54. Garlic

"I was thinking about what you said," Thalia said. "It might help to change the song."

Percy nodded as he counted the thirteen marshmallows Thalia wanted and slipped them into the cup.

"Any ideas?" he asked, as he carefully brought the cup of hot chocolate to her. She lifted the blanket she was warming her feet under and Percy slipped in.

"I don't even know. I want one that sounds like me, but I'm not really sure what sounds like me," Thalia said before she laughed at the dilemma. Percy drank his cup of chocolate. "It's really pathetic." Percy smiled at her.

"You know what? I think I know what song would suit you," he said. He grabbed his phone and scrolled through his music. He finally clicked on one. The song started with a pretty cool guitar solo. Thalia paid close attention to the words a girl was singing loudly. Thalia hadn't really heard that song before. She kinda liked it.

"That one?" Thalia asked, still a little worried if that was the right song. Percy smiled.

"Oh yeah." Thalia bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders.

"Better than nothing, I guess," she said before she sipped her hot chocolate.

Percy set up the music on his computer because he didn't have the equipment or the right skills to play it himself.

"All right, ready?" Percy had her listen to the song on repeat for half an hour straight. If she didn't know the lyrics by now something was wrong with her.

"Ready." He played the song and Thalia got ready to sing. She closed her eyes and let her bones soak up the music.

"Nothing I say comes out right. I can't love without a fight. No one ever knows my name. When I pray for sun, it rains. I'm so sick of wasting time, but nothing's moving in my mind. Inspiration can't be found. I get up, but fall, but I'm alive. I'm alive, oh yeah," Thalia sang, her voice not as clear as the girl singing, but just as powerful. "Between the good and bad, that's where you'll find me, reaching for Heaven. I will fight and I'll sleep when I die. I'll live my life. I'm alive!"

Thalia smiled while she sang. Memories of her good-for-nothing father didn't bother her anymore. The music made her feel good. It made her… happy. She forgot about everything. She forgot about her mother. She forgot about school. She forgot about having no money. All she knew, all she had to know, was what to sing next and how to sing it. She belted out the song. In that moment, she couldn't even remember why she had stopped singing in the first place. Why? Why did I give this up? How could I give this up? The sun warmed her cheeks while she sang.

"I'M ALIVE!" Those two words made all the difference. She sang them with more vigor than anything else. "I won't feel sorry for me!" This song was perfect.

"I'll live my life. I'M ALIVE!" she sang and the song ended. She heard clapping behind her, but it was definitely more than one person. She spun around to see Sally clapping in the doorway.

"Wow! Thalia, I didn't know you could sing like that! That was amazing!" Sally gushed before she gave Thalia a tight hug.

"No wonder you signed up for the Talent Show!" Thalia stared at the floor.

"Well, I didn't really sign up. I was kind of forced to do it."

"And I see why," Sally smiled. Thalia laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah…"

"Well, I'm going to make dinner. Want some?" she asked.

"Sure," Thalia smiled. Anything not to go home.

"Great, I'll cook for four tonight!"

"Well, I don't think you need to practice anymore, do you?" Percy asked, standing up from his bed and standing in front of her.

"No, I think I got it," Thalia said, tilting her head. She secretly wanted to thank him for the song, but she couldn't really bring herself to do it.

"But there is something you need practice with," he said, now serious.

"Really?" Thalia asked sarcastically.

"Definitely."

"For what exactly, if I may ask?" Percy smirked and leaned down to kiss her.

"Garlic bread or cheese bread?" Sally asked from the door and Percy jumped like a cat.

"Garlic!" he said quickly. "Uh, yeah, garlic…." An incredibly strong awkward silence ensued. "So, yeah. We're gonna go to the roof now," Percy said before he hauled Thalia out of his room with his head hung low. Sally waved her eyebrows at Thalia before she was dragged out of the apartment. Thalia started laughing, but Percy was as red as a tomato.

"Not funny," Percy said, but then he lightened up. They walked up the stairs to the roof. Percy didn't bother taking Thalia to the rails knowing full well it was as useful as trying to move a donkey that didn't want to move. Thalia giggled.

"Garlic," she laughed. "I can't believe you panicked like that."

"Would you shut up, please?" Percy said turning red all over again.

"Make me."

"If you say so." Thalia backed up playfully, but the roof was small, so within two steps her back was already against the wall. Percy placed his hands on either side of her head.

"Thanks, by the way," Thalia said. "I treated you terribly and –"

"Hey, it's okay. We're a thing now. It'd be really weird if we didn't fight."

"Thanks." Percy smiled before he kissed her. Thalia lifted her arms over his shoulders and got on her tiptoes. She could feel Percy smiling at her struggle. His hands ran down her sides, down her hips, down her bare thighs. She had changed out of her dress and stayed in the pair of shorts she'd worn under her dress and a t-shirt Percy let her borrow. She could feel his cold fingers against her warm skin. His hands stopped behind her thighs and she felt him lean down. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist and he placed her back against the wall. It annoyed her how effortlessly he could move her, like she was a little chihuaha to him, but she would complain about that later. She was a little busy right now.

She bit his lips and kissed his neck while his hands explored her body as if he was tracing a map. She kept getting chills up her back and her stomach fluttered every time his hands wandered under her shirt. She tapped his leg with her heel and he put her down.

"Sit." He sat down, not that he had a choice with her hands pushing on his chest. She straddled him, happy he wasn't towering over her now. The song she had sung played inside her head again. She never felt as alive as when she was with Percy. Nothing could really compare to his lopsided smile and messy hair, to his plaid shirts with rolled up sleeves, to his lips on her skin and his hands in her hair. He kissed her neck while she gripped his shoulder, her skin rippling to his touch. Then she heard a tiny snap! She pushed him back.

"Are you crazy?" she said. "We're outside!" she complained while she tried to find both ends of her now open bra. Percy laughed.

"Sorry." Thalia raised an eyebrow.

"Sure you are. Put it back on, I can't see!" She turned around and lifted the back of her shirt, well his. She felt him fumble around her back as he clipped it back up. She turned back to him and his big goofy grin.

"You're so stupid," she laughed, hitting his forehead with her palm. He just shrugged.

"We can go to the cabin again," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, except it's kind of cold right now since it's, you know, winter and all."

"Who said anything about getting in the water?" Thalia kicked his foot.

"Okay, okay," Percy said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Anyways, when was the Talent Show again?"

"Next Friday," Thalia said, scooting away so she could rest against the wall.

"Can't wait."

"I wouldn't get too excited about it," Thalia said.

"Why not?" Thalia shrugged.

"I just- well, I don't want to let you, um, down." Thalia gritted her teeth. That was probably a little too personal.

"I'm sure you won't."

"Yeah well, whatever, you know." Percy pursed his lips.

"You'll do fine either way," he said. "You just- Oh, food's ready," he said, looking at his phone. Thalia inwardly sighed in relief. Thank goodness.

Lyrics belong to: I'm Alive by Becca