Daughter of Hermes Chapter One

Chapter One
We meet Mister Ugly


I sighed and stared out of the window. This is New York Institute, a school for problem kids. That’s right, I’m a problem child. I’m diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia and I steal stuff.
Because of that last thing, I’m not really what you call ‘popular’. People don’t trust me, afraid that I’ll steal their stuff.
‘’Miss Furukawa?’’ the math teacher asked irritated. I looked at the board. Please don’t tell me I have to solve that.
It seemed impossible: all the numbers were floating and flew in all directions. Awesome, that dyslexia.
‘’Yes?’’ I asked hesitant.
The teacher raised an eyebrow and pointed at the blackboard.
I stared at the board for a time and tried to make any sense of it. Of course, it only became worse.
‘’Sir, you do know I’ve got dyslexia?’’ I said finally and I sighed.
The teacher hit his eyes to heaven and turned to another student.
‘’Don’t worry, he’s just a jerk.’’
The girl next to me smiled. It was Jackie Cross, my best friend since I’ve enrolled into this school. She was the only one that trusted me and had the same problem as I had: ADHD and dyslexia. She had red hair like fire, but her eyes were grey. It was like all the colours were in her hair.
I nodded and sighed. The bell rang and packed my stuff in relief. Just a few more hours and I would be free for a few weeks! Summer vacation here I come. Away from this pathetic excuse for a school. 
I went outside together with Jackie, to the courtyard to have lunch.
‘’Gosh, I hate Mr. Smith.’’ I said when we were finally there. Jackie smiled.
‘’Who doesn’t?’’
She took a bite from her sandwich, when we heard a loud explosion. We both jumped into the air and Jackie chocked on her sandwich.
‘’You alright?’’ I asked. Jackie nodded.
‘’What was that?’’
I shook my head, as a sign that I didn’t know.
‘’There’s only one way to find out.’’ we both said. We ran towards the school, to see what caused the explosion. In the school we found the biggest and ugliest creature I had ever seen.
‘’Who is that?’’ Jackie asked, stunned.
‘’Actually, the question  is: What is that?’’ I corrected her.
‘’Right. So, who are you, mister Ugly?’’
The giant turned around, and I wished Jackie had never called him ‘Mister Ugly’. The giant looked down at us, murderous, irritated, but also kind of happy.
‘’Ah, I’ve finally found you, young demigods.’’
Jackie and I stared at him. Then we stared at each other.
‘’What?’’ we both asked. ‘’I dunno.’’ we answered, while shrugging.
The giant growled.
‘’Stop joking around, already!’’
‘’We’re not.’’ I rolled my eyes.
‘’So, who are you already?’’ Jackie asked. We really should be going. I looked nervously at the giant. He looked like he would eat us any minute now. I really didn’t like the idea of being his lunch.
The giant grinned and stretched. 
‘’I’m Porphyrion,’’ he said proudly. ‘’King of the-‘’
‘’Giants.’’ Jackie finished. She looked really pallid now, like she wasn’t afraid of him before.
‘’But, aren’t you like, supposed to be a myth?’’
Porphyrion looked annoyed at me.
‘’No, you dumb child. You’re looking at me right now, and you’re calling me a myth?’’
I took a step back. He didn’t like it.
‘’So, um… Are you going to kill me now?’’
Porphyrion laughed.
‘’That’s why you’re here, aren’t you?’’ Jackie whispered. ‘’To kill us.’’
I look stunned at her. How did she now?
Porphyrion smiled, a really creepy smile. Gosh, it gave me goose bumps
‘’You’re smart. Too bad I have to kill you.’’
That’s when I knew we had to run. I pulled Jackie with me, who looked like a statue.
Porphyrion followed us, while throwing swords, morning stars and other weapons at us.
Where did he get all that stuff? I looked behind me quickly. He took it from his hair, like what the hell.
‘’Say, what do you know about him, Jackie?’’ I asked her, while I dodged an arrow.
She looked to surprised to answer though.
‘’Jackie!’’ I yelled.
‘’A goat?’’ she yelled in surprise. I looked at her in disbelieve.
‘’No, I’m pretty sure Porphyrion isn’t a goat.’’
I turned around to check. Nope, I’m pretty sure he’s not a goat.
‘’No, look!’’ Jackie yelled, while we dived to the ground to dodge a wind of arrows.
‘’I’ll get you, eventually , demigods!’’ Porphyrion screamed.
I looked to where Jackie pointed, while we got up. It was a frickin’ goat. Okay, maybe not. He was half man.
‘’Um, Jackie? I know you’re smart and all, but I’m pretty sure that’s a satyr.’’ I said.
‘’Right.’’ she mumbled. We run farther, towards the satyr. Sure, I didn’t know the goat- um sorry, guy - but satyrs are supposed to be good, right?
‘’Stand behind me!’’ the satyr yelled. He held a stick, yeah, now I felt safe. Ah well, he had a stick, I had nothing. So I just did what he said.
‘’Um, who are you?’’
‘’Grover Underwood, Protector.’’ he said, right before he charged.
He threw the stick at the giant’s head. The giant pulled a face
‘’Who threw that?’’ he yelled. Then he saw Grover, and he growled.
‘’Stupid satyr.’’ he mumbled. He prepared to charge, but for some reason he stopped. When he turned around, there was an arrow sticking out of his back.
‘’Thalia!’’ Grover cried in relief.
There was a girl standing on the roof of the NY Institute. I guessed that was Thalia. It just didn’t make sense how she got up there. The roof was almost as tall as Porphyrion, and that was like six meters tall. Ah well, who cared.
‘’Thalia, we can’t defeat him! Come down here!” Grover yelled. What were they doing here, actually?
Jackie looked at me, probably wondering the same thing.
‘’You go ahead, take them to the van!’’ Thalia yelled back, while she dodged an arrow.
Grover hesitated, but beckoned us and rand towards the road.
‘Is it really a good idea to skip school?’’ Jackie mumbled. ‘’God, I’m going to be kicked out of school, again.’’
‘’Well, let’s get kicked out of school together, then.’’ I said. Jackie smiled.
‘’If you two don’t hurry up, you’ll never have to go to school again, because you’re dead.’’ Grover yelled, who was already in the van.
‘’Easy for you to say, we don’t have goat legs.’’ I yelled back. Jackie grinned.
‘’Maybe it’s a good idea to be nice to the satyr.’’ she said. But Grover didn’t look mad, he watched us running to the van, and looked like he was used to comments like that.
I pulled the door open and we dived inside. 
Grover opened the window.
‘’Thalia, hurry up!’’
As he said that, something landed on the roof. The girl called Thalia climbed in the van through the window.
‘’Hi,’’ she said, smiling to us. ‘’We should hurry up, Grover. Let’s get to camp as fast as possible, ‘cause Porphyrion isn’t in a good mood.’’
Grover nodded  and he stepped on the pedal. The van left in a high speed, and I had the feeling my face was being pulled off. 
‘’Um, you do know you’re gonna lose your licence like this, you know.’’ Jackie said.
Grover turned around. Please look at the road!
‘’Who said I have a licence?’’ he asked, and he turned back. Jackie and I looked at each other. I knew we both thought the same thing: Oh God...