Chapter 1: The Encounter

It was a cool evening in the big Great Lake City, the summer had just begun and the city was bustling with people of many kinds. Families with children at playgrounds, couples having romantic dinners at fancy restaurants, and young kids and teenagers hanging out and having fun. Young Ronnie Anne Santiago was currently on a subway heading back to her home after seeing a movie with her good friend Sid Chang. They spent most of the ride laughing and joking about how corny the movie was. They had seen an action movie that was very mediocre.

"That part when he punched the guy so hard he puked on him." Sid said through giggles.

"Yeah I swear I almost spit out my drink in laughter when that happened." Ronnie Anne chuckled

Eventually, the conversation ended and both chose to relax and look at their phones. Ronnie Anne was scrolling through her contacts, seeing a few of her city friends, her brother Bobby, and a few other friends from Royal Woods that she texted occasionally. Her hands stopped as she got to the L section. Looking at the name just put sadness in her heart.

It had been a few months and Lincoln still had not contacted her. She thought back to how far their relationship had progressed. It had gone from her bullying him due to having a crush on him, to him kissing her and giving him a black eye, which then led to that "that" event at the buffet. Ronnie Anne blushed just thinking about it. Even when she moved to the city, they stayed in touch through video chat and visits.

But it all stopped suddenly, no more texts, no more video calls, and no more visits. When she tried to find out what happened, she was told by Lori, who was one of Lincoln's many sisters that he was currently at a boarding school and wasn't allowed a phone. She accepted the answer but always had a feeling of uncertainty in the back of her head and it got even bigger now that it was summer.

"Wouldn't Lame-O be back by now, I mean it's summer." She thought to herself. She made a mental note to ask Lori if Lincoln was back yet.

As the subway slowed to a stop and the announcer stated the destination, the two girls stood up and got out of the subway and joined the many other people walking around the subway station. As the two 12 years old started walking towards the stairs that lead out of the station. A voice caught the young Hispanic girl's ear that caused her to stop in place.

"Starman waiting in the sky"

"Ronnie Anne what's wrong" asked Sid, seeing her friend standing still.

"He'd like to come and meet us"

Not saying a single word, Ronnie Anne followed the sound of the boy's voice, "No it can't be him", she thought to herself.

"But he thinks he'd blow our minds"

As she reached the source of the voice, she came to what looked to be a homeless boy that was about her age. He had a blanket spread out on the dirty subway floor and had a guitar in his hands with a backpack to his side. There was a sign in front of him that read Homeless, hungry, and tired please help with a bucket that had a few dollars inside. He wore a gray zip up hoodie and dirty jeans that were too long for him. He was facing downward as he was looking down at the guitar and was wearing a black beanie covering his hair. As Sid caught up, she looked at what her friend was looking at.

She whispered into Ronnie Annes ear, "Should we call someone, I feel like someone our age shouldn't be on the street. They should be with a family or an orphanage. Though I must say he plays guitar and sings David Bowie really well".

However, Sid's words fell on deaf ears as Ronnie Anne was only focused on the boy in front of her. "This can't be Lincoln" She thought to herself, "He would be back home in Royal Woods, not homeless in the city".

As the boy finished the song, passers clapped and a few dropped dollars in the bucket. Ronnie Anne decided this was her time to confront this boy, she needed to know if it was him.

He was still looking down at his guitar, muttering thank you to those that passed and dropped money. Ronnie Anne got close to the boy to the point where her shoes were touching the blanket.

"L-Lincoln" she stuttered out

The boy lifted his head up and Ronnie Anne starred in absolute shock, it was Lincoln, but not the Lincoln she knew. His hair was much longer with some of it poking out of the beanie in front of his forehead, he looked like he hadn't had a goodnight sleep in days, and had small cuts on his cheeks.

The white haired boy stared back at the hispanic girl with wide eyes, and without saying a single word. He grabbed the backpack and sprinted past her.

"WAIT LINCOLN," she yelled as she ran to catch up to him with Sid closely behind her. Sid had grabbed the guitar, as she felt it held some importance to this puzzle.

The 3 children sprinted through the crowds of people at the station with people yelling "Watch It". They ran up the stairs and onto the main streets.

"LINCOLN, I JUST WANT TO TALK" Ronnie Anne screamed as they ran along the road.

The white haired boy turned to look at his friend before suddenly

SMACK

Lincoln hit face first into a pole, falling down with his backpack saving the fall for him. The Latino girl sprinted up to her friend and immediately felt for a pulse, she breathed a sigh of relief as she felt it.

Lincoln Loud was alive

But out cold