his brother, but Athena had ruined that, and this is where his hatred for her began.
To make matters worse, Dylan's father, Mr Thompson, was present and witnessed his humiliating defeat.
When everything was over and the guests were leaving, Dylan's father dragged him into an empty classroom to scold him for losing and tarnishing the family name.
"How could you let that brat win, that was an easy word, why did you miss it?" His father yelled, causing young Dylan to flinch back in fear of being hit by his father like he always did when he was thus angry.
Mr Thompson was a strict man who believed that no one around here was above him because he owned the town and everyone in it, so when something like this happens, he takes it personally, which explains why he is so angry with Dylan for losing to Athena.
"I'm sorry sir, I made a mistake, it won't happen again," Dylan begged, trying to calm his father down but it was no use.
"A mistake, you are a Thompson for fucks sake, you never make mistakes," his father yelled as he went on and on about Dylan being a failure who would never live up to the Thompson name.
"I'm sorry, father; I promise to do better next time."
"You always make promises you can't keep, what did I expect from a son of a worthless woman, you are just as stupid as your mother, no wonder she abandoned you," his father mocked.
"I'm sorry"
"Your brother would have won that simple spelling bee without even breaking a sweat, that girl is nothing but trash, and you let her beat you."
"I'm sorry, sir, and it won't happen again." Dylan couldn't count the number of times he'd said this to his father, but he always seemed to make mistakes that strained his relationship with him.
"I'm sorry, sir, is that all you have to say? You ruined our reputation and lost to the daughter of a prostitute and an addict."
"It won't happen again, sir," Dylan said again, then out of nowhere his father slapped him across the face, causing him to fall to the ground and stare up at his father in fear as he continued to speak.
"Now listen, you bastard, people like that girl need to be put in their place, if you ever lose to that girl again, I will make you wish you were never born," His father said as he walked towards out of the classroom, leaving Dylan crying profusely on the ground.
One year later........
Dylan overheard his stepmother and father arguing about something as he stood behind his father's office door listening in.
"You're cheating on me with that whore, I'm disappointed, you could have done better Jacob, she sleeps with everyone," Dylan's stepmother Amanda yelled as he heard something break, which was followed by silence, and then his father's voice filled the room.
"Stop whining, Amanda; it was a one-time thing; she is neither the first nor the last woman I will sleep with, so get used to it."
"You can fuck anyone else but her, she is trash, what would everyone in town say if they found out Jacob Thompson slept with the town whore Diana Marcos?"
"Are you threatening me, Amanda?"
"What if I am? You could have anyone, so why her?"
"She was available, stop bothering me and go away Amanda, I have work to do."
"This isn't over Jacob, you're going to pay for cheating on me with that whore," Amanda said, then Dylan heard footsteps approaching the door and hid in a corner until she was out of sight.
Amanda, his stepmother, began drinking until she became addicted, and one night while returning from the bar, she was involved in an accident, running into someone and killing them in the process.
Amanda got rid of the evidence with the help of her husband to avoid going to jail for murder and tarnishing their family name, and after everything was over, Mr Thompson sent her to rehab to get better, telling everyone she went on vacation.
Dylan blamed Athena for everything and swore she'd never have peace of mind again; he and his friends tormented her from that day on.
A few years later…….
The living room is dimly lit, with a single lamp casting a soft glow across the room. Amanda stumbles into the room where Dylan was watching a movie, clutching a half-empty bottle of whisky in her hand, clearly intoxicated.
Dylan rushed over to her and took the bottle from her grasp, his face etched with a mix of fear and concern as he watched Amanda's unsteady movements because if his father found out she was drinking again, he would send her away to rehab again, and Dylan didn't want that, so he tossed the bottle of whisky away and carried her up to her bathroom to get her sober under the shower.
"Mother, what's going on? Are you alright? Did dad do something wrong again?" Dylan asked with concern in his tone as he placed her on the shower floor before putting it on, Amanda's eyes fluttering open as the water fell on both of them.
"I'm fine, Jason. Just fine, and yes, your father is the reason I'm drinking," Amanda said as she looked up at Dylan, her eyes filled with sadness and desperation.
"What did he do? Mother" Dylan asked as he pulled her into his chest for comfort with the water still falling on them.
"He slept with my best friend's daughter can you believe it?" Amanda asked, tightening her grip on Dylan, "Why does he always hurt me?"
Dylan knew his father was the biggest asshole on earth, so nothing he did that surprised him anymore.
"This isn't his first time mother, it shouldn't hurt you anymore"
"I know, but it still hurts when he goes after the women I know."
"It'll be okay, mum," Dylan said as he whispered soothing words into her ear as she gradually sobered up.
"There's something I need to tell you and it's related to your father's infidelity, Dylan, because of him I did something awful and it's been too much to bear, and it wasn't even her fault; it was all your father's fault." Dylan's brow furrowed as Amanda rambled on, his curiosity growing stronger.
"What is it, Mum?."
"Years ago, one night, I... I was drunk, Jason." I was driving when I hit someone. Someone I thought was guilty, but she wasn't." Amanda said as tears filled her eyes, her hold on Dylan tightened to the point where it started to hurt
"Who? Who did you hit"
"It was... Athena's mother, Dylan. Her mum. She... she died because of me," Amanda said, trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"You... you killed her? Then what dad told everyone was a lie, that she was killed because she was trying to buy drugs."
"Yes it was, I didn't mean to, Jason! I was so drunk, and I was so angry at her for sleeping with you father but I found out it was a lie. And I've regretted it every single day since then. It's haunted me" Amanda said as her sobs became louder.
"I don't know what to say, mum,"
"I know it was wrong and I'm so sorry, Dylan. "I wish I could take it all back."
"It's okay, mum; everything will be fine; I'll take care of it," Dylan whispered as he comforted his crying mother until she fell asleep. He changed her clothes and put her to bed before returning to his room to process the new information he had just learned.
Dylan continued to torment Athena after that day, despite knowing the truth, because it gave him a sense of control, but did Athena's mother truly die that night, as Amanda claims?