I Promise You

(15) Little Do You Know

"Still not a fan of those uniforms!" I said, looking at myself in the mirror again, deciding wether to wear my hair up or down. "Guess who's watching us" Poppy said and I turned around to see Jesse looking through is window. "Idiot" I said and went to window. "Hey stalker" I said through the open window. "Babe" He said with his typical Jesse smirk. "Hey, what do you think? Hair up or hair down?" I asked, demonstarting it. "Leave your hair down, looks way better" He said and I smiled "Thanks" "Who are you styling up for?" He asked curious, probably hoping it was him. "My boyfriend" I said and his smiled disappeared. I closed the window and pulled the curtain close.

"That was harsh" Poppy said. "What?" I asked "Who better to ask than my future husband" I said joking. "You're sounding like Jesse" Phoebe said. "Maybe he is my future husband" I said laughing, not really believing it. "Yeah, let's get downstairs before the bus comes" Poppy said and the two of us agreed. We grabbed our bags and just a short time later we were sitting on the porch and were joined by Jesse. "All the single ladies" Jesse said, winking at us. "None of us is single" Poppy said and Jesse pretended not to have heard it.

He was rambling on about the future he had planned for me and him. I totally ignored him. I was texting with Jake. I was ripped out of my bubble by the honking of the bus. I looked up, grabbed my bag and all of us got onto the bus. Phoebe and me taking a bench and Poppy sitting down next to Hanna. I watched Jesse going to the back of the bus to meet with Jonah, but Jake wasn't there. I immediately texted Jake, but he didn't reply, so I just talked to Phoebe.

About 15 minutes the bus stopped in front of the school and all of us got out. As I was leaving the bus, I saw that Jake was already standing there, waiting. "Hey" I said happy and hurried towards him "Hey" He answered and briefly kissed me. "Why weren't you on the bus?" I asked confused, while he put his arm around me "My dad drove me" He answered. "Cool" I said as we walked into the school building. Suddenly Jake walked faster like he didn't want someone to see us. "Jacob" I heard an older man yell and Jake stopped walking.

"I'm sorry" He apologized and we turned around. "Dad" He said faking to be surprised. "I thought you didn't hear me at first" He said "Yeah, I was in a conversation" He lied. "I see that, who is this young lady? Aren't you with Poppy Lewis?" He asked. "Not anymore. This is Promise Copeland, my new girlfriend" He introduced me. "Nice to meet you Mister Abrahams" I said, holding my hand out. He shook it "American" He said. "Yeah, I'm here for a few months. I wanted to see more of the world and that before I was 18" I told him. "How old are you if I may ask" He asked. "I'm 15" I told him. "Are your parents here too?" He asked. "No, they are in America with my little brother. I live with the Lewis family" I told him and then the bell rang.

"We gotta go to class dad" Jake said and pulled me away from his dad "I'm so sorry" He said. "No, it's okay. I totally get that. Parents are careful about their kids partners. I've been there" I told him, holding back the entire story, since that is part of the reason I actually escaped Morrison Creek. I wasn't ready to tell Jake yet. I wasn't even ready to let Phoebe know. "Maybe if you tell him I'm a straight A student, he will like me better" I joked, which made him laugh "And thanks for holding back" He said. "Hey, I know how to talk to parents. They usually love me" I told him and he laughed again "I'll see you at lunch?" He asked and I nod "See you" I said. We quickly kissed goodbye and I entered the class room and sat down next to Hollis. "Hey" I greeted her.

"How are you holding up in school?" She asked. "Good, thanks to you. I can't thank you enough" I said and smiled at her. "No problem. I'm glad I could help" She said and then our attention went to the front of the class, where the teacher started his lesson. About ten minutes later Jesse stormed into the class. "Mister Ashcroft I presume" The history teacher said. "You presumed right" He said and sat down at the desk behind me. "You're taking the bus to school and still you're late. I'm guessing you will never be on time" I said and turned back to the font. "Maybe when I got you on my side I have a reason to be on time" He said and I rolled my eyes and just started to ignore him again.

After school, Phoebe, Poppy and I were once again sitting in my room "I met Jake's dad today" I said and Poppy looked at me "He is horrible, isn't he?" She asked and I nod "I felt like I was in court or something like that and he didn't know that you two had broken up" I said. "Yeah, Jake and his dad aren't close. He is always busy with work" Poppy told me. "What does he do?" I asked curious. "He's a businessman" She told me. "Is he home a lot?" I asked and Poppy shook her head no "No, he's traveling from one of his businesses to another" She explained.

"Did you just say businesses? As in more than one?" I asked and she nod confused "You didn't know?" She asked confused and I shook my head no. "Jake's dad owns half of London. Ashwood is also his school" Poppy said and my eyes widen "He didn't tell you?" "No! He didn't tell me that Principal Higgins' paycheck has his dad's name on it!" I said. "And I was wondering why he would take me on so many expensive trips on that date and has the next one planned already" I said "I feel so stupid now!"

"Maybe he was hoping that Poppy hadn't told you and wanted to see if you like him for him and not for his money" Phoebe said. "That's crazy and stupid! Also, I would never have gotten a guy like him if he knew the truth about me!" I said and laid down on my bed, hiding my head underneath the pillow. "What truth?" Phoebe asked confused.

When I had removed the pillow from my face I could see that Poppy and Phoebe were looking at each other confused, before they looked back at me. "There is so much that you don't know about me yet..." I said and sat up. "You know you can talk to us, right?" Poppy asked and sat down on my bed, so did Phoebe.

"Okay, I'm gonna start from the beginning..." I said and took a deep breath "My parents aren't only married, they are also step-siblings. They were dating when they were young, then lost each other. When they were teenagers, just a year older than me, they found each other again, because my mom's mom married my dad's dad. They had an up and down relationship, but then my mom got pregnant at 17, having my dad's seventh child. He had already six kids he wasn't allowed to see and probably didn't care about, from five different girls. Two daughters are my two best friends, Evie and Veronica" I said and made a short break.

"Do they know?" Phoebe asked and I shook my head no. "They don't. I came here, so I don't have to face them and lie to their faces. Another one of my half-brothers is my ex-boyfriend and the reason my parents told me about everything" I told them. "Wo.." Phoebe said. "What would Jake's dad think if he knew all of that? Or the fact that my parents have eight brothers? Or what would Jake himself think?" I asked.

"Does Jesse know?" Phoebe asked and I nod "Yeah, he is friends with two of my brothers without even knowing it and I don't want him to know" I told them.