A/N: Julia here, back to give you Melaina's take on the events! I read "Flipped" and I got this idea. Hercules and Melaina going back and forth telling you the story from their point of view. I like it! These chapters seem a little short for me, y'know? But I'll make up for that later. The star thingies didn't work. D Oh noes! So I put -.- as a flashback indicator. Yay for the flashbacks! I know this the first chapter all over again, but work with me. And the rating is bound to change this chapter. AND IT WAS SO YOUNG!

Disclaimer: I own Melaina and Nikolas alone, but Herc is not mine. Neither is Disney. Darn you, Walt! I still lurve ya though. To the rest of the world, enjoy.

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I remember hearing the news of Hercules saving the world and all of the drama behind it. I would always think to myself "He's just like me. I bet if we knew each other, we'd be real good friends." I didn't know the whole story- no one did. But the pieces we heard were good enough gossip for all the little housewives. Including my mom. All I would ever hear from her is how I should be useful and help out like my five younger brothers did or marry someone like Hercules and be as quiet and self-conscious like my three little sisters. She didn't love me, I knew it. She just barely tolerated me. And behind her back, my siblings made me their punching bag. Yes, even my sisters. I liked my father the best. He never hurt me, never said any unkind words, or did anything that made me hate him. But he left me alone with these people, and he'd never come back to save me. I can remember his smile and his warm arms, but when he abandoned my family, I never forgave him.

Once he disappeared, all the fatherly duties were pushed on me. But mother dearest's favorite, Nikolas, got all of the credit. I did all the work while Nikolas stuffed his face. And when we sold our wares, people complimented Mother and Nikolas on "their" beautiful handiwork, while I was named a lazy bum who should live on the streets if I couldn't contribute to society.

I couldn't take it anymore, so I did live on the streets, far away from my so-called family. I dropped my last name, but everyone still remembered me. I wanted to be free of my mother's cruelty, but living in the same city kept me in her grasp.

Even becoming the lower class didn't change me that much. I still read like crazy, and I continued to do what guys do- including competing against them. And me being myself was my downfall apparently. I remembered the day that I realized that.

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When I entered the spear-throwing contest, I wanted to see how I'd place against the guys. It was open to everyone so I decided to try my luck. I didn't want to win, but I did.

The guys didn't take it as well as I thought they would.

I walked off, thinking nothing of it, when I ran into Nikolas. He had lost to me, and he and his buddies didn't like that. They were the first to start the ring of hate around me.

"Well, looky here. It's Little Miss Brave." Nikolas and his gang started to tease me.

I wouldn't let him think he was going to win. "Well at least I'm not Little Miss Coward, like you."

More people came over once my brother and I began to fight. A huge ring of onlookers surrounded us in less than a minute.

"Look! It's the winner of the contest! The one that made the men look bad..." Nikolas said with an evil hint in his voice.

He slunk back into the crowd and the rest of the men began to attack me. They threw stuff and jeered at me. I begged them to stop so many times, but they wouldn't listen.

I got so mad I started to yell at them. Then Nikolas came back to the front and started speaking to me.

"Why should we stop? You're nothing but a good-for-nothing cheating theif. And today, you made the women look good. Men are superior, didn't you ever learn that?" Nikolas was taunting me with memories of years past. But living on the streets made me quick with the comebacks.

"I'm sorry, sir, I never learned that normal men were supposed to be total and complete jerks twenty-four seven."

Nikolas' temper was rising. "You'll pay for that comment, woman." He came inside the ring with his gang and decided a beating would be good for me. He slapped me across the face, and when I went to punch him, I hit the biggest guy in the group. That didn't make my predicament any better.

Everything after that was blur. I remember getting punched in the eye, being pushed to the ground, and then geting kicked around. I don't know if I did, but I think I cried. But what will forever be etched into my memory is Hercules coming to my aid. He held me for a second and I was afraid I'd melt into a giant puddle in his arms. I had to fight back extending a hand to touch those lucsious pink lips, or that chiseled chin. Or his gorgeous golden brown locks. I restrained my self from touching him, but nothing could stop me from staring at his blue eyes. More like into them. I could feel my self fading in and out of consciousness. I wanted to tell him something in case I didn't see him when I woke up.

