TimeNovelALEX
Her eyes snap to me, and | swear my soul leaves my body for a second.
"I mean, I'm...just asking! For context! Pain-level identification!" | rush to explain.
She glares.
| press my lips into a thin line.
Without saying another word.
At the red light, | quickly pull up my phone and search for the nearest convenience store. Thankfully, there's one
less than five minutes away.
| park the car a little too hard in my rush.
Athena doesn't move. She's hunched over in pain, with sweat still clinging to her temples like she just ran a
marathon.
| glance at her, completely useless, then | turn to her and whisper, "Baby, stay here.......ahh....I'll get what you
need."
She doesn't fighton this or the pet n| just called her.
That's how | know it's bad.
| grab my wallet and rush out. But as | step out of the car and head toward the store, a terrifying thought strikes
me,
What do | even get?
| freeze on the sidewalk like an idiot, then pull out my phone again and start typing:
[ What do women need when they're in pain from the thing... the monthly thing... bleeding but not dying?]
But autocorrect turns it into [What do women need when they're in pain from the thing monthly bleating not
dying]
What?
| growl under my breath and try again, slower this time:
[What do you buy for period cramps?]
A whole list pops up, pads, tampons, chocolate, painkillers, heating pads, herbal tea, dark chocolate again,
midol,
I'm a grown man who has done so much, and yet this this is the most stressful mission of my life.
I'm terrified of disappointing Athena or worse, making her angrier.
| push open the glass door to the store, and it chimes.
I'm fucking nervous right now. | saw that pads have different types. What if | get
the ones she hates and it makes her even more mad.
| sigh as | step inside the store.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe cashier is a girl. Maybe nineteen. Possibly fifteen.
She looks up from her phone.
"Hi! Welcome!"
Oh God!
"Hey," | say, my voice cracking like I'm fifteen again.
| stand awkwardly in the middle of the entrance, not moving.
She blinks. "Do you... need help with something?"
Yes. So much help. But | can't say it. | physically cannot make my mouth say the word.
| feel like I'm carrying a deep secret. Is it even allowed to talk about it?
Fuck! I'm so clueless.
| should have paid more attention to Sloane growing up.
"l...uh... so..." | scratch the back of my neck. "Let's say... theoretically, someone
is experiencing... intense abdominal... rage."
She blinks again. "What?"
| clear my throat. "You know. Like... woman pain. In the lower region." |
demonstrate, "and has a very angry uterus situation."
Now she's looking atlike I'm about to propose an alien autopsy.
"Ohhh," she says slowly.
"You mean period cramps?"
I wince.
"Could you maybe not say it so loud?"
She stares.
"You're in a convenience store. Not the CIA Besides, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Periods are very normal. It's
actually sweet seeing a man do this." s
| lean back, a smile tugging at my lips.
"Are you serious?"
"You have no clue about women do you?"
| scoff. "You're twelve. | obviously know more than you do."
She laughs at that.
"I'm 21. And I'll help you. Because you do look like a lost puppy."
| throw her a glare but she only laughs harder makingsmile.
Seeing how she Is remindsof Sloane. God | miss her so much.
"Can you help me? Like putting together a cute basket? I'll pay for whatever. Just make sure it says, "I'm here for
you.""?
She's openly laughing now. "You wantto add a sticky note that says that, or...?"
| glare. "Just the basket. Please."
"Got it!"
| don't know what promptsbut | find myself asking,
"Are you at school?"
She looks up from the ribbon she's making as fast as she can.
"No. I'm still trying to raise my college tuition F*e."
"What do you want to study?"
"Medicine."
| rarely conversate with people. Our foundation has so many people we help but
they're all picked by mum. So it shockswhen | say,
"Call this line. They will get you in
school. Maybe one day you can
meet
incred net
she is an
Van teach you a
doctor and
things.
s
few
"Oh my God! Are you..." She gasps as she reads the non the card. "No one
will ever believe | met you." She says and | laugh.
That is true.
I walk back out five minutes later,
my arms full of emergency
chocolate, a heating patch,
painkillers, and what | think are the
Fight t feminine products she boxed.
for me.
s
Athena lifts her head slowly when | get back into the car. She eyes the loot in my
lap.
Her lip twitches. "You went to war?"
"Nope. Just had a chat with someone you'll love."
She laughs.
"You and chatting can't be in the ssentence."
I said that too!
"Do you need to change or..."
She shakes her head, "No, | just get cramps ahead of time." She sits up and takes
the pain killers before grabbing a bar of chocolate.
I bite the inside of cheek as | wait for her to tellhow it tastes.
Did | mention how nervous | am?
A moan leaves her mouth after she takes another bite,
"Hmmmm...These are so good, how'd you know which ones to pick?" She faces
| never knew doing stuff for someone love felt this fucking good!
"I bet you did a whole lot of period shopping for Leah huh?" Her tone is bitter
makinggroan internally.
"Athena, | did this for the first time. Baby, we both know that. You're the only woman I've ever felt this crazy
about.
| mean, I'm not complaining, | love taking care of you. So please don't misunderstand me, besides, there is a girl
in there who helped me."
Her lips press together.
"We are going to be late. Aren't you driving?"
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