Chapter 1:
Thalia's POV
I sat in the coffee shop, alone in a booth, mentally checking my list of "Things I need for running away." It's not much of a checklist, but this is what I have so far: My backpack, and my bracelet, Aegis. I'm not much of a braceletperson, but Aegis is more than just an accessory. If I tap it, then it expands into a shield, with a fearsome face of some snake woman carved into it.
Why am I running away? It's because of my family. My mom's a famous actress, and I've never met my dad before. Mom always tells me he left when I was really young. And I have a younger brother. But he died when I was three. I don't even remember what he looked like. I only remember his name. Jason.
A few years ago, my mom became a huge alcohol addict. And I mean huge. She became so addicted that some nights she came home from the sets heavily drunk and not able to talk.
That's when I decided that I was running away. No one loved me. If my brother was alive, then maybe I would have had a reason to stay. Or if I knew my dad.
I was lost in my thoughts, when the chime for the door rang, and some boy entered.
I'm used to checking my surroundings before I go somewhere, or scrutinizing the people in that place. I've had horrible encounters with these strange monsters really often, so I stared at the boy carefully.
He was probably my age, ten, or maybe a little older. His sapphire blue eyes scanned the coffee shop, and he had tousled, light blonde hair.
He walked up to the counter where you order, and stood there for a few seconds. A girl waiter asked him, "Would you like to order, young man?"
The boy shook himself out of his trance, and replied, "No. I'm just taking a look at the menu." He pretended to be thoroughly interested in the espresso and fraps. Then, when the waiter turned her back on him, he stole one of the croissants that were on display on the counter. He quickly stuffed it into his pocket and glanced around the shop to see if anyone had caught him. No one had.
Man, I thought. This guy's real good at stealing.
I didn't notice that he was staring straight at me. I looked back at him.
He smiled and came to my booth and sat down across from me.
"Hey, I'm Luke," he introduced. "Want some bread?" He held out the croissant.
I laughed. Somehow, talking to this guy was super easy. "What an interesting way to start a conversation. I'm Thalia by the way."
I was hungry, and I didn't have any money, so I gladly accepted the food.
"Do you steal often?" I asked. Then I noticed the backpack at his side. "Are you running away? Where are going? Do you have any parents?"
"Yes, yes, I don't know, and…" Luke didn't finish.
I took a deep breath. "Let me guess. You have one parent, but don't know your other one. And that one parent you have is utterly crazy?"
Luke's jaw dropped. "How did you know?"
"Cause my life's a lot like yours," I responded, smiling.