Puzzles

Jealousy

I stare at her. Completely stunned. How could they be related? And how come she never told me this.

"You haven't mentioned that before!" I whisper furiously. She rolls her eyes.

"Well I couldn't! Otherwise I would had to explain about all this!"

"Well why didn't you! Then maybe I wouldn't have to be in all this mess!" Janet looks out the window sadly.

"I'm sorry Thalia. I only know you because this organisation sent me to protect you about three years ago when Oreno started gaining power. They only decided to get married a while ago." I feel very upset. Like a part of me is missing. I was never Janet's best friend, she was sent to protect me. She lied about being an orphan, about hating foster parents, about everything. The only reason she loved to stay at our house was to protect me. My whole life is a lie. And my mum. Did she know about this? Probably. Josh? Him too? Where are they anyway? They went missing ages ago.

"Thalia? Are you ok?" Janet's voice drifts back to me. I'm so mad at her. "Thalia? Are you ignoring me?"

"Where's my mum and Josh? I demand. She looks surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"My mum and Josh. They went missing ages ago."

"Oh...I, um. I don't know...if they went out in the storm...I think...um..." I know what she thinks. Tears swell up in my eyes. I look away.

"Thalia, are you ok?" Janet asks. I get up.

"I need to...do something." I say not looking at her. I don't wait for her to reply. I run out the room brushing my eyes on my sleeve.

I don't see where I'm going and I run straight into a tall boy with green eyes that sway like the sea.

"You alright?" He asks. His voice is smooth and calm.

"I'm fine." I say staring at his face. He smiles and his teeth shine like the sun. His has salt and pepper hair and tiny freckles over his nose and under his eyes.

"Asher, nice to meet you." He holds out a hand.

"Thalia," he smiles.

"Hi Thalia. I haven't seen you around here before."

"No, I'm just...visiting." He frowns. "Well I'm kinda the ex-kings daughter." He laughs.

"Oh, right, so you're basically next in line." I nod. He smiles.

"Thalia?" I turn around. Luke is standing behind me, looking bewildered.

"Luke!" He looks Asher up and down. "This is Asher!" I say.

"Hi," Asher says. Luke looks at him coldly.

"Thalia, I've gotta talk to you, if you don't mind Asher."

"Be my guest, bye Thalia!" He walks away. Luke starts to walk the other way.

"Luke! What are you doing? I thought you were going to talk to me."

"Yes, to tell you what's going on, that's what you want isn't it?" He says it with a nasty tone to his voice.

"Why are you mad at me!?" I shout at him. He stops walking and turns around.

"Why don't you take a guess! I'm trying to help you! Everyone is! But you run off to your boyfriend Asher! Why don't you just go back to him?! You obviously think he's better than Janet and me!" He storms off, his face glowing.
"Oh you're such an idiot! Yeah, go away, be selfish like you always are!" I want to say something worse but nothing springs to mind and he is already gone.