You promise?

Chapter 1

Alex

"I'll be there in five minutes, okay? No! Yes, yes, yes! Why do you think that? I left the house a while ago, okay?" The doorbell rings so loudly that I close my eyes, and a laugh on the other end of the line makes me curse.

"I'm leaving the house right now, okay? Start without me." I hang up the phone before I hear the mockery on the other end.

I dropped my phone on the couch near the kitchen.

I look at the time on my watch and curse again, running my hand over my hair.

Drops fall and scatter on the floor. I ran the towel through it, trying to make the water disappear.

The doorbell rings again, and I roll my eyes, throwing the towel on the couch. I heard in my mind my mother's voice, scolding me from heaven for not hanging it up at that very moment.

"I'm coming! Jesus, what impatience!" I open the door, and I have to lower my eyes a little to see a little black-haired girl looking at me with an uncomfortable smile.

It doesn't take my brain long to recognize her.

Nothing has changed, even though it's been about four years since we were last together in the same room.

"Alex." Her voice sounds energetic, maybe more so than she would have wanted it to be.

My brow furrows, trying to think of the reason for her visit.

"Charlo..."

"Char is fine." She cuts me off, smiling a little awkwardly. "Are you about to leave?"

I blink, look at the street behind her, and notice that there is no car parked, no cab or even a bike to indicate how she got to my house.

My face starts to hurt from my frown.

"Yes, I... I was planning to go out, what are you doing here?" I ask, still with my hand on the door, unable to process anything, to remember to be polite and invite her in.

"Can I come with you?" Her question makes me turn to look at her again.

And that's when I noticed her outfit—a shiny dress, a little above her knees, tight on her breasts but hiding them without any problem.

"Do you want to go... How do you even know? Does your brother know...?"

"That doesn't matter, you don't have to worry about him," she says firmly, showing a darkness in her eyes that doesn't match the relaxed smile that's on her face.

I laugh, sighing, not understanding anything but interested in the present situation.

"Are you even of age?" I ask with all mockery. I know damn well she is; if I'm not miscounting, the last time we saw each other was at my graduation; she was barely 14 then.

"I am," she says, moving a little closer to me, determined to prove it somehow. My eyebrows rise. "I am! I'm serious, I can show you my ID if you want," she says and starts patting her dress, looking for a bag.

"I believe you." I say, and she turns to look at me. "I'm going to ignore the fact that you know where I live and that you know I'm going out and let you come with me. Just because I'm running late and they're waiting for me."

Her eyes light up, and her smile seems more genuine.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting any longer, then."