prologue

(khalid - young dumb & broke)

"Come on, Thena! Get your ass out of the house and come have fun with us!" One of my older brothers, Pollo, hollered from our backyard. He and my other brothers were having a snow ball fight in the back garden while I sat in the kitchen eating a delicious turkey sandwich. I honestly loved messing around with them however I couldn't keep up with the rough playing that came with their recklessness.

"Can't!" I let out a muffled yell, mouth still filled with bread.

"Why not?" Ares, the oldest of the four horsemen, yelled back. I could already imagine him pouting as he whined. He was the only one out of us five siblings that was already in college but it seemed like he was the family's baby. Ares was the epitome of the phrase 'child at heart'. I didn't respond and just continued on my journey towards euphoria.

After a few minutes of silence, I started to wonder what happened to the idiots and how they managed to keep their voices down for once in their lives. I parted the curtains on the kitchen sink windows and prepared to see dead halfwits covered in blood but to my surprise, I was only met with the calm scenery of light white flakes slowly falling on snow covered grass. I pushed the windows open and thrust my head out, glancing at the farther side of the backyard to hopefully spot my anomalously quiet brothers battling near the old slide. When I failed to find them, I tried to pull my head back but before I could, I noticed my brothers and my best friend (not really surprised that he was with them) huddled underneath the window, each of their hands grasping balls of snow. They all had devious grins that stretched from ear to ear as they stared up at me. I shrieked in both surprise and terror while the fourteen year old twins screamed, "Charge!"

* * *

My dad heaved a sigh before we were met with one of his famous cold stares. He had his arms crossed over his bulky chest and his boot was impatiently tapping on the carpet as he waited for one of us to explain what occurred that led to his precious little princess' bruised and cut up face.

My dad had come home from work to me washing my bleeding chin and cheek under the faucet and the five boys standing across the counter, all scratching different parts of their faces and heads. In my expert opinion, I'd say we looked like we tried to commit a crime and it backfired.

We were currently situated in the living room. I was sitting on the couch with my brothers and best friend either sitting beside me or standing behind me. My dad, on the other hand, was leaning on the wall in front of us, staring us all down with his dark, angry eyes. His aura screamed terror.

"Athena, tell me what happened." He ordered. I gulped, unsure of what to say. I didn't want to add anything that would lead to more trouble for my boys. "Um, I'm not really sure, dad."

He eyed me carefully before switching his gaze to Pollo. I stole a quick glance at my brother and saw that his eyes were wide with panic written across them. If someone were to touch him right now, he would most likely pee out of fear. I would probably feel that way as well if I was in his place. Our father really was a scary man. He was a professional hockey player back in his day and he made sure to pass his legacy on to my brothers and even my best friend, who he treated as another son. Dad had a tendency to act like a coach and treat my siblings like they were a hockey team. "Apollo, explain."

"Dad we were- it was an accident and- we didn't know that there were still shards of glass o-on the grass when we made the snowballs."

"I thought I told you boys to clean that up when you broke the window two months ago?" His eyebrows went even lower than they were before. Just a little bit more and they would already be connected.

"To be fair, dad, you said make sure the house was spotless. You didn't mention the garden." Dos, the younger one of the twins, retorted. When he realized what he said, his eyes widened. They almost bulged out of their sockets when he saw dad tear his eyes off of Pollo and scowl at him. He immediately shrunk back on the seat. "Sorry, pops."

Dad's eyes landed back on me. His eyes softened significantly when he took a look at the bruises and cuts on my face but the rest of his features still held fury. "Thena, head up to your room and put some bandages on and apply ice on the bruises." I gave him a firm nod. He was silent for a while, staring at me expectantly. With my brows knitted together, I looked back at him. "What?"

"Now, sweetheart."

"Oh shit, sorry dad." I immediately stood up and headed up the stairs.

"Language."

"Um- oh crap?" Before I could vacate the scene, I looked back to see my best friend watching me with an apologetic look. I gave him a sympathetic smile in return and went up to my room.

My dad's voice boomed throughout the house. He was giving the boys a lecture and I could hear every single word of it from my room. I really felt bad for the boys though. They were dumb and irresponsible but it wasn't like they meant to ruin my face. Their actions were done solely in the name of fun.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you idiots. That girl is a runner, not a hockey player like you boys. She doesn't get hit in the face, she just runs through tracks! You all know that Athena isn't built like you boys so the least you could all do is take care of your sister, not cut her face up like lumberjacks. All those whose last name is Hollick is grounded for a week. And as for you, Theo, I can't really ground you or stop you from seeing my kids so just try your best to avoid rough playing with my daughter. Now, all of you get out of my sight. I'm tired of giving you these useless talks since none of you ever seem to learn." I winced at my father's rough tone.

In an instant, I heard the boys shuffle along the hallway and into each of their respective rooms; my older brothers on the rooms on either side of mine and the twins across mine.

My bedroom door slowly opened and Theo entered my room. He left the door ajar; he and I weren't allowed in closed quarters with no one to watch over us so we always had to keep the door open. It was a precaution set up by my dad to avert us from 'exploring'.

Again, he was wearing that godforsaken apologetic look. He carefully made his way towards my bed and I playfully rolled my eyes at his dramatic entrance.

