I Promise

Chapter 1

"How are you feeling, Maggie?" M. Nelson said. Again. He has asked me this every session for the past three years. Each time, I always answer the same way.

"Shitty" I snap.

"Are you feeling better than last week?" He sighs as I roll my eyes.

"No. This therapy is making it worse." I look out the window at the trees and the leaves that are about to fall. It's September, which means one thing. School. Ew.

"Any reason for that?" He asks, but I don't think he wants to know. He doesn't care.

"Because you don't care, and because you don't understand a thing." I snap. "My parents..."

"Well, is there an-" he starts, but I interrupt him. Two years of coming to this idiot, and I've dealt with it. Now, I've had enough.

"No! There is nothing that I ever have to tell you! You know that my parents died, you know I have depression now, there's nothing else to know! That's it! I'm wasting my time coming here because you are the most idiotic therapist who's just making it worse!" I yell, then I head to the door to leave.

"Maggie, if you want to stop coming here, fine. Don't come. Just be careful okay?" He says softly, but I ignore him, wipe my eyes, and walk out.

I have to walk back because my foster Mom is too busy to come and pick me up. She has four kids and a full time job, so since I'm the oldest I have to take care of myself. Especially now since school is starting tomorrow, and the three other kids are needing help to get ready. As I walk across the street to the day care Max is at, I see a family playing in the leaves on their yard. It's been years since I've been happy like that...

I knock, and they open the door for me. I see Max on the floor playing with his cars. He's four, and his Dad died when he was two and his Mom left him at the doorstep of the orphanage. He's the only one who actually likes me. The twins just ignore me most of the time. Max can really distract me from everything that's happened. He runs over to me and gives me a hug.

"Hi Maggie!" he says, while he grabs my hand to leave. I say thank you to the day care owner and walk out with Max.

"How was day care?" I ask him.

"Really fun!" He says as he jumped. "I played cars with my friend Jason, and then we watched Nemo!" He exclaims.

As we get to our house, Max sees all the leaves on our lawn and jumps in them, laughing. I give him a small smile, thinking about what he's gone through. He's stronger than I am.

-----

For a couple hours Max was entertained with his cars and trains. I sat on the couch watching him play, until our Mom got home from work. I look at the clock. 6:07.

"Maggie, could you go pick up Zach and Alex please? I'll take care of dinner tonight." My Mom yells from her room. I get up to head out the door when Max runs up behind me.

"Can I come?" Max asks me, pulling on my black t-shirt.

"Sure Max." I tell him as he goes to get his light up Skechers. "Mom, Max is coming with me!" I yell up at her as Max and I walk out the door.

Zach and Alex are twins. They're seven years old, and they aren't adopted. They don't really like Max and I. They think we're weird for being adopted. I walk around the block to get to their friend Luke's house. They've been playing there for the past couple hours. I knock on the door and Luke's Mom opens the door. She calls the boys upstairs, since they were watching a movie in the basement. The boys walk out with me after saying bye to Luke.

"How was your day with Luke? I ask them, not sure if they'll answer me.

"Good." Zach said, and that was the end of the conversation. As we walk into the house, Zach and Alex run to Mom to give her a hug.

"Hi boys! How was your day with Luke?" She asks while she keeps hugging them.

"Really fun!" Alex exclaims.

"That's great boys." she says, then looks up at me. "Thanks for picking them up." I give her a small smile. "Dinner will be ready in five minutes, Maggie, could you set the table?" I nod while I go to get the cutlery. "After dinner, I'll help Zach and Alex get their stuff ready for school tomorrow, could you help Max?" I nod again as Max starts jumping up and down

"Yay! I get to go to school tomorrow!" He keeps jumping around the kitchen.

As I help Mom put the plates of spaghetti at each seat of the table, the boys rush to their seats to start eating. I sit down beside Max and start eating.

"Maggie, how was therapy?" My Mom asks me with a half-concerned look.

"Good. The therapist said I don't have to keep going back anymore since I'm getting better" I lie. I try to be as convincing as possible, and Mom believes me.

"That's good." She says. We all keep eating in silence until everyone is done. I give each of the boys a chocolate chip cookie, then I take Max upstairs to his room to get his school stuff ready. He starts to get everything he needs for junior kindergarten. Crayons, markers, pens, pencils and some coloured paper. I help him organize everything, and put it in his bag. I go into my room, and Max follows me. I grab all of my textbooks, some lined paper, folders, pens, pencils and highlighters.

"Can I help put it all into your bag?" Max asks. I say yes, and I tell him where to put everything, and he does it. Once I put my bag in the corner of my room, ready for tomorrow, I walk with Max into his room. I pick up his Lightning McQueen backpack and set it near the door to his room.

"Thank you for helping me Maggie!" He says. I look over at the clock. 8:03.

"Max it's time for bed okay?" I say as I see him on the floor with his car.

"Okay." He says while he goes to get his pyjamas on.

"Call me when you're ready." I say as I walk out the door. I pass Zach and Alex's room and see Mom trying to help them, but the boys are throwing their crayons around the room. I keep walking, and I lie on my bed until Max calls me.

"Maggie!" I hear him yell. I get up and walk across the hall. I walk into his room and see him pop out from behind his dresser

"BOO!" he says, then starts to laugh. I smile.

"You really got me, Max. Now get in bed." He runs towards me, gives me a really tight hug.

"I love you, Maggie."

"I love you too Max." He turns around to get in bed. I tuck him in, then walk downstairs and turn on the TV. I look into the other boys room again, and Mom's got them under control. A few minutes later she comes downstairs.

"Boys are in bed. They were throwing crayons everywhere." She sighs. "I finally got them under control and got them to sleep." I nod.

"Max was completely fine. His school supplies are all packed." I say. I go to bed at 9:45. I need to sleep as much as I can because tomorrow is going to be a hard day.

A/N: So this is the first chapter! AAAHHHHH! I'm so excited for this book! I hope you guys liked it! Please vote, comment, and follow! THX!!!<3

-Steph