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Stupid Katie.
Stupid Katie had to go and kiss some stupid boy and get stupid mono. Stupid Katie had to stay home with a fever and body aches and swollen lymph nodes. Stupid Katie had left her all alone at the Grace’s annual gala.
It wasn’t like Drew didn’t have somebody else to dance with or talk to, obviously. Any sane person there would kill for even a few minutes of her time. The simple truth was that none of them was worth the pleasure of her company. Katie was always her partner at those events and now she had ruthlessly abandoned her and left her all alone.
Drew sighed, letting her eyes roam around the ballroom.
Every member of her family seemed to be too busy with their own stuff. Aphrodite was sitting at the bar, tipsily chatting (and probably flirting) with Clarisse’s father. Silena was on the dance floor, care-freely dancing with her boyfriend, completely oblivious to the yearning look her best friend was directing at her from a table. Mitchell was nowhere in sight, so he had probably sneaked out somewhere with his new crush. Piper was sitting at her table with Leo, both of them stuffing their faces with pastries as he talked and gesticulated loudly and she laughed in a very un-ladylike manner. Valentina was walking around the ballroom, her arms linked with Bianca’s and Miranda’s, the three of them whispering gossips and looking judgingly at people like only high-society, twelve-year old girls could do. Oliver was probably outside, playing with his friends somewhere in the gardens.
Drew's friends seemed to be busy too. Nico and Will were sitting at their table with a tray full of little chocolates in front of them. Nico was talking nonstop about something —probably some book he had discovered in his first few months of college— and Will was enthusiastically nodding and staring at him like he had put all the stars in the sky. Rachel and Lou-Ellen, for their part, were dancing as if they were alone in the world, apparently not caring about people watching their weird and extravagant moves. They were both laughing, though, so at least they seemed to be really enjoying themselves.
Drew ordered a mocktail from the bar and decided to go get some fresh air outside.
Jupiter and Juno’s gardens were always stunning, with even the smallest leaves of the bushes being flawlessly trimmed and all the flowers looking radiant and full of life, no matter the season or the weather. Five acres of land were probably very hard to maintain in that perfectly picturesque state, but the Graces payed Robert Gardner a lot of money to make sure it was always like that.
Every time they visited that place, Katie insisted on going to see the vegetable garden. However, Drew’s favorite spot had always been the roses garden. They were, as cliché as it sounded, her favorite flowers.
Glass in hand, she peacefully strolled down the snaking stone footpaths, admiring the plants around her and enjoying the quiet away from the party. At those hours of the night, the air was a little chilly, but she didn’t mind. The breeze that reached her skin easily through her gold mesh column gown —especially on her right leg, exposed by a high slit, and on her naked back— made her feel more awake, more alive.
Just as she entered the rose gardens, she discovered a dark figure sitting on a bench ahead of her. The husky voice she heard next allowed her to recognize the person even before she could clearly see them under the dim lighting.
—Hey there, Barbie.
Drew straightened her back and gracefully walked over to Thalia in her high heels. Oh, how a good outfit could boost her natural confidence even higher up.
—May I? —She asked, once she arrived by her side, making a gesture at the bench.
Thalia’s sharp eyes fell to the drink on her hand.
Drew knew what in her mind even before the other woman could ask.
—Don’t worry; it’s virgin.
Thalia snorted, visibly getting more relaxed by that answer.
—Can’t relate —She patted the marble bench at her left side—. Sit.
Drew rolled her eyes, but she still sat down next to Thalia.
—What are you, twelve?
—Yeah —Thalia smirked—. Twelve inches.
—Oh my God, you are the most immature person ever —Drew elegantly crossed her legs, unconsciously (or not) causing the slit of her dress to go higher up her hip—. This is why I never talk to you.
—This is why you never talk to me? —Thalia’s loud laugh was one of pure amusement—. Sorry, but you’re the one who gives me love-struck eyes every time I walk into a room. You wish I’d talk to you, pretty face.
—Excuse me? —Drew turned her head to look at Thalia with a raised eyebrow—. You must have the wrong sibling. I never look at anyone with “love-struck eyes”; least of all a punk like you.
For some reason, Thalia’s smile grew wider after hearing that. She extended a hand and idly played with one of the ringlets that fell from Drew’s updo.
—Why? Are your expectations so high that no one matches them?
—Exactly —Drew lifted her chin and looked at Thalia defiantly in the eyes—. I have yet to find someone who is at my same level.
—Fair enough —Thalia let go of her hair and leaned casually against the back of the bench—. What are you doing out here alone, anyway? Where are your minions?
—I left my role as Queen Bee in high school, thank you very much. I’m a woman now; I have more important things to do than caring about having a retinue following me around everywhere.
—Ah, so I’ve heard. You signed up with Victoria's Secret?
—Yes. I’m gonna walk down the runway for their Fashion Show in November.
—How impressive.
Drew noticed the teasing in Thalia’s voice, but she didn’t care about it. She continued talking with pride about her newest job.
—It is. I’m one of the new Angels of the 5th Generation. And I’m obviously gonna be the prettiest one.
Thalia laughed again, her head falling back with that action.
—And the most modest one, no doubt.
Drew shrugged.
—I’m a solid ten; why bother denying it?
—No one could ever say you aren’t confident in yourself, that’s for sure.