"Thank you for not being a normal guy."

And then everything went black.

A strong, yet gentle hand was touching- no, stroking- my forehead once I regained consciousness. I felt it pull away once my eyes opened.

I stared at the ceiling above me, thinking I was in a doctor's home. It was nice to be in a bed again, and not just on a piece of wood. I thought about Hercules for a second. "I wonder if he came to save me out of duty, or because he wanted to. I really hope he wanted to." I said to myself in my head. I gave a long sigh, and turned over on my side.

I closed my eyes and smiled, then opened them to find a toned chest in a tight-looking tunic in front of me. I looked up and saw the one and only Hercules. He was as startled as I was.

Our eyes locked onto each other, and I never wanted to look away. If I could've lied there and stared at the man who I dreamt would be my best friend forever, I would've. But he was terrified of that, but at the same time he wanted something else I was unsure of.

I then realized I was in Hercules' home. In his house. INSIDE HIS HOUSE! I wanted to just talk with him, I wanted to know more about him. But then I remembered what happened not too long before that, and my rep too, and I knew I had to leave. I jumped up out of the bed and looked at him again.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but I have to... I need to..." I was screaming at my self for stumbling on my words. "Dammit, Mela! Spit it out! SPIT THE FRICKING WORDS OUT!" But I couldn't. I didn't want to look stupid. Well, any more stupid than I did now. "Thank you."

I tried to run out the door, but he caught my wrist. "No, please don't go." He pleaded. I looked away and winced. The fear of him wanting me to stay made me pull away. He let go of me instantly.

I stopped to let my mind register what he said. He WANTED me to stay?! I nearly fell over at the thought. But then the thought of the reputation I had, and ohmyzeus the rumors that would go around. I couldn't ruin him because I had nothing to lose.

"I can't stay here. I know my rep as the geek no one ever wants, and I know how the rumors about you, possibly us, would fly around. I'd love to stay and have a nice time, but I really must go. For your sake. Maybe we can meet again soon. I promise we will."

It killed to say goodbye for now, but to make me feel slightly better, I kissed him on the cheek and bolted out the door.

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Sitting under the full moon and staring at his home on the hill from the rooftops made me want to see him again. I wondered what life could be like if I was his friend. I wouldn't ever try to double-time him like that Megara girl did. I'm surprised he didn't kill her, or at least hit her. But he doesn't seem like that kind of guy. I know he's sweet and gentle. I know that just from our encounter a week and a half ago. I had seen him since then, but I never worked up the courage to say hi.

Wait a minute, I had a promise I had to fulfill! But what if I come at the wrong time? What if he's with someone? I shuddered at the thought of me walking in on him.

But maybe, just maybe, nothing unusual will happen. I can talk to him without stuttering or being beaten up. Maybe I had a chance at being best friends with him!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!!! You can't become someone's best friend in thirty seconds! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN YOUR NINETEEN YEAR OLD BRAIN?!?! He's the hero of, oh I dunno, THE UNIVERSE!!! And you're the reject of the reason for overpopulation. What could you two have in common?" My mind was yelling at me, so I decided to yell back.

"Listen here, know-it-all. Did a little curiousity really ever hurt someone? I just wanna know more about him."

"Yeah, but everyone does. Be a friend first, then work your way up."

"Maybe tomorrow. It's kinda late. I wouldn't want to wake him up." I ended the conversation right there.

I was getting tired, and my little alleyway was quite a walk away. I climbed off the roof and started to walk. I looked up at the moon again, but was surprised to find that dark stormclouds had covered it. Then, out of the blue, it began to rain. It started out as a drizzle, then became a steady rain, then turned into a torrential downpour.

I tried finding my alleyway in the dark, but it was completely useless. I would be an idiot if I didn't get inside somewhere, and the only person I knew who might let me in was in the house on top of the hill.

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Another A/N: Ohmyzeus! What is that crazy girl gonna do? I'd thank my reviewers if I had any... WAIT! Thank you to The Getway Car (AKA Michelle) for reading the first chappie. Lurve ya Michelle! And the time is 4:30am EST. Not bad. Press the blurple button to give me happines on a stick!