"I assure you sir. Your daughter will be safe and sound here. No need to worry." The man said, twiddling with his thick black mustache.

I pressed my eye on the keyhole a little harder. There was something off about this guy. I just know it. He was just to... perfect. No. This day has been to perfect. I mean seriously.

First I win a free scholarship to a school that I didn't even apply for. Then how my dad got a new house just off campus. Oh! And the way this guy seemed to have an evil smirk under his mustache. It was just too unbelievable!

Ya see. My dad and I are, well, not as fortunate as others are. We kinda roam around. We'd stay with family, that is. If we had any. Its just me and him now. I never knew my mom. She left us when I was one. My dad stayed though. He loves me so much. And I love him too.

That's why I'm spying on them. To make sure this guy doesn't pull a fast one on us. I may be only 6 in age but I have razor sharp senses.

"Alright. But, if I WERE to need to see my daughter I could right." My father said, a little bit of his southern accent seeping out.

The man nodded. "But we do have a strict no cell phone policy here, I'll have you know."

"Oh?" dad said.

"Yes. Well. You best be off to get yourselves packed and ready for tomorrow." He smiled. My father got out of his chair.

I ran from the door and to the tall potted plant across the hall.

The door opened and my dad stepped out. The door closed and without even looking at me he said, "Ellie. You can come out now." I sighed and slowly came out.

"Sorry Papa. I was just worried for you that's all." I said, feeling embarrassed. He sighed.

"I know sweetie. But you need to stop this spying. One day it won't end well for you." He walked over to me and knelt down. My papa was a very tall man. About 6 feet. Maybe taller. He had salt and pepper hair that was a little shaggy by my standards. But he was still kinda handsome.

I sighed. "You always say that Papa."

"Ah. And I always mean it." He stood and extended his hand to me. "Now why don't we get home?" He said. I shook my head yes and took his hand.

We walked out of the school and to the new house to unpack our stuff from our "travelings".

As I looked at Papa I sighed and whispered under my breath, "This is going to be good for me. For us. Right?"

********* 11 years later *********

"Miss. Collins?" My teacher said, disrupting me from my daydream.

I looked over at him. He was a older man with deep golden brown hair with a scraggly beard to match. He was wearing a blue shirt with a red overcoat. And, as always, I couldn't see his pants because of the blue woolen blanket he wore on his lap. The poor man. Paralyzed from the waist down. Has to wheel that wheelchair around all day. I imagine it must be quite heavy.

He wheeled over to me and rested a tan arm on my desk and looked at me with his brown eyes that seemed to glass over with years of untold stories.

"What Mr. Brunner?" I said. Staring him down. My intensely blue eyes locked on his.

"If you have enough time to daydream about boys and what to wear then perhaps you'd like to share with the class what is the myth of Eris and the Golden Apple is. Hm?"

I sighed. "The Golden Apple of Discord was inscribed "to the fairest" and tossed in the midst of the festivities at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis by the the goddess Eris, thus sparking a vanity-fueled dispute between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite that eventually led to the Trojan War. Thus, the "apple of discord" is used to signify the core, kernel, or crux of an argument, or a small matter that could lead to a bigger dispute." I looked to my class mates then to Mr. Brunner and smiled sweetly. "Right Mr. Brunner."

He smiled at me. "Yes. Good job Miss. Collins." He said. Turned, and went back to his desk. "Now students. I will be needing you to get a parent's signature on this permission slip for the school field trip to the Butler-McCook House & Gardens tomorrow." Most of the class groaned but, of course, my BGF (Best Guy Friend) Grover leans over to me and says, "Oh, I just LOVE gardens." And I just rolled my eyes. Grover was such a green bean. He loved plants and he was as thin as a bean. Thus he's a green bean.

I never call him that but that's what I think of when I think of him. I looked at him and said. "I know you just LOVE gardens. But I might not be able to go." His face slumped into a frown. "Why?"

"My dad's going to go to a doctor's appointment and so I'll need to take care of Shady for the day."

"Is that even allowed?"

"My dad gave them a note and everything about him being my responsibility." I shrugged. "I'll just ask if I can bring her along with me."

Grover looked over at Mr. Brunner. "I think you should ask after class." He said, and I know why. It was because he was talking to Sinthia Todds, or Miss. Prissy-Pants.

She was the most big headed, evil, crude person I've EVER met. I mean her dad's some kind of business mobile king, or something, and has hated me since the moment I walked through the doors of Talcott Mountain Academy.

The bell rang and I walked up to Mr. Brunner and cleared my throat. "Yes?" He said, not looking up at me.

"I have a question about the field trip." I said.

"Oh? And what would that be?" He looked up and took of his reading glasses.

"My father will be getting a check-up at the doctor's and I was wondering if I could take Shady with me on the field trip."

"Hmmm," He looked down and put his hands on his chin. He looked up. "I don't see why not."

I squealed and hugged him. "Thank you Mr. B! You're the best!" I said and ran out of the room and immediately slammed into something and feel to the floor. 'OWWWW!' I thought and rubbed my head. I looked up to see a hand outstretched to me. I took it and stood up. I looked at the face of the person. A boy. He had jet black hair, sea green eyes, and a deeply embedded tan.

He smiled. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt you." He was obviously older than me. Maybe early 20's.

"Are you okay?" he asked, as I let go of his hand.

"Yeah." I said, smiling.

"Oh. I'm Percy, by the way." he said.

"I'm Electra. But all my friends call me Ellie."

"Well, it was nice meeting you Ellie." he walked into the classroom. I watched him close the door.

That's when I decided I should see just what he and Mr. B were doing.

I pressed my ear to the door and listened to their voices.

"So you think she'll be targeted at the garden?" Percy asked.

"I'm almost certain of it." I heard Mr. B say.

"I see. Well, any lead as to who her mother is?"

"No. Not yet."

"Alright. Has Grover gotten any good information? Something we could use?"

"Well. She'll be bringing her dog to gardens, Shady I think she's called."

"Ok. Well I find Grover and see what else he can tell me."

"Alright. You may leave."

At those words I hurried to the nearest pillar in the hallway and thought, 'What do they want with... me?'