Promise :: Tom Hiddleston ::

Chapter 2

Present day
:: Ellie ::

My eyes flew open. I was in my bed. Warm and cozy wrapped up in my covers. My window was open. The light breeze from outside blowing against my curtains. I replayed the dream in my head. Mostly the face of the man and that woman. The dream was always the same. Ever since I turned 16 two months ago. I try to understand what it means. But I get nothing. I get up from my bed and stretched, looking over at my alarm. 5:30 AM.

I walked over to my closet and open the door. The back of it covered with sticky notes and a map of the world along with some pictures of places I wanted to visit. Paris, London, Italy. I grabbed my running clothes and closed the door. I put them on. along with my sneakers. Putting my hair up into a high pony tail.

I grabbed my phone and headphones before walking out of my room. I tip toed quietly down the hall, stopping at a door at the end. Pushing the door slightly I peeked into the room to check on my dad. He was asleep. His short brown hair tussled from moving around and his sleep. He should be up by the time I come back.

I made my way down stairs quietly. I touched the picture of my mom that hung on the wall next to the stairs before walking out the door. No one was up and out in our neighborhood right now. The sun was only beginning to come up. So it was the perfect time for me to do this. When it was quite. I started to run at my regular pace. Taking out my phone I put on my headphones, shuffled my music as the first song began to play.

When she was just a girl

She expected the word

But it blew away from her reach

So she ran away in her sleep

And dreamed of

Para-para-paradise

Para-para-paradise

Para-para-paradise

Every time she closed her eyes

I jog up the street then turned the corner, stopping to a halt. There was a man across the street. Tall, long dark hair, pale skin, dark clothes, gloves and sunglasses. And he was looking right at me. I started to run again, looking back when I got father away and saw that he was gone. I stopped again, turning around in a full circle to find out where he had gone. But I didn't seet him anywhere. With a shrug I turn and continue my run once more.
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When I came back to my house the light in the kitchen was on. I could hear the pots and pans rattle as my Dad was going threw the cabinets. I walked in just as he pulled out a pan and placed it on the stove.

"Good morning." I said

"Morning. How was your run?" he asked.

"It was good. But there was this guy staring at me from across the street."

"What did he look like?"

"Tall, dark and handsome."

"You can't be serious."

I just smiled as I opened the fridge, grabbing the carton of orange juice. My dad placed a cup down on the counter. I poured the juice in the cup. My dad then going into the fridge and taking out the carton of eggs. I placed the carton on the counter.

"So, dad. While I was running a thought occurred to me." I said.

"And that thought is...?" He asked.

"It's Fall. And you said that I could take a week off of school to go on that big trip to Europe."

I have been waiting for this trip for a long time. Since my dad said that could go--as long as I had a family relative with me--Everything was planned out already. I had all my money saved up. My Dad sighed.

"Not this year Ellie." He said.

"What?! But you said-"

"I know what I said. But there are certain things that are keeping you from going on that trip."

"Like what?"

"You're failing 5 of your classes. All honors too."

"Okay. So I've been off my game lately."

"Yes, you have. Ever since you've turned sixteen you've been "off your game." Is something going in that you're not telling me?"

"No."

"Ellie."

"There's nothing! I'm telling the truth."

He looked at me for a while before sighing again, lighting the stove. He started to crack some eggs into a bowl.

"When you get home from school I'm not going to be here. I don't know how late. So that means--"

"Be home before it gets to dark. Lock the doors. No one can come over."

"Right."

"But...can Calvin come. Only for a little while."

"If he can help you do your homework. And maybe knock some sense into you, and get you back on the right track. Then yes he can."

I did a happy dance and my Dad shook his head. I finished my juice, putting the cup in the sink. I gave my dad a kiss on the check.

"I'm gonna go get ready for school!" I said.

I started walking out of the kitchen when something moved across the window of the kitchen. I kept starring. Waiting for something to happen again.

"Ellie?"

I looked at my dad who was looking at me, then out the window.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah..." I said.

I went up the stairs and into my room. Closing the door.