Not a Hero

chapter one

𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆.

Usually, Hale would avoid them, making up all sorts of illnesses and life-threatening diseases just so she wouldn't have to attend but circumstances have changed since Hale was sent to Wilderness School. Now she looked forward to them as they were her only hope of escaping the horrid place. 

Hale had been attending Wilderness School for the last five months, just a week after her brother's death. It was a boarding school meant for educating delinquents and rather unfortunately for Hale, that was exactly what she was. A delinquent as well as a thief and a perpetual runaway. Everyone on this bus fitted in at least one of those three categories. 

Hale might just be the worst of them all. Even though she had only been at the school for five months, not even half a year, she had already earned herself a reputation for terrorizing other students. Most of the students had now made a habit of avoiding her. Not all of them though. 

Because Hale, while she had a terrible temperament, was very unbelievably pretty. Her hair was a sandy color, like the beaches at Santa Monica, and fell just a little past her shoulders. She was tall with sunkissed skin and the prettiest blue eyes, the same color as the summer sky. There were many people who were able to overlook her not so perfect personality in favor of her looks. 

Still, none of them would dare to sit beside her on the bus. Or so she thought but when her pretty blue eyes fluttered open and she woke from her hour long nap, she saw someone sitting beside her. A boy. He was leaning against the glass, sleeping peacefully. 

He was handsome, Hale noticed, ruggedly handsome. He had cropped blonde hair, tousled from his sleep, and long eyelashes framing his shut eyes. There was a small scar on upper lip, probably a failed attempt at a lip piercing, which suited him incredibly. His features were all so... regal. He looked like a prince. He was tall too and if he stood up, he would probably tower over her. 

And Hale had no idea who he was. She hadn't ever seen him before. Unless he was a new student, which Hale seriously doubted, he shouldn't be here. It was then, as she puzzled over who it was that sat next to her, that he finally woke up. 

His eyes were startling. An electric blue color. Hale hadn't ever seen anyone with eyes like that. Except for one person. Her name was - "Who are you?" 

She raised her eyebrows, amused. "I think you just stole my question." She leaned back in her seat, casual as ever. "Well? Are you going to answer?"

"Stop bothering Jason," called out a voice from behind them. Hale turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was a girl. Hale had seen her around a few times before - she'd always been glaring at her. Hale knew many people that were intimidated by her, there were so very many of them, but she wasn't different. It wasn't fear in her eyes but pure hatred. 

She had chocolate brown hair, cut choppy and uneven, with thin strands braided down the side. Hale was sure she did it herself or it wouldn't look quite as DIY. Her kaleidoscope eyes, shining with loathing, seemed to be constantly changing color. Even though she had no make-up on and looked like she put no effort at all into her appearance, she still looked pretty. 

She was also a demigod. Hale wasn't certain, she hadn't exhibited a lot of the traits, but Hale trusted her instincts and her instincts told her that this girl - what was her name, again? - was no normal human. 

"Jason?" repeated Hale. She jabbed her thumb at the blonde boy beside her. "Is that him?" She didn't say anything and just looked at Hale, like she was some sort of idiot. 

"Yep," said a voice from beside the brunette, "that's Jason. He's our friend." 

It was a boy this time. Hale recognized him easily, having coming across him many times when waiting outside the principal's office. Her most recent memory of him was from a few minutes before they boarded the bus when he had been flirting shamelessly with her. She had rejected him, quite brutally at that, but he didn't seem too affected by it considering how he was talking to her now.