A Boy Called Noah

Chapter Twenty Three

Thalia Rodriguez

Thalia's feet sink into the damp sand, her toes curling and uncurling to keep her balance. Things are different for her for a change. Everything seems hard to obtain. It was way different from what she was used to, things always fell into her lap. 

She slows down as she approaches her friend's slouched figure, "Ty?" Tyson sighs and stares out over the water. "Tyson, please talk to me... Look I'm sorry. I didn't tell anyone. I... I have no explanation for what I did. I'm sorry... will you ever be able to forgive me?" Tyson replies without looking at her, "I...I don't know, Thalia. I just..." Sigh, "I'm not sure what to believe now. Maybe...I don't know. It feels like I don't know you at all." 

Thalia wipes a stray tear from her cheek, "I...I understand. I deserve this. I should have told you from the start. I just...I didn't want you to pity me." Tyson sighs and pats the sand next to him as an invitation. Thalia slowly lowers herself down next to him. He wraps his arms around her and gently pulls her closer, "I'm not mad at you. I...I'm just a little hurt is all. This is something quite big for me, Lia. You've got to bear with me on this. A big bomb got dropped on me today."  Thalia nods her head in understanding. "I-I get it. I'm sorry." Tyson breathes out a soft laugh and nudges his friend lightly, "Hey. No more crying, I swear I've never seen you cry this much." Thalia laughs and wipes the last stray tears from her cheeks, "Yeah," small smile, "Me neither." 

The friends sit staring out at the ocean for hours on end and finally when the sun peeks at them one last time they silently rise and start walking toward the house.

Upon reaching the house music and the glorious smell of food greets them. Thalia's eyebrows knit together in confusion, "What the... I thought we were taking it easy tonight." Tyson barks out his usual rough laugh, "I guess they changed their minds about that." 

Thalia's irritation is visible when the pair enter through the vibrating sliding door. She scans the utterly crowded room in hopes to spot, Thea, James or even that idiot Noah. The people around are all either a drunken mess or they are very strong on their way to being one.

"We weren't even gone that long..." Thalia shoots Tyson an unamused look. He lifts his hands apologetically, "Sorry, sorry. Not funny." Thalia's jaw goes numb from clenching so long and hard, "How the fuck could they be so irresponsible. This isn't even our house and we haven't even been here a whole day. These idiots messed up this time." Tyson chuckles and slowly follows Thalia's fuming form. 

Thalia's hair whips behind her as she storms through the packed house. Her mind reels at the number of people in the small house. Every available surface seemed to have someone on it. Some people were even making out in the open. Thalia's disgust pushes up in her throat and she fights the urge to rip the couple next to her apart. "Pigs." The guy temporarily separates himself from the girl's neck to wink at her. 

Thalia loses Tyson while weaving through a massive group of people. Her eyes scan over the crowd and she spots the stereo in the far right corner of the room. She elbows people in out of her way and some yelp in pain and protest. She abruptly shuts off the music and people whine in protest. "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE OUT! PARTY'S OVER!" Thalia's voice is clear and laced with fury. A couple of people grumble complaints under their breath but everyone quickly makes their way out of the house and into their cars. 

Thalia's anger bubbles just below the surface, "AMALTHEA!" Her sister appears from inside the kitchen with a red solo cup in hand. "Oh, hey, Thalia. Hey, where'd everyone go?" Thalia's eyes practically burn with the intensity that she glares at her younger sibling, "Hey? HEY! Thea, this place is a mess! How the hell did you throw a party in the small time that we were gone and even worse, how the hell were there so many people here. I'm pretty sure the entire town doesn't even have that many people in it." "Would you relax, we were just having some fun." Thalia flicks her glare at James as he enters from another room, "You. You were supposed to be the one to keep them out of trouble." James' face falls and he guiltily looks down at his shoes. Thalia swerves back to face Amalthea, "And, you. I expected more from you. You're supposed to be the good kid, yet here you are drink in hand at a party where you don't know any of the people. Mom would be so disappointed in you." "Hey! You can't say that to her, you have no right!" "You be quiet. I'll get to you soon enough, young man." Calum quickly quiets down and tries to slink his way out of the room. "How could you all be so irresponsible? I thought I could trust you guys... clearly, I can't. I'm sorry but I'm cutting this trip short. This is unacceptable. Everyone leaves tomorrow, start cleaning up. ALL OF YOU." "But-" "Quiet, Amalthea. You don't get a say in this. You guys brought this upon yourselves." Thea's face falls and she returns to the kitchen to retrieve some garbage bags. "This is disgusting, you guys. Come on, start with the cups..."