Lost Hope

FIFTEEN

〡↻ ◁◁ ▶ ▷▷ ↺〡

XIII.XII.MMXIII

The day that he died.

The day that changed her forever.

It was ironic, really, the tattoo of his death date under the one they had gotten together on her seventeenth birthday, promising that they were stuck with each other till the end of time.

Chris peered at the tattoo on her left wrist, grinning. "You know what this means?"

"It means you're finally embracing your delinquency?" she answered with an amused smile.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, pointing at the nearly matching one on his own left wrist. "It means you're stuck with me till the end of time, bastard."

"That's a pity." She frowned mockingly. "I want it off now."

"Hey!" he said indignantly.

She laughed and pushed him as they crossed the street. "Funny I was the one to suggest the idea and you were the one disagreeing."

"I'll just pretend you promised that you're staying with me." He shot her a scowl.

"Come on, Chrissy," she laughed, leading him to the park. "You already know I'll stay with you forever."

"Let's make a promise," he said, his eyes lighting up. "Like those cool ones in the movies where we cut our palms!"

"Chris," she said, her tone hard.

"Oh shit, sorry, sorry!" he said quickly, catching on. "A pinky promise will do."

She shot him an annoyed look. "We're not kids anymore, you idiot."

"Are you offending pinky promises?" he said, gasping dramatically as she leant against the car.

She sighed and stuck out her pinky.

Grinning widely, he linked his through hers. "I, Christophe Elijah Davies, promise to stay by your side until the end of time."

Rolling her eyes, she spoke, a small smile tugging at her lips, "And I, Athena Natalie Graves, promise to stick by your side until the end of time as well."

Athena smiled bitterly as her eyes welled.

They were both such liars that day.

Because he didn't stay and she wasn't there when he needed her.

Promises were just words after all.

Sighing shakily, she pulled the sleeve of her hoodie down and walked the familiar path to her house, feeling sick.

The street was unusually quiet and she could hear the faint music coming out of her house.

She pushed the door open and decided to head to the basement, recalling that she had left her phone there a few days ago.

Henry and his bandmates were down there along with four other guys. She recognised the blond one as she had run into him once before. The boy sitting behind the drums seemed professional and played well and in tune with her cousin's singing.

Maddie leapt up from Blake's laps and jumped onto her, squealing. She had taken a great liking to Blake, much to Athena's dismay.

Maddie wrapped her arms around Athena's legs and talked loudly as the boys stopped the music, "Thena! These are Henry's friends. Lucas—" she pointed at the blond boy who was sitting on the floor, Indian style, with his own guitar, and he shot Athena a small smile, "—Archie—" Maddie pointed at the boy behind the drums and he grinned, waving her drumsticks, "—and Oliver!" she finished, pointing at the boy with crazy hair.