Sweet Promises

1. Invitations

Invitations

♛ EVERETT ♛

Cross Street 3582,
Wallingbrook

She blew the cloud of smoke past her lips and into the already polluted air, her hand hanging lazily off the railing. The view she saw were the same old, beaten down beige brick houses around her own. An auburn street cat was making some noise as it made its way across the street.

Everett had just gotten done with putting the dirty dishes away after having fed her mother both her breakfast and medication when she had decided to take a break to smoke. She definitely needed a new pack and a new lighter, she made sure to remember that for the next time she went to the local shop.

She was scrolling through social media on her old iPhone, seeing whose dog just passed on one of her classmate's spam page and whose new album got released. That and a bunch of memes tossed up together with some cute models.

A cold wind hit her half bare body and she felt herself shiver like a leaf. She was on her balcony in only a baggy t-shirt and her undies. At that moment she caught the stare of some random middle-aged neighbor down the street. He like her was smoking as well while sitting on his front porch. He smirked and made a gesture towards his junk.

Everett sighed and flipped him off. She took one last hit from her cigarette before squashing its butt on the railing and flicking it off into the wind.

She made her way inside with her phone in her left hand, leaving the balcony door open and exited the ghost like bedroom it was attached to. Just as she entered the tiny hallway her phone buzzed. She ignored it for a second and walked down the corridor before turning left into her pale pink bedroom. It had looked like that since she was 8 and she never bothered with changing it. Obviously the furniture had been swapped out over the years but the wallpaper remained the same.

She sank down into her bed and looked at her screen once again. She saw a notification from SnapChat and slid it open.

It was a message from Ken.

They attended the same school and while he had a flirty behavior around Everett she knew it was nothing real. Ken liked fooling around with a bunch of girls and was your typical party boy. And girls were aware of that, they too never got with him for anything permanent either other than the occasional poor girl.

"Yo Everett, my favorite girl.
I'm throwing a party this friday.
You finna come?"

***
♛ AMBER ♛

Eastwood Charter School,
Wallingbrook

It was lunch break and Amber was outdoors behind the school.

Ken's arm was slung comfortably across her shoulder and several of their mutual friends stood in front of them in somewhat of a circle. Jennie had just said something that caused everyone to laugh including herself.

Amber caught herself glancing at Ken. The sight of him was beautiful, the way his lips pulled back in a gorgeous smile while showcasing his dimples. His eyes shone with mirth. Her hand moved to pat his chest while wearing an identically wide smile.

"Don't choke now, big boy. That cigarette of yours is already killing you as it is," she playfully said to him.

Ken's future love would be one lucky girl she thought. Amber herself wasn't planning on having anything lasting with him, she wasn't interested in him in that sense. He was a good flirt though, she'd give him that. Definitely has good game but her brain was better hence why it also knew better.