Thalia De Luca ✔️ (published)

Prologue

Thalia De Luca
fifteen years ago

"Surprise!" My parents and Alexander says as they smile at us with open arms.

A smile falls on my lips as I take in what's behind them and around Alexander and me.

A farm.

Mommy and daddy got me a farm.

I run to mommy and wrap my arms around her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love it so much." Mommy hugs me back and I can feel her smile as she puts her cheek against mine.

I let go of her and go to hug daddy. "I hope you like it la mia principessa." He whispers in my ear before kissing my forehead.

I let go of him and smile so hard my teeth almost fall. "I love it so much. Alexander and I are going to have so much fun." I said before looking at Alexander who has a small smile that threatened to fall on his lips.

I know he is happy.

He is just a boy and boys don't like to smile.

I one time asked mommy why boys don't like smiling and she just told me that boys are stupid.

Alexander isn't stupid though.

He's so smart and cool.

I wish I could be as cool as him.

Alexander is my best friend, other than Jane but she doesn't even talk that much yet but I know we will be best friends too.

"Alexander! Let's go play!" I said as I run towards him and wrap my arms around his stomach.

"Yeah, kids. Go play. Check out all of the animals." Emma, Leo's mom said as she smiled down at us.

I let go of Alexander and jump up and down before running towards where the horses are.

Horses are my favorite animal.

They are so pretty.

"What's your favorite animal, Alexander?' I looked at him and he looks away from the horses to look down at me.

At six years old, Alexander is tall.

He is almost as tall as the kids in our school.

But it's a good thing he is tall because then he can beat people up who are mean to me.

Last week Kevin, a mean kid who is in Alexander's grade, pushed me off the swing. Before I could even say something to him and push him back, Alexander pushed him to the ground and slapped him on the face.

I like seeing him fight. I smiled when I saw Alexander do that for me.

That's why he is my favorite person in the world. I love mommy and daddy but I also love Alexander.

Sometimes he is mean but he always says sorry when he is mean.

"I like whatever you like." He says and I feel myself smile again.

"Let's ride one of the horses, Alexander!" I said before running towards the stables.

Alexander followed me, running almost as fast as me. I laugh as we race to whoever could get to the stables first.

"Beat ya!" Alexander yelled once he touches the stables that held a horse.

I rest my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. "Not . . . fair." Alexander breathed in and out as he smiled at me. By the time we are done catching our breaths, we both start walking down the barn to look at the horses. I see a pretty black one which makes me smile again and walk closer to it. "Look at this one Alexander. He is so pretty." I look at Alexander and see him looking at me with a smile on his face.

I smile back at him and look up at the horse. I reach out to touch his head that was hanging out of the stable but because I touch his nose, a hand grabs mine and turns me around to make me face a man with a dark skin tone and white hair on his face.

"Don't be touching things that will hurt you, little bit." He said and I feel my heart race as I try to get my hand out of his grip.

"Hey let go of her," Alexander said as he grabbed my hand and took my wrist out of the man's hold.

The man stands straight and he looks like a giant as he towers over us.

The man was about to say something but then I hear daddy yell my name making me turn my head and see him at the entrance of the stables.

"Daddy!" I yell as I run towards him. "He tried to take me away. Say "Saluta da parte mia satana" to him and make him light up!"

Daddy starts laughing and shakes his head as he kneels so he is the same height as me. "Baby he isn't trying to hurt you. he is just making sure you won't get hurt with the horses. They can be dangerous la mia principessa." Daddy said as he moved the hair out of my face. He then looked up at the man behind us. "Did something happen?"

"Thalia tired to touch Nyx. He is the new horse I told you about. The one that has issues."

My dad nods his head and looks back at me. "The horse you were about to touch is dangerous. It's good you didn't touch him."

"But I want to ride one."

"Okay. You can ride one. Just one that fits your size, Thalia." Daddy stands up and grabs my hand and Alexander's, who was next to me. "Let's go find a good horse for you guys to ride and then you can explore the rest of the land okay?"

Alexander ended up getting a white horse and I asked daddy if I could get a black one so he gave me a black one.

I wanted to ride the bigger black ones but daddy says it was too dangerous.

As Alexander and I rode the horse, mommy held my hand while taking pictures. Daddy and Alexander's dad, Leo was walking behind us while Emma and mommy were next to us. I wanted mommy to ride with me but daddy said she couldn't because she was holding my baby brother in her stomach.

Alexander wanted to go faster on the horse but the guy from the stables, whose name is Luca, told him to not go fast since this was his first time riding the horse.

After Alexander and I were done riding the horses, mommy and daddy told us to go look around the farm some more.

When Alexander and I walked past the chicken pen, I started walking a little faster than him because I hate chickens. He laughed but didn't tease me. Instead, he made us go the opposite way so I wouldn't be scared.

That's one of the things I love most about him, he always looks out for me and makes sure I am okay.

Now, Alexander and I are sitting on the grass where there are small flowers around us.

"What do you want to do when you are bigger? Like as an adult like our mom's and dad's?" I asked Alexander and he looked at me as he picked the grass.

He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. I kind of like what they do."

"How they make people turn red?" Alexander laughs and nods his head. "It's so weird that we are getting older. You're already six!"

"I'm happy we share a birthday," Alexander says and I see him pick a flower from the grass. He turns his head to look at me and he extends his hand to mine and offers me the flower. "Happy birthday Thalia. I love you."

I smile and my face feels like it's on fire. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I take the flower from him and wrap my arms around his head to hug him. "I love you too Alexander."

Alexander and I hug for what feels like forever but then I hear daddy calling my name making me release Alexander and stand up. I see daddy who is waving at me from down the small hill Alexander and I were sitting on.

I look at Alexander. "I have to go. Are you coming?"

"I will go in a little bit," Alexander says and he smiles at me.

"Okay. I'll see you later." I give him one last smile before running down the hill.

I look at the flower Alexander gave me and put then look back up at my dad as I put the flower in my back pocket.

I'll keep it forever.