I'm always looking at it. Always thinking about it. How she starts at those superb arms, then continues back to her shoulders, then…..to the line of her back.
Ahhh…Thalia.
"Hey, Nico. Isn't it Thalia something special?" Percy says, snapping me out of my reverie. "Oh….uh…..er…yeah. Awesome." I manage. "She'd hit 100 bull's eyes out of 100!" He says.
"Like she's in a world too far for any of us to reach."
The Sweet Arrangement of Archery
"You two! Personal conversations at practice are prohibited, right?" She snaps at us. "Y-yes! We're sorry!" We say in unison. "Of all the different types of martial arts, archery requires the most focus! Do you understand me!?" She yells. "Yes!"
She's chewing us out…..but….
I'm kind of happy.
-2nd Concerto-
"Don't you think Thalia is being too strict?" Percy says as he removes his shirt. We were in the shower area. "What are you going to do if she hears you, Percy?" Says one of my friends, Leo. Percy shrugged. "She's still practicing. Girl acts as if it was a matter of life and death." Leo laughs. "Percy, Annabeth wouldn't like you to be checking out other girls." He chasticed. "I'm not!"
"But still…Thalia is so serious. She's always the first one here and the last one out, right?" I ask. Percy nods. "In my 3 years of being here, I've never seen her go to the lockers." He says. "Me neither." Leo comments.
"It's like she's the only one in the club…..who's not a part of the team."
"I don't think she has a boyfriend." Another of my friends, Frank says. "Of course not. She does. But of course, Archery before boyfriend." The class rep, Jason, and also the younger brother of Thalia, says so.
"So what's wrong with that? Doesn't that show how serious she is?"I scowl. I put on my shirt, grab my bow and leave. "What was that about? Is Nico on his period?" Leo says.
"I think Nico has a crush on Thalia." Percy says.
-2nd Concerto-
Truthfully speaking, I wonder if she has a boyfriend. I was walking towards the dormitory, where I was roomed with Percy. I walked slowly, bow slung over one shoulder and messenger bag on the other.
I want to see it…to touch it…but I could never be her lover.
"Dude, eat more. Or you won't be able to make it through Thalia's gruesome training." It was a Saturday, and Percy made dinner. Don't get me wrong, Percy's a great cook. But my mind was focused on Thalia.
Then it dawned on me. "That's it!" I slam my fists on the table, making Percy jump. "I remember Miss Artemis saying that there was a mixed gender bathhouse in the archery camp!" Percy took a bite out of a chicken leg. "So?" He asked. My eyes obviously gleamed with excitement, because I was getting a disapproved look from him.
"So, I can see Thalia's body!" Percy dropped his chicken leg.
"Woah, woah, woah. Hold up. You want to go to this bathhouse, so you can see a girl who would most likely kill you?" I nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, sounds good to me. Good luck." He shrugged, picking his chicken leg up and biting it again.
"So…..you're okay with it?" He swallowed. "Dude. remember graduation?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Soon, maybe…..if you're man enough, you'll get her like I got Annabeth." He smiled, giving me a thumbs up before returning to his chicken.
I couldn't sleep that night, due to excitement.
-2nd Concerto-
I ran outside, into the school's park. I jumped around, excited. Unfortunately, I hit a tree. I rubbed my head and got back up, hearing voices. I hid behind the tree, seeing two people. One was crying. W-woah! Is a couple breaking up or something?
The girl was crying, but I couldn't see her face because she had her back to me. The boy had salt and pepper hair, and had a scar running down his cheek, he looked rugged.
The boy was dressed as a police man. The girl was wearing their uniform. Suddenly, the man grabbed her shoulders. "Stop. You were different before. You wouldn't cry like this." He said. He walked away, not saying another word. He walked toward my direction. I sucked in a breath. He walked by, not noticing me. I caught a glimpse of his I.D.
Luke Castellan
He walked away from me, and I looked back to the girl. When she turned my way, I nearly gasped.
Thalia Grace was right in front of me, being dumped and crying her heart out.
-2nd Concerto-
Thwok!
Man, another miss. I sighed as I saw Thalia miss three times in a row. Percy whistled with a disapproving tone.
"Not doing so good, now. Are we?" He whispered. "Good luck, Nico."
He nods at me and returns to shooting at the target.
Me? I'm too distracted by her.
-2nd Concerto-
We're heading out of the showers, but I haven't showered yet. My classmates are talking audibly.
I sneak away to the bathhouse, but Percy catches my arm before I leave.
"Nico….try not to get killed, a'ight?" He winks at me before returning to the group.
I puff up my chest, and walk towards the bath.
-2nd Concerto-
I'm in the baths. I know I went here for one reason, but damn, these baths feel awesome.
I look around, and see Thalia in one corner, showering.
I leap up in surprise, and slip down, my head hitting the tiles. "Damn it…."
When I look up, Thalia's looking at me with surprise. "Oh…..are you okay?"
I blush visibly, and I hope that steam covers my cheeks. "Uh, yeah. I just slipped."
She returns to showering, and I get a clear view of her body.
I may not be her lover, and I may not be able to touch her either but…..
I may live with this.
-2nd Concerto-
We're in the locker rooms. And I'm doing my best not to look at her behind me, because she may think I'm a pervert.
"Hey…Thalia. You know, I have a goal for this camp. Do you have one too?" She may be behind me, but I can feel her gaze burrowing into the back of my head.
"A goal for this camp….That's right….." I look back and she's changed already. She has tears streaming down her face.
"I'm always the one who tells you guys to focus…..But I haven't been able to concentrate myself…" She sits down and I sit next to her.
"You're usually so strong….which is why…." Without any clue of what I'm doing, I put my lips on hers.
"Wha-!" She falls on the floor in surprise.
My cheeks are practically burning. "Please get up. Forget about that guy."
She sits back on the chair, and looks away from me. "So you saw that, didn't you?" I feel that she's crying again.
"Because of the love of my life, I'm in a slump with archery. He said, I was focusing too much on my work and never took time with him. He was right." She's openly sobbing now.
"Is that such a bad thing?" She turns to me, and her eyes are puffy. "I always liked everything about you. Your determination, your focus and….your body."
We sit in silence for a while.
"Is that so?" She says quietly. I turn to her. "Then I thank you…for liking me."
Her lips are suddenly on mine.
-2nd Concerto-
Thwok! Thwok! Thwok!
Three arrows hit dead center. Everybody's clapping. "Woot!" I shout.
Thalia was participating in a tournament. And she just won.
A reporter is interviewing her. "Thalia Grace, congratulations! Can you comment on your win today?" Thalia smiles.
"I'd like to thank Miss Artemis, our coach, my family, my teammates….."
"And my boyfriend, Nico di Angelo!"
AN: Sorry I took so long to finish.
