The Promise

The Promise Chapter: 4

Chapter Four

Ellie's POV

Rain. It lashed at the windows furiously, making the whole room shudder in complaint as everything standing outside got drenched. As if anything couldn't get any worse, it was the last lesson of the day and I had to walk home since I has misplaced my bus fare somewhere on the way to school. Luckily, I had prepared for the unpredictable England weather and brought a pink umbrella, folding neatly in the pocket of my bag.

I was In english, sitting near the back and watching as the thick hands of the clock struck each minute, the teacher's monotone voice fazing in and out of the background. Unusually unfocused today, I squinted my eyes at the scrawled, miniscule writing on the chalkboard, and attempted to copy the bits down.

Here in the countryside, technology seemingly hadnt hit our town yet, whereas in city schools, they had all those fancy, high electronic gadgets which made school life that little bit better. Beside me, sat the empty desk where Annie the queen of the hierarchy sat, but she had deliberately shifted her seat to the corner of the room where huddled schoolgirls whispered, the clicking of blackberry phones under the desk.

“My days, i've already got tickets to see his movie,” Annie giggled, flipping her long hair back behind her shoulders, the strong scent of perfume wafting through the air.

“Justin Beiber?” Claire, the girl next to her raised her eyebrows, but nodded approvingly. “I heard they were sold out,”

“Nah, you can get them for little money,” Sarah, the snooty, small stick like girl rolled her eyes, slipping her phone into her pocket.

“Yeah...about 100 pounds a ticket, so cheap,” I muttered sarcastically to myself, turning my attention away from them to Ethan, who was slouched two desks away from me, fiddling with the zip on his hooded grey jacket. His pair of brown eyes seemed dull and solemn, like it was relieving a past memory. Lately, he seemed to be doing that an awful lot- being nostalgic.

“I heard he left a girlfriend when he moved,” Cassie leaned over from her desk in front and whispered in my ear.

“What...no way,” I frowned, turning bright red when she laughed and flipped back on her chair. Ethan had a girlfriend? Digging my nails into the palms of my hand, I bit my lip and tried to push away the thought of Ethan spending his free time with a girl who I never knew. A girl which he liked.

“Apparantly she's really pretty too, brown hair and green eyes,” Cassie called over her shoulder, twiddling her two thumbs together in a circular motion.

Ethan sat up immediately, his eyes and ears alert.

Grimacing, I sunk back in my chair and closed my eyes slowly. So it was true. Ethan had known a girl before he moved here. Although I hate to admit that it might as well been true, it would have made sense o be fair. Ethan wasn't unattractive or anything, he was the exact opposite and girls had never stopped taking an interest ever since he came here, but if he ad known a girl which upon he loved...

Then it would infact explain the reason why he's never actually agreed to a date, especially when Courtney, the school beauty queen, a model with fair black hair asked him out after school by the gates. Every offer had been turned down.

However...

There's nothing stopping me now... is there?

~*~*~*~*

Gasping, I rushed along the pavement, holding up my umbrella as each raindrop tried to pentrate through the thin fabric held together by flimsy hooks. Ever since I stepped foot outside at the end of the day, I knew I had to sprint home In case I didn't want pnemonia.

However, even though I was terrified of the rain, something made me stop completely in my tracks. Ethan was stood sheltered under the bike racks, holding the seat of his blue one irritably waiting for the terrible weather to end.

Ethan glanced at me in disbelief for a moment, his eyes distant and glassy. What was he looking at?

Ethan's POV

Green eyes. Brown Hair. Huddled under a pink umbrella.

The night where Kate and I danced in the rain together, practically tripping over our own happiness as the rain washed all our doubts away and left us standing unbeatable upon the grassy mound, under the willow tree.

Furrowing my brows, I glanced at Ellie, her terrified green eyes, and her drenched brown hair, her pink umbrella struggling to hold upright clasped in her small hands. Something tugged at my insides, whispering useless words into my ear as I struggled to figure out if I was seeing an image of Kate or Ellie. They both right now...looked the same.

Shaking my head ashamed, I slapped myself on the side of my head mentally. Kate wouldn't have a terrified look in her eyes, she would be laughing, dropping her umbrella and skipping in the rain, not trying to shield from it like Ellie is doing so.

Even if it was Ellie and not Kate, the look of raw, pure horror in her green eyes made me sink down a little bit. That girl was terrified of water as it seems. “Ellie, come here,” I called, watching as she made her way towards me with every little step, avoiding the puddles scattered around.

Ellie's POV

I think my heart just skipped a beat. Literally.

Unable to hide my happiness, I stood in front of Ethan, completely soaked to the bottom, and glanced up at him expectantly.

“Here,” Ethan held out his hand, waiting for me to take it. I gladly took it. Then, he pulled me onboard the metallic blue bike, sitting in front of it himself. Terrified, I gripped the sides of the seat both in amazement and surprise as his feet touched the pedals. “Hold on tight Ellie,” He laughed, and with a small push, we were off.

This might not have been my dreamy planned date with Ethan, but it sure as hell felt like I was dancing on rainbows right now. Even the rain- which I was so scared of- didnt touch my overjoyed mood as we sped through the street. Stopping by the local shop, we stopped for drinks as the rain settled down to a slight drizzle.

“Ready?” He asked, throwing the carton of juice in his hand. Frowning, I fumbled through the aisles and the different selection nervously. “I'll be waiting outside Ellie,” he gestured towards the door, and made his way to pay at the empty till.

Ten minutes later, I picked out chocolate milkshake and paid, thanking the clerk as I exited the automatic doors. Shoving the change into my pocket, I pushed the wet strands of my hair back behind my hear and turned the shop corner. “Ethan i-”

My mouth snapped shut when I glanced at him, the weight of the milkshake in my hand seemed like it was becoming heavier.

Ethan was leaning against the bike, texting rapidly on his old mobile phone, his attractive features creased in concentration as the beeping of buttons rung in my ear. My heart sunk a little bit right then.

“Ellie, I, sorry,” Ethan looked up in surprise, and flipped his phone lid shut, slipping it into his pocket abruptyly. “So did you pick then?” he glanced down at my drink, smiling.

“Yeah...” I showed him the carton and climbed onto the bike as he did, holding the milkshake in my hand tightly whilst gripping onto the sides.

As we made our way back home, I sighed softly and glanced as the word slowly passed by us, the grey clouds dissappearing finally, only to be replaced by stars of the night. In the corner of my eye, I could make out his phone tucket neatly into his pocket.

My bottom lip opened to speak, but no sound or words came out. Only one thought plastered into my mind, longing and longing filling every corner.

I wish it was me he was texting.