I absolutely hated it whenever he apologized for petty reasons. Having to say the phrase 'it's okay' after each apology was particularly tiring. He always had to make injuries a big deal. Some physical scars won't make me hate him if that's what he was thinking. Now, emotional scars were set on a completely different path. That type of scar was one that I thought would definitely need the consistent apologies. Scars that were invisible were the ones that were cut the deepest.

"You don't have to apologize again, Theo. You already said sorry like a hundred times. One more and I swear I'll punch you right where little Teddy lives."

A sheepish smile made its way to his face. He looked at me, eyes sparkling under the light of my room as he spoke, "I didn't come here to apologize, Thena. I just wanted to remind you that you look like absolute shit with the all bruises around your face. Kinda badass but still shit."

"Ha, very funny. Am I rocking the badass rebel teen look yet?" I joked, giving him my best mug shot look. My eyebrows were slightly furrowed and I tried my best to keep a straight face on. With just a second after I heard his infectious laugh, I broke out into a smile as well.

"More like a loser who got mauled by a pack of bears."

"Well I might as well be. Can't believe some douchey hockey players threw glass infested snowballs at an innocent girl's face." I stuck my tongue out at the boy before turning back to my pathetic attempts at putting gauze on my cuts. Theo made it clear that he knew I was struggling as he continued to let out some ear-piercing cackles, complete with the hand-slapping-knee bit. Once he had calmed down from his laughing session, he finally decided to help me like the great best friend he was! Note the sarcasm.

He crawled over to where I was situated in, snatching the gauze from my hand. He took it upon himself to put the bandage on for me since I was what he claimed a clueless pinhead when it came to anything related to first aid. I just glared at him as he did me a favor. Once he was done, he pat the gauze causing me to wince at the sudden contact. I jerked his gigantic hand away from my face and pushed him. I accidentally threw him off the bed and he hit my bedside table with a loud thud, knocking my lamp off in the process. The light collided with his head and he groaned in agony as he lay on the carpet. His hands were cupping his forehead when he sat back up. I looked down at him, eyes filled with shame.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm feeling over the moon right now actually. Thanks for asking, Thena." His snarky comment was drowning in sarcasm. I couldn't help but giggle at his irritated features. His lips were slightly parted, letting out fast breaths, and his blue eyes were giving my brown ones a death glare. "You really had to get even, did you?"

I shrugged. It wasn't like I meant to push him off the bed, I guess I just didn't know my own strength. He removed his palms from his forehead and looked at it. There was a trickle of blood on his fingers and my eyes widened at the sight of it. I tried to grab the gauze and put it over his injury but he just waved my hand away. I retracted my hands and just watched him.

"Oh, no. You're not putting it on for me. Don't want to have any more scars on my face." He joked, showing me a lopsided grin. It was assurance that he wasn't steamed up about what had just transpired. I let out a breath of relief and shot him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Theo. I didn't mean to push you off. I'm s-"

"It's cool. You don't have to apologize again, Athena. You already said sorry like a hundred times. One more and I swear I'll punch you right where little Thena lives." He mocked, his voice coming out an octave higher. I laughed lightheartedly and watched him head over to the mirror on the other side of the room. His tongue poked out of his lips as he concentrated on putting the gauze over his cut. From the reflection, he saw me staring at him and he gave a quick wink before moving his focus back on the gauze. I chuckled at this but the scene kept replaying in my head. Wink. Wink. Wink. I tried to push it away but it was like the image was tattooed on my brain. Wink. Wink.

What the hell?

He turned around and walked back to the bed, positioning himself in front of me. He wasn't pressed up against me or anything but he was close enough for me to breath in his scent. I was used to his smell but right now I was feeling overwhelmed with an eccentric feeling and I did not know how to react to it. He was causing this feeling. My heart started beating a bit faster. Not enough for it to be considered as palpitating but I was certain that my pulse increased significantly in the past ten seconds.

Seriously, what's happening?

"We're matching now! Don't we just look like a cute, idiotic couple that got beat up by lamps and hockey players." He laughed at our state. Two sixteen year olds covered in bruises and bandages. I laughed along, turning my face away and pressing my hands on my cheeks to hide my blush from the boy that had involuntarily caused it.

Cute, idiotic couple. I liked the sound of that. It was bizarre but it fit us perfectly.

Oh no. Oh god, no. I did not just think that.

a.n. hellO this is another cliche story of a girl who fell in love with her completely moronic and clueless best friend. this is like the prologue (SET LIKE 3 YEARS BEFORE THE ACTUAL STORY BEGINS) if you like it so far then please comment and give it a vote and tell yo friends as well yayy!!!! just imagine this as like a lil sneak peak or trailer yeSsS!!! anyways today's may 23 2016 lol i wonder when i'll end up posting this (so follow me n add the book to ur reading list so u could stay updated woo yay for shameless promotion)

ENJOY THE STORY (or at least the prologue for now lol gluck to me hope i finish it before summer ends bc if not then we r all doomed) VOTE AND COMMENT ON IT IF YA LIKE IT AND SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AS WELL BC THATS COOL AND I LOVE THAT AND PLEASE DONT COPY THE STORY BC DAMN MAN I USED MY BRAIN FOR ONCE ON THIS AND YEAH I DONT USE IT OFTEN SO ITD SUCK IF SOMEONE PLAGIARIZED

i luv u all okay pls share it with your friends bc i get hyped whenever i get notifs and that doesnt happen often so i hope i always get hyped now

Also any guesses on why its called thirty three?