The Promise

The Promise Chapter: 5

Chapter Five

Ethan's POV

I don't know why I did that.

Sitting comfy at home, with the amber fire in the fireplace burning away beside me, I contemplated tonight's earlier events. I could have left her alone, and let her run away to her old brick house where she lived and I could have stayed and waited for the rain to pass.

Instead, I found myself offering the girl a personal lift on my fidgety bike and together we sped through rain and wind to reach our houses about ten streets away. I could feel her all nervous and cautious sitting in the back of the seat. When we stopped by the local little store, she snuck up on me like a weasel when I was texting.

Luckily...she didn't see what or who I was texting to. Because the truth was...i wasn't texting to anyone but myself, and the message were completely...useless. They were my dreams, like my own log for the day to register everything which has happened. There was no recipinent.

Only my finger faltered over the send button for some bizarre reason, as if there was actually someone I was sending it to. Everytime I type up a message, I always end up deleting it by the end of the day because I simply do not want to remember, or relieve the past, which my dreams somehow or another always seemed to be connected to.

Sighing wistfully, I hung my head in disappointment and glanced up at the mirror hanging by the door, a faint crack in the corner slowly engulfing the screen over a period of time. The reflection gazing back at me was a boy in his teenage years, eyes mellow and meek like it had lost it's usual shine, and lifeless strands of brown hair hanging over.

The smile worn in the old days had been gone since, and his mood, appearance and atttitude didn't come across quite as appealing as I used to be. Like a new building slowly wearing out, beginning with small and unoticable cracks and dents, until it forms into a widespread of shattered bricks and broken glass.

*~*~*~*~*

December 29th 2009.

“Your moving?” I croaked hoarsely in disbelief, the glass of juice slipping in my sweaty palms. Standing on Kate's large and fully furnished floored house with fancy artwork, I awaited a response as she fidgeted nervously with her thumbs, flipping her long brown hair back again and again. The usual joyous shine to her oak green eyes had disappeared along with tonight's weekly movie night, the sound of the movie from the living room fading in and out with my thoughts as I struggled to gather what she had just said to me.

“Yes, sadly, it is indeed true,” Kate announced sharply, narrowing her eyes at me. The sharp gusts of wind outside rattle against the window harshly, making the kitchen shudder with complaint. Even with all the warmth from the heaters blasting in every corner, It felt suddenly chilly and empty in her spacious house.

“How come I knew nothing of this?” I asked, hurt by the fact that she was telling me all this less than a month before her leave to the city of Sheffield. Beginning to feel light headed, I stumbled back a step until I knocked into the chair, causing it to wobble slightly on it's bent leg.

“Because I didn't want to worry you. If I had told you earlier, then you won't enjoy the time we spend together lastly,” Kate retorted in defiance, clenching her small hands into small fists which rested by her side. Flecks of anger speckled into her eyes. “Your reaction is exactly what I was afraid of,”

“You don't even seem like your bothered if you move or not Kate,” I snapped, folding my arms. Another shuddder from the window's made the kitchen light swing about dangerously close to my head.

“Well im sorry if i'm trying not to act depressed about this. I'm trying to be happy about this, isn't this what you want?” Kate reached out with her hands, the anger in her eyes turning into desperation. Her breathing quickened, and she shuffled forward three spaces, closing in the distance between us.

Panicked, I moved backwards, only to cause the dodgy chair to topple over, banging against the tiled floor.

Kate groaned in fustration, kicking the side of the wall in annoyance. With a twist of her head, she turned towards the spiralling staircase and clambered upstairs, where I heard the sound of a bedroom door being slammed shut, followed by a series of rapid footsteps.

Sighing, I picked up the overturned chair slowly, and walked to the bottom of the stairs. “Kate?” I called loudly, frowning when there was no reply.

Only the sound of faint sniffling,and faint crying which seemed to ring loudly, echoing through the empty hallway. Turning around, I shook my head and stormed out of her house, shutting the door behind me a little too violently.

*~*~*~*~*

“That was weird,” I muttered darkly, brushing the cobwebs from the desk beside me. Underneath one of the broken drawers, the reflected glint from a chestnut box caught my eye. Bending down, I flipped the lid open to reveal one, single ticket to one, single address.

Sheffield.

Frowning, I struggled to remember when I had received this, the edges were frayed like they had been nibbled on by a hamster. The writing printed in ink was still fading away, but I could catch the letters clearly.

Slipping it into my back pocket, I closed the lid gently and smiled for the first time today.

A brilliant idea came to mind.