25. Let It Burn

"So, we're talking and suddenly like fifteen horses come bursting out of the barn and well, I couldn't get out of there on time and…" he paused for dramatic effect. "Some of them were very well trained horses and one of those trained horses decides to jump onto the car and busted up the entire hood!"

Thalia tried to keep herself from laughing. Percy narrowed his eyes at her expression.

"Dude, that is not funny! Now mom's boyfriend will NEVER let me drive it again," he complained. Thalia burst out laughing and Percy stuck out his tongue.

"You have to admit, it's a little funny," Thalia said, struggling to keep her laughter down.

"Man, mom's only known the dude for a few weeks and I already busted his car!" Percy chuckled. "He's going to kill me for sure."

"Yeah, but maybe if you hadn't been so busy staring so… so longingly into your redhead's eyes, that wouldn't have happened!" Percy opened his eyes wide.

"Rachel and I are not together!" Percy said defensively. Thalia chuckled when she realized she hit a nerve.

"Oh no?"

"No! Come on, she's just a good friend," Percy said. Thalia rolled her eyes.

"All right Percy," Thalia agreed. Percy rolled his eyes in disbelief and took another bite from a cupcake he'd brought from home. It had bright blue frosting, which wasn't at all weird, but the rest of the cupcake was also blue. Thalia had never seen so much blue on a cupcake before. They finished eating their dessert, Thalia gulping down the last remnants of her blueberry muffin.

Percy grabbed their trash and threw it out and sat back down to pack up whatever they didn't eat or finish eating. Thalia watched him as he picked up the soda bottles, poured the flat soda out and chucked them into trash can, snapping his fingers every time he scored. She watched as the wind picked up and whipped his black hair around his face and whenever it fell on his nose he'd blow it out of his face instead of doing a Justin Bieber head jerk. He'd grunt every time his blue plaid shirt touched the frosting that had fallen off his cupcake and was now a hot gooey pool on the table and that one time he scratched his face getting frosting, that had been on his hand, across his forehead.

A feeling was creeping up her back, one she wasn't used to, one she hadn't felt in years. Though it kind of felt good, it was scaring her beyond words. Her palms grew sweaty and her mind screamed NO to get rid of that feeling crawling up her spine. To get rid of that feeling that makes people do stupid things, which she's been doing a lot lately. Her mind was becoming one big red light.

Her phone rang, jerking her out of her moment.

"Hello?"

"Hello Thalia, it's Ms. Whirly," a voice answered. Thalia unconsciously smiled as she remembered the Whirlys'.

"Hey, what do you need?" Thalia asked as Percy looked at her. She gestured with her hand at his forehead and watched helplessly as he tried to clean that one small streak of frosting across his face.

"Well, I need a babysitter Wednesday. Is that all right?"

"Yeah sure!"

"Oh thank goodness! I thought I was too late."

"You could call me on the same day! It's no big deal," Thalia said. Ms. Whirly chuckled.

"Thanks again Thalia, don't know what I'd do if you couldn't come! Okay, I need you here around 5:30?"

"That's perfect," Thalia said.

"Great, see you there," she said as she hung up.

"So, who was that?" Percy asked as he grabbed the picnic basket.

"It was someone by the name of none of your business," Thalia replied. Percy stuck his tongue out and Thalia just raised an eyebrow.

"Anyways, I guess I'll be heading home now," Thalia said, as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Percy looked like he wanted to protest, but he stayed quiet.

"All right then," he said. "See ya sometime." Thalia nodded and took a few steps away before she paused. She chewed on her lip, but something wanted her to turn around. She looked back to see him turning.

"Percy," she called. He turned around, a little surprised that it was Thalia who was calling him.

"Thanks for the lunch. It was… it-it was nice," Thalia said awkwardly. Percy looked too surprised to reply. He wouldn't have had time anyways, because Thalia quickly turned back around and power walked back to her apartment. She felt stupid. She kept wondering what had possessed her to turn around and give a compliment. If she had insulted him she wouldn't feel weird, but she hadn't.

"Thalia, get a grip," she whispered under her breath. She shoved her hands in her pockets and made her way to her apartment. She kept thinking about the dinner, she kept thinking about how she had turned around and called him. What was she thinking? Was she going crazy? Was she finally having a mental breakdown? No, it was something much worse. You're right. Thalia's jaw clenched. No.

Halfway home she pulled out her headphones and blasted her music.

I watch the city burn. These dreams like ashes float away. Your voice I never heard. Only silence. Where were you when our hearts were bleeding? Where were you when it all crashed down? Never thought that you'd deceive me. Where are you now?

She had the music so loud she couldn't hear the cars whizzing past her or the pedestrians whistling for taxis. The world didn't exist at that moment, because all she could hear was the music blasting through her headphones. Her muscles relaxed a little as she let the music wash over her. The lyrics took over her mind, kicking out the terrifying thoughts that were messing her up.

How long can you stand the pain? How long will you hide your face? How long will you be afraid? Are you afraid? How long will you play this game? Will you fight or will you walk away? How long will you let it burn? Let it burn.

She arrived at her apartment and opened the door to find her apartment more of a mess than it had been this morning when she left for school. Her mother's purse was thrown on the floor with all its belongings scattered around and the cushions of the couch were lying on the floor and several of the cabinets were open.

"What the hell happened here?" Thalia breathed in shock as she studied her messy apartment.

"Where'd you put it?!" she heard her mother yell. She rounded the corner of the hallway and came out blowing steam from her nose. Her hair was in a messy bun and she was in sweats.

"Where's what?" Thalia asked, a little bit angry, as she threw her bag next to the door.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! Where's the money?! I had twenty dollars in my purse!" she yelled, her face a slight shade of pink. Thalia straightened.

"I hid it," she replied, staring firmly into her mother's eyes, giving her clear indication she wasn't going to be intimidated. Her mother's eyes opened wide and her face turned into a darker pink.

"Tell me where it is! Tell me now! Tell me where it is!" her mother screamed, an edge of desperation in her voice.

"No."

She froze for a second, but her rage returned. She screamed once, grabbed her empty purse and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Thalia let out a deep sigh. She rubbed her face as she walked to the living room, put the cushions back and sat down. She massaged her temples as the screaming voice of her mother's faded away.

"God help me."

Thanks for the reviews guys :) So, I hope this chapter came out well, if not, like always, let me know! I hope Percy's story is plausible and if you think not, let me know also ;) Hope you enjoyed :) (And if you see any misspelling mistakes, let me know too... lol)

Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics. The song is Let It Burn by Red.