The Thief of Hearts

Chapter 1

Thalia's pov.

I sighed in frustration as I tried to figure out what to do next, where to turn for help. The University was a huge place and as a freshman, I had no idea where everything was. Besides where my classes are and my study department, I knew nowhere else.

The first place that I turned to was back inside the library to see if anyone in charge could help me. That proved to be a disappointment, as the old lady at the front desk told me that there was nothing she could do about it.

I then tried the director of the library and was also met with another dismay. The woman looked down pitifully at me as she told me what was, at the moment, quite obvious to me.
"The locker room is not really a safe place dear. We have been trying to fix that problem, but right now it hasn't been resolved."

Ugh!! Woman, tell me something I don't know...

I was beside myself with worry and too many questions were running through my brain all at once. Where do I go now? What do I do now? Would I ever get my stuff back? How can I be so stupid! Why can I never do anything right? What the hell do I tell my mom?

The last one was pretty easy to answer. I would just call her up and say, "Mom, I left my purse in my bag by the library's locker room and it got stolen, now I don't have any house keys and I'm five hundred dollars broke."

No big deal. I could just imagine her smile when I'm done explaining.

She'd literally go nuts on me. She'd be like "Girl are you crazy? What were you thinking? Now how the hell are you going to get inside!" She'd probably eat my head off, and make me feel a lot worse than I already do.

To my mother, I'm not supposed to make these kinds of mistakes. I'm supposed to have my head in the right place. I'm supposed to do everything right or at least how she wants it done. I'm the child that she expects to be perfect like the others can mess up, but not me. 

Drop out of med school, take up stupid hobbies instead of getting a real job, spend money carelessly just because it's yours, come home late at nights without being reprimanded.... Oh, I envy the freedom of my siblings. Why? Because here I am, attending University at the age of eighteen and trying my best not to to make any error, as if I'm some perfect goddess.

I go about my business as if I'm walking on ice, very careful so I don't break it and fall. I have to think hard about my decisions and hope that it is alright with Mommy, so I don't let her down. Trying my best to be the child that she wants me to be. The child that makes no mistakes. Mommy's little girl, who have never disappointed her. But I always end up screwing up.

I went to my study department of media and investigative journalism, with the hope that I might get at least a little encouragement.
I entered the foyer and was greeted by the familiar setup of black plastic chairs and a cozy looking couch with deep maroon cushions. A large notice board was on the wall opposite to the seats and a smaller one beside it with the heading 'Birthday' written at the top.

I smiled for the first time since the disappearance of my stuff. I took in a deep breath and waved at three of my classmates who were sitting idle in the foyer.

"Hi, Thalia." They said in unison and I smiled back at them, not because I was too down to answer, but because I simply forgot their names, or maybe I just didn't know them that well.

I could never remember the names of my classmates, even if I had more than one classes with them and I've seen them multiple times before. Only a few of them would stay in my memory, usually because they remind me of something. Like an Ayden, who I had a major crush on in my first semester and I ended up loosing interest in him after a while. Then there was Ashley, who keeps talking about her hair and skin products. And a Kimmy who was always helpful when I forget something, which was often.

I think it's partly because I never really spend time with them, which is not so good because my Journalism teacher keeps saying that I should take time to interact with my news team. I just can't see myself doing that since I'm a bit antisocial and enjoys my solitude. Im a loner, and I loved it.

My excuse is that being alone gives me time to think better and too much talking is just annoying. Especially if I'm stuck in a group of girls who care more about how they look than how their grades look.

I passed the foyer and went straight to the first office where I knew I would find Mrs Foster, my academic advisor. She was a petite lady with bright blue eyes and a gorgeous smile. An easy going person who gives off the air of confidence and security, the kind that you could tell anything and trust that know one else would know about it.

She greeted me at the door to her office and lead me to a small chair in front of her desk. She sat down on to of the desk and smiled down at me. "What can I do for you today miss Johnson?"

After retelling my horrible story, Mrs Foster cheered me up with a word of encouragement and gave me some cash to get home. She reasured me that the purse will turn up at the lost and found section sooner or later and probably with the keys too since they most definitely won't have any use for it. I mean, I'm almost sure that whoever stole it has no idea where I live so they can't get inside.

But even with all that encouragement, I still wanted my belongings in my possession, and I was determined to get it back.