The Styles Triplets

Chapter Three

*A/N This will most likely be the last update on this story until January 4th, 2014. I need to finish God Gave Me You, We're Not Broken, Just Bent, Another Move, My Nerdy Savior, and Everything's Gonna Be Alright by December 31st, so those are the stories I'll be working. BUT to make up for it, I'll have a really long chapter Four for this story. Sound good? Just don't forget about this story- I have big plans for it. It's barely even started. :D

- Thalia's Point Of View -

"I'm going to run some errands. " I announced as I grabbed my keys and my jean jacket. "Call me if you need me." I put my iPhone in my pocket. I have to go to the library to get a new book to read for English, have Mrs. Pittman sign my community service sheet, saying that I did three hours helping the community. I went to the animal place here in town and played with the cats there (Mrs. Pittman works there). It was actually kinda fun. I hopped in my car and buckled up.

I knocked on Mrs. Pittman's door. Her kid, Isabelle, answered the door. She had messy ponytails in her hair, and her thumb in her mouth, looking up at me with big blue eyes.

"Hi!" I waved. "Is your mommy home?" I asked her. Instead of responding, she rocked back and forth on her feet.

"Belle, you know you have to tell me if there's someone knocking on the door. Someone might try to kidnap you!" Mrs. Pittman came to the front door. "Hi Thalia. Sorry about that."

"It's alright. Will you sign this quick? I don't want to take up too much of your time." I showed her my pen and paper.

"Yeah, step in for a minute." She gestured for me to come in.

"HONEY!" I heard a voice yell from some other room in the house. "Am I pulling these shorts off or what?" Mr. Pittman (a man with a black beard and black hair) came in sliding on his socks into the living room. Oh god. He's wearing bootie shorts and a black tank top. "Who's this?" He asked his wife, smiling. My eyes are bleeding internally right now.

"NO! We have a guest! Oh god Thalia I am SO sorry about my husband. Here." She signed my sheet quickly.

"Wait! I have a question for her!" Mr. Pittman exclaimed.

I looked over at him, expectantly.

"Am I rocking them or what? I can do a cartwheel for you if you want." He told me.

"Um…" I looked at Mrs. Pittman.

"All she wants is a signature. Let her be on her way Robert." Mrs. Pittman tried to stop him. He ran out the front door and did three cartwheels in a row. Besides the fact that I WANT TO TAKE MY EYES OUT OF MY SOCKETS, I laughed out of the awkwardness.

"That's… that's nice." I told him on my way down the Pittman's front doors.

"See! I told you!" He pointed at his wife and smiled proudly. Mrs. Pittman just shook her head.

"Have a good day Thalia." She told me.

"BUENAS DÍAS!" Mr. Pittman shouted out.

"Usted también!" I shook my head and got in my car. I can't wait until next trimester when I have Mr. Pittman for Social Studies.

I pulled into the library parking lot. I put my Aviators on and realized that there was an old man sitting against the library wall. He was mumbling something.

"Hi…" I walked over to him cautiously. "Are you okay…?"

He looked up at me with bright blue eyes. "I have no home." He cried. "No family. No food. No money. No water. Nothing." He stated.

Thanks Obama. I thought. I watched Jenna Marbles' video. Just kidding. This is England. I dug into my back pocket and pulled out a twenty dollar bill.

"Here," I handed it to him. "I have some water in my car. Hold on." I unlocked my car and grabbed the two water bottles. Oh, there's a candy bar. I grabbed that, too. "Alright. Here's some water and a granola bar." I set them down on the ground next to him.

"I'm Earnest." He told me.

"Hi Earnest, I'm Thalia." I smiled, deciding that I could take some time and talk to him for a while.

"I think I was wrong about the younger generation. I thought that every kid was out to make trouble. Especially the colored-hair punks." He chuckled, referring to my colored hair. "Some of you are really nice." He looked at me. "Thank you so much young lady."

"You're very welcome." What would he want to talk about? I wondered.

"My daughter always wanted colored hair and lots of tattoos," He answered my question. "My wife and I always told her no, that we don't want our daughter looking like a freak. She'd make a big fit about it. She said she was going to be in a band, like the one she liked. These bands that had big ears and tattoos and long hair. She said that they're basically the nicest people in the world," He smiled, probably reliving the moment in his mind. "I always wanted her to be something big and important, like maybe a lawyer or a college professor or someone real smart. You… you remind me of her." He pointed his hand at me and laughed. "You've got spunk." He told me and opened a bottle of water."

"Thanks.. that just made my day." It did, truly. "…Can I ask about what happened to your family?"

"Ah yes. My wife, Marla, and my daughter, Crista, were going on a mother-daughter shopping day. Crista was fourteen. She called me on my phone, to ask what I wanted for my birthday, which was in two weeks or so, because they were going to get me some presents. I was telling her that all I really wanted was to be with my family, when I hear someone scream. It was Marla. Next thing I know, Crista is yelling mom on the top of her lungs, and then I hear a crash." He told me, staying quiet for a little while. "These people came to my door and told me what happened. My girls.. my girls…" He sniffed. "My girls were killed by a drunk driver."

"I'm so sorry." I said. What do I say? That's so sad! "How long ago was this?" I questioned.

"Almost a year ago." He told me. "I retired about two years ago. I didn't have enough money, and no one would hire me. So, I sold everything in my house, including the house itself. I had a gambling problem, and wasted a ton of money on that. Dumb decision. But, God doesn't give me anything I can't handle."

"True. Everything happens for a reason. We might not know why, and we might be angry at him for the bad things that happen, but what I believe is that we will learn why when we reach the heavenly gates."

"You're a good kid, you know that Thalia?" He patted my shoulder.

"Thank you." I smiled. I don't get that a lot. I truly don't. It feels good to have someone tell me that. "Thank you very much." Total strangers see the good in you, Thalia. It doesn't matter what mom and dad say, I told myself. "Since you shared something… I'd like to share something with you too."

"Of course." He opened his granola bar.

"My brother Dwayne went to college this year. We were really close. He always made me laugh when I was crying. And ever since he left, my parents yell at me almost every day. 'Well maybe if Thalia wouldn't always be in a bad mood all the time.' 'Thalia's boyfriend is such a freak.' They say, even though I was in the next room, listening to them. They make me feel so bad about myself. 'If Thalia doesn't shape up, we're taking her to anger management classes.' They say. And it just makes me want to cry." Shit. Don't cry Thalia. I wiped the tears out of my eyes.

"It's okay to cry. Everyone needs a good cry every now and then. We need something to know we're still alive inside." Earnest told me.

"I cry a lot though…" It's true. I cry a lot. Almost every night.

"Well then I guess you know you're alive, huh?"

I managed a smile, and then wiped my eyes. "Well at least some people can see the good in me."

"Everyone can see good in you. Let it show, and other people should see it. Be happy with yourself. Don't let people bring you down. Keep your chin up, and your middle finger even higher." Earnest smiled at that last bit.

"Thanks." I laughed. "Well, I should probably get my errands done." I said, standing up. "Thanks for making my day."

"No, thank you for making my day, Thalia. It doesn't happen very often."

"Well, you're very welcome sir." I smiled one last time and went into the library.