If hating life was a sport, Thalia would be Olympic gold.

She'd be on point, perfect, the best. She'd have millions of followers worshipping her every move. Enough money to last seven lifetimes and get paid just for breathing. Her Twitter would erupt and everyone would want to know her. She'd have the guy of her dreams by her side.

Expect hating life wasn't a sport.

Thalia thrust her fist forward. Music blasting loud enough for someone to hear across the gym, but Thalia couldn't here a word.

"Thalia, I uh, I wanted to, um..." his face was nervous, a single red rose in his finger tips. "Uh, sorry, here."

Lies. That was everything. From the moment they met in that park. The sweet charming guy she knew was imaginary. Sometimes Thalia wished she was imaginary.

"Oh, come on Thals!" He laughed tugging her further, "Annabeth can wait a couple minutes!"

Jerk. How could she be so blind? He was playing her. From the start. And look what happened. The Jackass was off loving Zoë Nightshade, and she was here. And Annabeth, little Annabeth...

"Friends are suppose to be there for each other!" She yelled. Fire dancing in her eyes fiercely, guilt swelling in Thalia's throat, Luke's hand tightening around hers. "So who are you?!"

They were Friends. Suppose to be friends. Would be friends, if Luke hadn't kissed her. If Luke hadn't made them late. If Luke hadn't existed. Annabeth wouldn't be scarred, Thalia wouldn't be in pain, if he. Just. Didn't. Exist.

Something touched her shoulder.

Thalia swirled away from the punching bag, mid punch. She threw her weight into the punch before she could stop herself, still caught in the weight of her memories.

"Damnit, Grace!" Clarisse snapped, barely ducking under her thrust.

Thalia ripped off her headphones, the music suddenly becoming clearer from her haze of fury. Clarisse was one of the only girls Thalia could actually stand in this stupid school. A mutual respect that flowed between them.

"Watch were your throwing fists." Clarisse grumbled, "Classes start in ten minutes."

Thalia nodded a thanks, taking a couple deep breaths. She started to unwrap her fists, the schools punching bag still swinging on its chain.

"Why'd you leave her?" Clarisse asked. Her arms crossed as she waited heavily.

"What?"

"Annabeth. Why'd you leave her in the hall with those Plastics?"

Thalia paused in her unwrap. Her minds eyes traveling back in time to see Annabeth cornered behind those make up freaks, their taunts flying in the wind. Annabeth's grey eyes piercing into her.

"She didn't need me," Thalia said coldly, "She made it quite clear we weren't friends anymore."

Clarisse didn't look satisfied with her answer, but she knew better than to push. Thalia wasn't up for it today.

Clarisse turned and left the auxiliary gym, leaving Thalia alone with her thoughts and loud music that echoed off the small gym walls. She tossed that lay of her wraps into her open gym bag. She slumped into the bleachers, feeling the tired exhaustion from her mini workout.

She should probably head to the main gym. She looked around realizing her school bag wasn't with her. She could've sworn she had it earlier. Thalia rolled her shoulders, sighing. She probably left it in her locker.

She groaned and got back to her feet. Thalia tugged off her headphones flicking off her playlist and stashing them in her gym bag. Then finally she actually walked out the door.

The gym hallway was filling with students, none of which Thalia cared to recognized the names of. She headed back to the main hall. She stuck to the lockers watching the other kids walk by.

They shuffled in made up lines, talking and laughing, girls squealing and guys pushing. Thalia thought it all was stupid. They were loud, and pointless, and worst of all...friends.

The guy in front of her stopped at a locker suddenly, causing Thalia to stumble. He regarded her with sad eyes, and mumbled something that was lost in the roar of conversation around them. Thalia assumed it was some type of apology, and nodded back at the Chinese-Canadian kid.

Then she pasted by, walking the last bit until. The hall had cleared a lot. With the impending ringing off the bell, everyone had scurried off to class. Expect for two people.

Who were standing in front of a locker her locker.

And they were the last people she wanted to see right now.

"-tell her!" Zoë Nightshade hissed.

Luke had his back to her, but his shoulders were tensed like he was angry. Thalia knew his left shoulder always hurt after that, like the good girlfriend she had been.

"Not now!" Luke was saying, "I can't let you put her in-"

"Thalia." Zoë straighten making eye contact and cutting off her boyfriend by shouldering through him.

Thalia glared at her, her nails tightening in the seam of her gym bags strap. Anger bubbled below the surface of her emotions waiting to break free, or break Zoë's face...which ever came first.

How could she talk like they were still friends? How could she act like she never did anything wrong when Thalia's ex was standing right behind her.

Then he turned. Oh gods, Thalia almost lost it right there. His eyes were still that dazzling blue, and the scar on his left cheek had faded. His hair was windswept and glistened even indoors I'm the artificial light. He was glaring, at Zoë.

Good, Thalia thought, I hope they're fighting.

"Thals, we need to-" Zoë started.

Thalia stepped back, "Don't talk to me." She said,

"Thalia, please-"

"I said don't talk to me! You lost that right when you kissed my boyfriend and chose him over our friendship." Thalia brushed by both of them, "Get the Hell away from my locker."

"Grace!" Zoë shouted.

Thalia whirled on her, "Don't you dare! Don't you ever say my last name again! Don't talk to me! Don't look at me! I never want to see you again!"

Zoë flinched back like she'd been hit. Her eyes flashed darkly with pain. And she looked at a lost for words. Luke grabbed her arm, gently and confidently.

"Zoë, come on." He said, avoiding Thalia's gaze. He pulled her away and and down the hall to the science rooms. Zoë looked back at her one last time like she couldn't believe Thalia would be mad that she was in a relationship with Thalia's love.

Thalia could have sworn she saw a tear fall down her face.

Thalia turned back to her locker. Spinning in the combination, and taking her school bag out of the locker. She grimaced at the idea, that she would have to see that traitor again in five minutes.

She slammed the locker shut, and headed back to the gym hall. She was so mad at Zoë she barely even noticed Chris, the guy who'd been Annabeth's camera man, coming out of the janitors closet and putting something in his back pack.

She kept waking until she got to the locker rooms.

There was no way for her to know. No way for Thalia to know the truth. No way for her to find out.

No way for her to know that if she had just listened, maybe, maybe, they would still be alive.