The promise. [Short Chapters]

Chapter Two.

It was an hour into the gig, and I found myself sitting at a table in some random pub in the city while Josh tried to convince the bartender that he was eighteen so he could get us drinks. Elissa sounded lovely, but of course she did. She was a Franceschi, of course, and Franceschis were naturally talented. Both Elissa and Josh sang, wrote songs, and played guitar. In fact, Josh and Max were in a band with three boys who went to a public school in Josh and Max's hometown of Weybridge: Matt, Dan, and Chris. You Me At Six were a kind of try-hard screamo band, but Josh had shown me some of his newer songs, and they were actually quite good and not full of off-key shouts.

Speaking of the chode, Josh returned to the table with a sour expression on his face and a glass of Coke in either hand. "I left my fake I.D. in my dorm, and the dick won't buy that I'm eighteen."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You only turned seventeen last month and you have chipmunk cheeks. At this rate, you're not going to look eighteen until you're twenty."

"Bugger off." He wrinkled his nose at me and downed a mouthful of Coke. "Elissa's just got offstage, what do you say we say hello, then see what the lads are up to? It's Saturday, they're bound to be going to a party."

I shrugged. "Whatever."

"Fantastic input." Josh quipped, but before I could give him a sarcastic reply, Elissa snatched the Coke from his hand and smiled at her younger brother, who was now halfway leaping out of his chair to retrieve the drink.

"Finally made it to one of my gigs, huh, Joshy?" she teased, then turned to me. "Lola, hi! You look lovely!"

I stood up and gave her a hug. "See, Josh, why can't you be nice like your sister?"

Josh rolled his eyes, smirking. "I'll leave you two to catch up while I call Matt and see where the party's at."

As he walked away, Elissa turned to me with a grin. "Please tell me that dumb rule of Max's is not in effect anymore."

"Still quite in effect, actually."

"Well, shit, you guys break every other rule, right?" Elissa had a flicker of hope in her eyes.

"What's this about, Liss?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh come on, Lola, you can't seriously tell me that you haven't realized yet that you and Josh are perfect for each other?" she uttered the words I somehow dreaded without knowing I dreaded them. She noticed my dumb expression and continued on, "I mean, think about it, Lo: you two have known each other for ages, and you're such opposites, but somehow still so similar. Plus, I see the way you look at each other. It's fate!"

"Lissy, you must be drunk or high or on the worst adrenaline rush ever or something," I mumbled. "Josh and I are not and will never ever ever be dating. It's just weird."

My words were coming out somewhat robotically. I wasn't completely aware of what I was saying or why the hell I was saying it, but whatever it was, Elissa was not buying it.

"I know you don't believe that for a second."

Before I could even think about what she said, Josh was back at the table, grinning.

"Matt texted me the address. Party is a go! Great set, Lissy. I may visit next weekend if I can be bothered to drive down!"

He was practically shouting by the end of his sentence, because he had yet again grabbed me, this time by the hand, and dragged me outside.

"You're a forceful little shit tonight, aren't you?" I mumbled a bit uncomfortably, still weirded out from the conversation with Elissa.

"Where the hell's this party anyway? I never know with Matt, he's a terrible judge of character and sketchy fucking neighbourhoods."

"Relax, Lo, it's a block from his place. Matt's neighbourhood is nice." Josh rolled his eyes as we climbed into yet another taxi. I couldn't help but notice that instead of each of us sitting in the seats closest to the windows, Josh sat in the middle after I slid into the far right seat. I said nothing, though, and stayed quiet most of the cab ride, falling asleep about ten minutes in only to be so rudely awoken half an hour later.

"LOOOLAAA!"

I was going to murder Josh, Matt, Dan, and Chris. Even silent goddamn Chris screamed in my ear to wake me up. I shot the four of them my best death glare before whacking Josh upside the head with my bag. He faked the pain, but I simply nudged him out of my way with the toe of my right sandal. My bag only had a phone and wallet in it and he was a terrible faker, so I didn't feel bad at all.

"This party had better not be shit, Matthew. I could be sitting in the common room watching cheesy 80's movies right now, but I am such a good friend to Joshua and accompanied him to this sausage fest." I started walking into the house -- whoever's it was -- and the four of them followed me. I felt like a gang leader until Matt and Dan peeled off to get us all drinks and Chris went back to his girlfriend.

"Alone at last," Josh said in a wicked tone, raising his hands up in some odd position that made him look like an extra in the Thriller video. I just raised an eyebrow and elbowed him in the chest.

"Stop doing that, you look like a moron."

Josh rolled his eyes. "You're feisty today, Arianne." I knew by his use of my middle name that he was serious, and I wasn't in the mood for a serious conversation.

I physically and mentally deflated a little. "I've, uh, just been thinking and what not. Shocker, right?"

"Thinking about what? Somethin' got you down?" He sat on the back of an occupied sofa, much to the dismay of the couple sitting on the other side, and ushered for me to sit next to him.

"You could say so, yeah." My tone was flat and ambiguous.

"...And would you care to elaborate?"

Luckily, before I could mumble an awkward "no", Matt and Dan returned, carrying two beers each. Matt handed his to Josh, and Dan handed his to me before the two of them wiggled their eyebrows suggestively.

"Romantic," Matt said with an evil smirk, as if I didn't want to punch him enough already.

Before Josh could say anything, I let out a quick "Hardly" and downed a mouthful of beer. Matt just shook his head.

"Lola, Lola, Lola," he said ambiguously and patted my shoulder. I gave him my best "what the fuck are you on?" face before he brushed past me with that same confusing smile. I gave Josh pleading eyes, but he didn't seem to notice them, too busy being a stupid fuck.