Home- Sequel To Promise Me: Adopted By NateWantsToBattle

Chapter 1

Charlotte's POV

"Charlotte Louise Fuller! What did you do!" Laura yelled at me. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again!" "Sorry isn't good enough! Get over here!" James yelled. I slinked over to him and prepared for the sharp sting of his hand on my face. I fell to the floor and held my cheek. "Clean this up then go to your room!" I got up and hurried to clean up for my parent's guests. After I set the appetizers down, I ran away from them and into the cupboard under the stairs. Yes, I am a literal Harry Potter. Laura and James felt like I didn't deserve to have a big room. I had to sleep on a cot in a room filled with spiders and cobwebs. There's a secret room under my bed that I use for storage. Sometimes I sleep in it. Laura and James don't know about it. It's how I can communicate to the outside world without being caught. Mainly to The Scene back in LA. Hale doesn't answer. I didn't learn why until much later. I never text Nate. He talks to me but I never answer. I know it's crushing him to have me do that. The front door opened and I shut the cupboard door. I locked it so no one would open it. It's what Laura told me to do. She doesn't want me to be seen. I didn't feel like eating tonight. I had a secret stash of good foods and not the disgusting leftovers James feeds me. I pulled the chain on the light and laid down on the cot. I knew I shouldn't fall asleep. I would have to clean up after all the guests left. At 9 o'clock, I turned the light on and opened up another secret cubby in the wall. It's big enough to fit only small items. Inside, I keep my 15th birthday present from Nate. Neither Laura, nor James ever found out about it. I read the note attatched to it. Nate's words made me smile. Sometimes, I open the locket and see the picture of us at the beach; him holding me and me posing in his arms. I rubbed my thumb across the silver treble clef on it. I slipped the box away and wiped away a tear I felt falling down my cheek. At 11 o'clock, the front door shut and Laura and James went upstairs. I unlocked the door and went out to quietly clean up the mess. Wine bottles were strewn about; the corks all lying in a messy pile. I hid the corks in my pocket and cleaned up the bottles. I slipped out into the night at placed the glass bottles in the bin. Before I walked inside, I looked up at the stars. I noticed the North Star in the middle of the sky. I shook my head and walked back into the house. I stacked the plates up and set them into the dishwasher. I cleaned off the wine glasses and set them on a towel to dry. I pulled out the silent vaccum and cleaned up the crumbs. I looked at the now dry glasses and put them away. It was past one o'clock in the morning when I had finished. I wanted to collapse on the couch, but refrained. I turned the lights off and slipped into my "room". I changed into my old pajamas I had recieved from the orphanage. I never unpacked my old clothes. They didn't seem right for me; the maid. Luckly I kept some old clothes handy. I turned the light off and slipped under the thin sheet I used as my blanket. I missed my old room in LA. The warm blankets, the window looking out towards the tall skyscrapers of the city. I thought about my family back home. I started crying when I thought about Nate. He was my protector. When I had nightmares, he was there to comfort me. I eventually cried myself to sleep, hoping that somehow, the night would never end.

Nate's POV

I looked at my phone again, hoping for once that Charlotte had replied back to anything I sent her. I missed hearing her ringtone on my phone. I had set it to play her song whenever she texted me. She started off talking to me. Now, she never does. Looking at the house, I had it all ready for her. Her room was still neat like the day she left it. I went out and filled her closet with new clothes. The dress was still sitting in the closet. I had gotten her a piano so she wouldn't have to use mine all the time. Morgan was ready for her to come home. We had decided to get married soon after Charlotte came home. She had already started looking for dresses and we had thought about a venue. I had already bought the engagement ring, but Morgan didn't know I did. Everything was ready. We were all waiting. Especially me. I missed her 16th birthday and she missed Christmas in LA. Charlotte and I haven't talked in over a year. Now, I was afraid she wouldn't come home at all.