Revised first chapter.
NEELY
Nighttime came quickly and I was late for arriving back home, if you could call it a home. It wasn't even a home, just a boarding house for kids, like me, who parents are gone, or social serves took them away. Hopefully you knew I was talking about an orphanage.
I started to kick a black rock, watching it bounce ahead of me. A sudden wind blew through, making me cold to the bone. All I had on was my usual outfit of a black, long-sleeved shirt, a pale, sleeveless denim vest, black denim skirt, and dark blue and white sneakers. Some people say I wear too much black, but they don't know why. Plus, why would they care? They aren't my friends anyways.
When I arrived at the dumb prison, whoops, sorry, boarding house orphanage, the head manager was waiting for me. Her bird like eyes was already narrowing at me when I walked in. Some people in the orphanage Said she was part bird.
"Neely Night," she said kindly, though it I could tell it was forced. "Where have you been? It is almost eight-thirty at night. You should have been here by six, coming straight back from school after roller hockey practice."
"Lost track of time Mrs. Brooke," I grumbled.
"Miss Night," Mrs. Brooke told me. "This is your third offence. The next one might result in moving you to our other orphanage. Please try harder."
"No promises," I whispered.
Mrs. Brooke let out a heavy sigh. "Lights out is at nine. Head up to your room and please behave." With that she went up to her office, leaving me to head up the staircase to the second floor. The boy dorms were on the first floor while the girls were on the second floor. The third floor was where the gym, library, and game room were located. I opened my dorm room to show my roommate Lilly Ann Dimes in front of the mirror. Her name may sound like unicorns and rainbows, but she is one of the biggest bullies here.
"Well, well," she sneered. "It's little Miss Goth."
"I'm not goth Lilly Ann," I snapped.
"You sure? I mean, you always wear black."
"My vest is light blue."
"Don't get technical." With that, she returned to her second friend, removing the pounds of makeup off her face. I sighed in disgust. Grabbing my red cameo pajama pants and red tee-shirt, I went to the bathroom I had to share with Lilly Ann. I don't know why many people my age say I am Goth. It's not like I truly wore black everyday. I mostly either wore black or dark blue so it couldn't be from that. Maybe it could be from me having midnight black hair. I shook my head in disbelief before putting my pajamas on, remembering how my older brother and I wore pajamas exactly like this before the accident happened. I scolded myself for remembering the past. Remembering turned to sadness and I rather not remember that night.
After brushing my teeth and hair, I exited the bathroom seeing Lily Ann lying on her bed. Ignoring the smirk/glare she was giving me, I headed over to one of the few windows in our dorm. Opening it up, I climbed out to stand on the fire escape, welcoming the cold nighttime air. I sighed, sitting down with my back facing the wall. I often come out here when I needed time to think about my past and my life now.
Many people would consider me as a loner, though I two best friends. The best part is that they both live here and they are on the roller hockey team with me. It is more like a club but we do play other schools. Plus it is co-ed so that makes it more fun and challenging. I remember how my older brother Jake and I would play roller hockey in the drive way with his friends.
Stop it Neely! I scold myself. It has been four years since-
My train of thought stops when I heard a sudden bump! I looked around seeing nothing expect a shift in the shadows. Weird.
"Just your brain playing tricks on you," I whispered to myself. Standing up, I reopened the window, heading back into the dorm. Lilly Ann was flipping through a Tiger Beat magazine while I just lay in my bed, turned off the light, and tried to fall asleep. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamt of the last day with my dad and brother.
3rd PERSON POV
A fourteen year old boy stood on the fire escape staring into the window. He was close to being seen when he shadow traveled here. The boy thought he was lucky since he mostly wears black jeans and a black, skull tee-shirt with his aviator jacket and his Stygian sword by his side. He saw a light being turned off, then be briefly turned back on, a pillow being thrown, and the light being turned back off.
The boy was convinced he found the demigod. Pulling out a dark black Iris-messaging phone his father Hades gave him, he called one of the other counselors who were looking for the new demigod somewhere in Ohio.
"Percy," the boy said, when his Iris message went through. "Get the others to Brooke Wells Orphanage. I think I found the new demigod."
Percy looked at the boy in disbelief. "Are you sure Nico? I mean the last time you called me saying you found the demigod we are looking for, it was really a camper already at camp visiting her mortal family."
"But this time I am for sure!" Nico protested.
"Whatever you say Nico."
"Just get out here as soon as possible," Nico told him before cutting off the connection.