—You talk like you aren’t like that too —Drew glanced at Thalia, only to confirm what she already knew: everything on her, from her stance to the look in her eyes, exuded self-assurance—. You always walk around like you own the fucking place.
—Well… don’t I? —Thalia’s grin didn’t have an ounce of humility—. You are literally in my house right now.
—You don’t live here anymore.
—It’s still my house.
—Whatever.
Drew took a sip of her drink and was very surprised when, after lowering the glass from her lips, Thalia took it from her hands and drank as well.
—Why are you out here, anyway? —She asked—. Aren’t you supposed to be at the center of everything, entertaining your guests?
—Nah, that’s Jason’s job. Jupiter says I’m “rude” and the guests “are scared of me”, so it’s kinda better for everybody if I just stand aside. Besides, it all gets a bit too much sometimes, y’know? The music, the people, the lights.
—Yeah. I know.
A comfortable silence followed Drew’s words, while they continued sharing the drink without a hurry.
When the night breeze got slightly colder than before, Drew felt a shiver running through her body.
—I should probably get back inside —She said, leaving the now empty glass on the ground—. My mom could get worried.
—Last time I saw her she was giving Ares bedroom eyes, so I really doubt she’s thinking about you right now —Thalia began taking off her suit jacket—. But go off, if you don’t want to upset mommy dearest.
—Again, you have the wrong sibling. Silena is the golden child, not me.
—You are too.
—I’m literally not. I’m- What are you doing? —She asked, suddenly, when she noticed Thalia putting the jacket over her shoulders.
—You have goosebumps.
—I don’t need it —Refused Drew, trying to take it off.
—Keep it —Ordered Thalia.
There was something so commanding in her tone it made Drew stop arguing and accept it. Or maybe that’s just what she told herself. Maybe the jacket just felt too warm and smelled too good for her to keep insisting on rejecting it.
—Good girl —Said Thalia, and her words caused a new shiver on Drew. Even more so when her electric eyes scanned her body afterwards—. Doesn’t your sister have any compassion for you? You’re basically naked in that thing.
—It’s called fashion, Thalia, and sometimes you have to make small sacrifices for it.
—You, perhaps; I would never. You look like… like that woman from Vikings.
—What woman? —Asked Drew, curiously, as she held the jacket a little closer to her body.
—The one who appears in a net, you know, “neither dressed nor undressed”… You don’t watch Vikings?
—No.
—Okay, never mind —Thalia crossed her legs in a figure four position, with her ankle over her knee—. I dare you to do something reckless, then.
—What? —Drew furrowed her brow, not understanding the sudden subject change.
—If you’re not one of your family’s “golden children”, you wouldn’t mind doing something a little risky, right?
The wolfish grin on Thalia's lips was anything but innocent, but Drew had never been one to turn down a challenge.
—Fine. Dare me, then.
Thalia’s face got closer to hers and, all of the sudden, Drew found herself completely surrounded by her scent.
Thalia smelled like leather and pine needles and something excitingly dangerous, like the ozone in the air right before a thunderstorm. Drew remembered hearing about how, in high concentrations, pure ozone could destroy the cells in your lungs and cause lasting effects in your body.
That was exactly what being close to Thalia felt like. She was as attractive and electrifying as that clean, sweet, pungent smell, but there was also something in her that screamed: "Danger! Stay away!".
—I dare you to kiss me —Whispered Thalia, in her damn raspy voice, still with that damn smirk on her lips.
Drew took her face in her hands and kissed her, perhaps a little violently, but she wanted to make a point of it. She wasn't afraid of Thalia Grace.
However, as soon as their lips met, she regretted not having been more cautious.
She had kissed a lot of women in her life, but no one had ever made her feel the things Thalia was making her feel at that moment. No one had ever caused such an intense wave of excitement in her with the mere touch of a pair of lips. No one had ever made her heartbeat accelerate so much and her breathing get so heavy in a matter of seconds. No hand had ever caused her to jolt, as if she had just been struck by lightning, when touching her bare leg. No one had ever made a full on tempest all inside of her.
Drew could clearly understand now how some people got so addicted to danger and the adrenaline it came with it. She was only able to snap out of that thrilling state when she felt Thalia's cocky smirk against her lips.
—There —Said Drew, as she forced herself to pull away from the other woman—. Is that enough for you?
Thalia's hand found Drew's cheek and she pulled her in for another kiss.
—Not even close, babydoll.
As soon as their lips met again, Drew’s brain stopped working.
Her hand moved Thalia’s ankle out of the way and she climbed on top of her to sit on her lap. She wrapped her arms around Thalia's neck, while the other woman kept one hand holding Drew's cheek and the other one stroking her leg up and down.
She didn't know how much time they spent like that. She only knew that they separated when Thalia growled against her mouth.
—I hate your dress —She grumbled—. It’s prickly.
Drew smiled and ran a flirtatious finger over Thalia's swollen lips.
—Well, sweetie, why don’t you take it off then?
—What, out here? —Thalia's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but there was a gleam of interest in her eyes—. You into that stuff?
—Ew —Drew scrunched up her nose in disgust—. No, I didn't mean here. You still have a bedroom in this house, don’t you?
—Oh, right —Thalia smiled, widely, as if she had forgotten about that fact until that moment—. I do.
Drew carefully got up from her lap and offered her a hand.
—Let's go, then. Grace me with your presence.