The New Thalia

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

4 years ago

Kiss me

"Hi, Danny," I say excitedly as I walk up the hill to his house.

"Hey, babe," he tells back.

I reach the top of the hill. Danny faces his house and slings his left arm over my shoulders. "You're looking good, Thalia. Like, real good."

"Oh, uh, thanks!" I tuck my hair behind my ears nervously. He calls me babe, puts his arm around me, and says I look good? That has got to mean he likes me!

Danny walks up the stairs behind me to his front door.

A small gasp escapes my lips when I see the entry way. I look around at the large, spacious room with and the quartz floor and egg shell blue walls.

"Welcome to my house." Danny spreads his arms and walks off to a door way that has no door.

"Wow, Danny. Your place is really nice!"

"Yeah, I know. You coming, cutie?" He disappeared into the next room.

"Oh! Of course." I hurry and follow his voice.

"So, you wanna watch a movie?" Danny leads me in to a movie theater like room. The walls are covered in velvet. No windows, but dim lights on the walls make shadows appear behind the two rows of leather couches in the middle of the room facing the large projector screen.

"Woah, okay." I whisper.

"Sit right down, baby doll. Make yourself at home."

I carefully sit down in the front row of couches. Danny crashes down next to me with a Xbox controller in hand.

"Whadda wanna watch?" He reaches his foot and latches on to the underside of the coffee table and pulls it nearer then props both feet up on it.

"Umm anything, I guess." I continue to look around at the home theater.

"Okay." He turns on the Xbox controller and opens up Netflix. As he scrolls through the movies, I watch his muscular forearms twitch with the motions his thumbs were making. "How about this?"

I look up. "Safe Haven? I didn't know you were the type of guy to watch chick flicks."

Danny laughs. "Well, Thal, you've got a lot to learn about me," he says as he presses play on the movie. Then he tosses the controller on the floor and leans back, draping his right arm around my shoulders.

I tense up a bit. Relax, Thalia. It's not like he'll kill you. My muscles release and I snuggle into Danny's warm body.

-----

"I'll walk you out," Danny says after the movie finished.

Aww, what a gentleman!

"Okay, thanks."

We walk down the front steps and into the street.

"Hey, wait." Danny grabs on to my hand and spins me around to face him.

"Woah, uh hi." I giggle.

"I'm just gonna kiss you now, okay?" He quietly says, slowly tilting his head towards mine.

"Okay," I whisper.

His lips crash in to mine and slowly pull on them. I feel his arms wrap around my waist and pull me closer to his body. Then his tongue slips into my mouth and starts exploring.

Holy shit, this is going really fast. Should I stop? Hell no! I've been waiting for this, forever!

I let my tongue meet his.

Then I realize something. I'm making out with the most popular football player at my school.

I try to ignore my thoughts but they just keep coming. I pull away.

"What's wrong, baby?" Danny grins down at me.

"Why now?" I ask.

"What? Come on. Don't do this, not now." Danny stops smiling.

"Why though?" I ask again.

"Come on, it's just a kiss." He leans in again.

"But why? Why are you kissing me?"

"Why the hell do you think I'm kissing you?" I can tell he's not in the mood anymore.

"Because you like me?"

"Uh no. I made a bet. Do you honestly think I could like you? A poor girl who always asks too many questions and is at the top of her class?" We break apart.

"What?"

"There's nothing confusing about it! I made a bet. And now I'm getting my money." Danny points over my shoulder.

I turn around and see Eric and Max walking towards us. Max pulls out a wad of bills from his pocket.

"Hey man. I guess I was wrong. I guess you can trick a little nerd girl." Max shouts.

I feel my eyes welling up with tears.

"You're an ass." I whisper-shout at Danny.

"I know, baby doll." He grins and walks towards his buddies, leaving me standing there.

I watch them laugh and Max had Danny the stack of folded bills.

"You're all asses," I say under my breath.

I turn and walk down the hill. Then I start running.

How could I fall for this?! I'm a smart girl, how could I be blinded by this jackass?

I keep running, not feeling the tears flowing down my face. I see the bus stop ahead and run towards it.

I feel nothing. Nothing as I run towards the bus stop. Nothing as I run across the street. Nothing as I notice the car.

Then my world fills with pain as the car slams into me.

Nothing again, when I hit the pavement.