CHAPTER ONE

I Board a Subway to Nowhere

The Subway car was crowded, and only two seats remained. I was exhausted, and felt just about ready to pass out. Standing was so not an option at this point. One of the seats was beside an older lady clutching lots of shopping bag, and the other was in the back next to a blond boy, not more than a few years older than me. I chose the boy (obviously).

"Hey Blondie, can I sit here?" I ask. He looks up, surprised. His eyes are blue, I realize. He just sits and looks, for maybe a full 10 seconds. He's shocked, and I know why. He's looking at a girl wearing nothing but black, with black hair cut almost like a boys. The only color on me was my eyes, a bright stormy blue, surrounded by black eyeliner. I was such a punk. "Well?" I ask again, getting annoyed.

"Uh, sure." He finally says, moving his backpack of the seat beside him. I sit down. he flashes me a grin. "And the names Luke."

"Thalia." I reply, giving him a closer look. He needs a shower, I thought. His blond hair was filthy, and looked as if it hadn't been brushed in years. His clothes weren't much better. He had a hole in his jeans, on the right knee, and his backpack was wearing out at the seams and bottom, and was stuffed full. I instantly became curious. " You going somewhere?" I ask.

" That depends, are you going somewhere?" His voice was suddenly steely and protected. Well that answers my question.

"Just..." I hesitated, where was I going? "Away." I finally say, leaning back into my seat, and closing my eyes.

"Oh." Was his only reply.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was gently being shaken awake by Luke.

"Thalia? Thalia?" He hissed. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "We're leaving, come on."

"Why?" I croaked, my voice heavy with sleep. He was starting to really annoy me.

"Just get off your emo butt." He said grumpily, giving me a soft shove.

"I'm not emo." I said, my voice coming out louder than I wanted. Luke glanced around quickly and got up. Then I noticed he was gripping my hand. He pulled me up, and glared at me. What the hell? He's the one that just called me emo!

I don't know why, but I followed him off the subway, and out onto the dark street. We walked in angry silence for awhile, until I took a sharp turn down a side-street, leaving Luke.

"Where are you going?" He asked, sounding confused, worried, and angry all at once. He had paused and stood at the corner, peering towards me.

"Anywhere away from you. I'm not emo!" I yelled harshly. I was tired of being pushed around, by my mother, my teachers, the kids at school, my mom's multiple boyfriends, and now him!

He instantly softened. "I know your not emo. And, well..." He paused, seemingly having a hard time continueing. "I'm sorry, and would really like it if we could stick together for awhile." What was he thinking! Like I was going to stay with him. " We'd both be better off as a team, and it wouldn't be permanant. either of us could leave whenever we wanted." I stopped glaring at my sneakers and looked up at him. He shrugged.

And just like that he won me over. Oh how I hoped I wasn't turning into a big, fat, softie.

"Fine, but I don't need you, got it?" I angrily stomped over to him. Then I gave him my most innocent look and said: "You got a plan?"

Were inside a small shelter constucted of twigs, sticks, logs, and tall grass. It was leaking, letting in cold rainwater. I was huddled in my jacket curled up, and waiting for Luke to come back with food. I was feeling like kicking myself for depending on him. Just then the soft sound of leaves russling filled my ears. And it was not accompanied by the howling wind. Please let that be Luke, please. I begged to whoever was listening, that is if anyone was listening.

I was so relieved when Lukes mud smeared face appeared in the small doorway. "It leaks!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, now where's the food?" I ask impatiently. Luke crawls the rest of the way in, and reaches into his bag. He took out some chocolate bars, 2 bottles of coke, ritz crackers, and a loaf of bread that had a "Jonny's bakery" rapper on it.

"What d'you want?" He asks, taking out a blanket and a new, dry, t-shirt.

"Um, a chocolate bar and a coke." I say as he slips out of his drenched shirt and pulls on the new one. he shoves the food in my direction, then grabs a slice of bred and his coke. Carefully keeping the blanket of the ground, he brings it over to me, and sits down beside me. He drapes the blanket over both of us and starts to eat. I follow his example, slowly munching on my chocolate bar.

"Thanks." I wisper.

"No problem." He murmers, looking down.

I woke up pressed up to Lukes side, lying against him. I sat up, yawning. Luke was still asleep.

Sunlight was filtering in through the holes in our shelter, telling me it was morning. I crawled out after grabbing a change of clothes ( which had luckily stayed dry in my bag). I quickly stripped and pulled on a dry outfit, a black t-shirt that said Heart Breaker, and black skinny jeans.

I had no time to think after I was dressed before Luke came out from the shelter, dragging our bags with him. "And where do you think your going with those?" I ask accusingly.

"You can't honestly think we can stay here. Before long, things will come after us. That is if your like me, which I have a feeling you are." He shot me a quick, almost knowing grin. It made me uncomfortable, and I shifted under his gaze. It wasn't just that he was staring at me, it was just, well, wierd things had always happened to me. I had just blamed it on my wild imagination, but Luke seemed to think...

I snapped out of it. We had to make some sort of plan. "We're not going anywhere without a map, and a plan."

"Where are we going to find a map." Luke said, scrunching up his brow. Then his mischievious expression returned. " Besides, aren't you the one whos going "just... away." ? I took that to mean you didn't really want a plan." God, he could be so goddanmed arrogant!

"And you said I could leave whenever I wanted, and I'm not going anywhere with atleast a plan, and a map would be nice." I said, keeping my voice level and my face straight with only some effort. Sometimes, Luke made me really want to punch him.

Luke sighed, defeated. "I'll get a map for us. Just stay out of the way, okay?"

"Fine by me." I smiled, hands on my hips. I loved getting my way.

A card store. This was apparently what Luke had come up with when I said map and plan, because I was waiting out side a card shop called "With Love" the cheesiest name in history, while Luke "got us what we needed" inside. What was he going to do, buy me a congrats on coming up with a plan I couldn't follow card?

Just then Luke walked calmy out of the store, empty handed. "Hey, Thalia. Why don't we go get something to eat." He said, grabbing my wrist and gently tugging me away from "With Love" . He looked back. "Come one, Mom will be worried if we don't get back soon." What the... My thoughts trailed off as I noticed something strange.

A man inside the store was looking around the floor, he had been in the middle of buying a stuffed elephant and a get well soon card. "Where did I put it? Wheres my wallett?" He cried. Oh shit.

I looked back at Luke, smiling cheesily, " Of course she will." I said, and walked towards the food court, my heart hammering in my chest. Luke was a theif.

"Now where to you wanna go?" Luke asked, glancing my way. We were walking down a busy street, the sunlight fading. Luke held a stolen map.

"Let me see it!" I laughed, grabbing the map from Lukes hands. Looking at all the names and places;I can go anywhere I want... "How about we go to Niagra? I've always wanted to see the falls." I said pointing to the map.

"Sure. Let's leave in the morning though." Luke said slowly, watching, no studying me.

I rolled my eyes at him, and started to look for a place to spend the night.