A/N

Sorry I haven't updated in ages, I just got back from France and had to speed-write this last night. Sorry for the wait, enjoy!

Surprisingly, my mother wasn't passed out on the couch when I got back. In fact, she wasn't at home at all. Neither was Jason for that matter. The only one who actually was in the house was Nico, who was listening to music on the couch. He looked sad, almost depressed. It didn't surprise me, I mean, God, he just got ripped from an orphanage (holding the only people he's known for years since his whole fucking family died) and thrown right into a foster home with a pisspoor excuse for a mother, an over protective brother and a criminal punk hormonal sister. What a crappy life he must have been having. And what a shitty family he has now. I almost felt sorry for him.

His eyes wondered to me. Pulling his headphones off, his fingers fumbled for the pause button. "What?" he asked. It was then that I realised I had been staring at him for about two minutes.

"Huh? Oh, uhh… nothing, it's nothing, you know, just stuff… and nothing…"

He smirked. "Hmm," he put his headphones back on, obviously wanting to avoid awkward conversation.

I sat down next to him, taking out the chord for his headphones and letting his music play on speaker. He was listening to Three Days Grace- I Am Machine.

I couldn't help but smile. "You like that stuff huh?"

"Uhh, yeah, I guess," he stuttered.

"Dude, I don't bite,"

He smiled, looking away. God, how fucking hard did I have to try to get this bastard to talk. The only reason he had been talking to me before was because he was high. Was that how far I had to go to get him to speak? Did he have social anxiety or something?

"Do I have to give you drugs to get you to talk?"

"Uhh… no, that's okay,"

"So what do I have to do then?"

"Nothing,"

"Then fucking talk," I complained, my voice raising slightly.

"Uhh…" he mumbled.

"Oh, sod off," sighing, I stood up and went to my room to sleep and hopefully get over my hangover.

I dreamed of being controlled. Of murdering someone and having no control over it. Of the horror of the sight of all the blood and the innocent men's disembowelled body, laying limp on the floor. I dreamed of laughing to myself with the blood covered knife in my hands. Of walking away from the body and hanging myself in the bathroom above a bath of blood.

There were hands on my arms. Two hands grabbing and shaking me, as if they were trying to give me whiplash. My face felt sticky and my throat felt sore, as if I had been trying to scream but nothing had come out. There was a cold liquid being thrown at my face. I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't. They wouldn't move. I heard a loud blasting sound in my ears, and my eyes finally snapped open.

The first thing I saw was Jason, his pale blue eyes concerned. The next thing I saw was Nico, with his jet black hair and dark brown eyes. Oh, and guess what. My mother was nowhere in my room at all. Fucking prick. She couldn't even be bothered to get up when I was having a fucking panic attack.

"What happened?" I breathed, sitting up and looking between the two.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, what happened?"

"We don't know, you just started screaming so we came in," he said.

"We think you were having a panic attack," Nico said.

"It speaks," I looked at him, surprised that he spoke at all. "Where's Luke? What time is it?"

"He's probably at his house since it's half ten,"

"Shit, and I got school tomorrow," I rolled my head back, still not completely calm, but trying not to show it.

"You can take the day off if you want," Jason suggested.

I pushed my hair out of my face. "No, I need to go, I've missed too much as it is,"

"You sure?"

"No, Jason, I'm not sure I don't want to have the day off," I rolled my eyes at him. "Yes I'm fucking sure, why wouldn't I be?"

He sighed. "Just making sure,"

"Yeah, well don't, because it's fucking irritating,"

He walked over to the door. "Do you need anythi-"

"Jason, if I want something, I'm perfectly capable of getting it myself,"

"I'll see you tomorrow then," he walked out, leaving the door open for Nico, who started to leave after him.

"Nico," I stopped him, standing up and walking over so I could talk to him.

He turned to look at me, looking down as I caught his wrist. "Hmm?"

"About before," I dropped his hand and pushed my hair from my face. "I was pissed, sorry,"

"S'fine," he smiled. He looked so innocent when he smiled. He almost had a warm glow. You know, when people look like they would have warm skin, but also like they would have really cold skin? Kinda like that, but also kinda different. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he reached his hand out, as if to touch me, but let it fall again, obviously regretting the decision.

"See you tomorrow," I smiled back.

'Good night, sleep tight, don't let the dead bite,'

My alarm woke me. Groaning, I got up and got dressed. I wore a half ripped Fuck Off shirt and black ripped jeans with combat boots and a leather jacket. It was Monday today, first day of school after the winter break. Would Luke be there? Or would he take the day off? I didn't know what to say to him if I saw him. Would I act like nothing happened, or would I talk about it too much? It was either one or the other, there was never much of an in between when I tried to do anything. I skipped breakfast, feeling too sick to eat, instead took up the time by packing a few cigarettes into my bag.

"Thalia," I heard my mom behind me as I opened the front door to leave. Both Nico and Jason had left a couple of minutes ago, so I really needed to catch them up.

"What do you want?" I didn't turn to look at her.

"Where are you going?" her cold hand touched my shoulder, turning me around to face her.

"To school, it's not break anymore mom,"

"Not in that you're not," she gestured to my too low shirt and then to my jeans,"

"Why not?"

"Because you look like a whore,"

"It's my life, not yours, you can't stop me from wearing it," my voice was calm and quiet. I still had a mark from where she hit me the other night.

"But I can take your phone away,"

"And I can take your liqueur away," I raised my eyebrows, leaning away from the door frame. "I need to go," I walked away, leaving her staring after me, and to close the door.