BY NABLATSE N0K0NE

Copyiight NABLATSE N0K0NE 2u1S

This is a legally uistiibuteu fiee euition fiom www.obooko.com
The authoi's intellectual piopeity iights aie piotecteu by inteinational Copyiight law.
You aie licenseu to use this uigital copy stiictly foi youi peisonal enjoyment only. No
pait of this publication may be iepiouuceu oi uistiibuteu commeicially without the
piioi wiitten peimission of the authoi.
This fiee euition must nevei be offeieu foi sale in any foim.







The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
2
CBAPTER 1

I iakeu my biush thiough my uaik haii, it's long anu thick, anu the aubuin
tint is only visible in the sunlight. uiven that I was alieauy late I uiun't have time
to uo anything fancy with it.
Ny gaze uioppeu to the necklace my Nom gave me when I was little. I
absolutely loveu it; it hau a veiy vintage style to it. It lookeu piiceless yet simple
anu my mothei claim that it's been in hei family foi geneiations.
I'm Katelyn Nelanie uilbeit, pioclaimeu one of the populai giils high school.
Eveiyone saw me as the spoileu mean giil who always gets what she wants.
Sometimes the false peiception people have of me botheis me. I was not mean, I
was outspoken. I was not spoileu; I was piivilegeu.
I sigheu anu stoou up fiom my uiessing table, it was a Nonuay. I hateu this
uay with a passion as any 16-yeai-olu 1u
th
giauei woulu.
"Nom!" I calleu out, anu minutes latei she appeaieu on the uooiway,
leaning against it. "Bave you seen my black Chanel bag anywheie." I askeu.
"Biu you check youi bottom uiawei. You always leave stuff theie anu foiget
them sweetie." She saiu with a slight smile. She walkeu fuithei into my ioom; hei
movement was effoitlessly elegant.
Lucky Nelissa uilbeit is a veiy beautiful woman, anu I'm not even being
biaseu because she's my mothei. Foi a woman in hei foities she coulu easily pass
off as being in hei eaily thiities. Almost eveiyone says I look like hei, although I
uon't have hei gieen eyes. They'ie hei most beautiful featuie, sometimes I wish I
hau them too but I have my Bau's eyes insteau. Not that I'm complaining.
I think I unconsciously iuolize my mothei, but woulu nevei aumit it to
myself anu especially to hei, I uon't even know why.
I went to the uiawei next to my closet anu pulleu at the bottom one, inueeu
I founu my bag unuei a whole heap of stuff I've been looking foi. I maue a mental
note to always look theie when I lose something.
"Thanks." I saiu to hei when I tuineu back, "Suie." she saiu sitting on the
euge of my uouble beu, its then that I noticeu she was uiesseu foi woik. She
woie a miu-length beige uiess anu black heels. Bei long haii was tieu into a neat
chignon. She lookeu piofessional anu chic.
"Can we talk." she askeu anu I sigheu, "I'm late Nom, can't we talk latei." I
saiu, putting all my stuff in my bag.
"This won't take long Katelyn." She saiu patting the empty space next to hei;
she useu hei no nonsense tone, when she uiu theie was no aiguing with hei. I
obligeu, settling next to hei.
"This is about youi little sistei." She saiu anu I thiew my aims up
"What about hei.." I askeu exaspeiateu, she gave me a haiu look anu I kept
quiet. "You know what." She saiu then sigheu, "}anie feels like you'ie neglecting
hei, she thinks you uon't like hei," she auueu.
"That's ciazy, I love hei." I saiu anu she nouueu
"I know, but she neeus to heai that anu see it fiom you." She saiu, "You'ie
hei big sistei Katelyn, she looks up to you, it woulun't huit to pay some attention
to hei," she auueu tucking some of my haii behinu my eai.
"}anie is not exactly lacking any fiienus Nom." I pointeu out anu she gave
me a knowing look. "You know that's not what I meant." She saiu "Spenu time
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S
with hei, go to the movies with hei oi the beach, oi something. It woulu mean a
lot to hei," she auueu anu I gioaneu giving up.
"Fine, I'll go talk to hei." I saiu anu she kisseu my cheek, stoou up anu left.
I shook my heau finishing getting ieauy, my Nom's gift is peisuasion. No
wonuei she has Bau wiappeu aiounu hei fingei.
When I was uone I walkeu out of my ioom, closing to uooi behinu me anu
heaueu towaius }anie's, which was aiounu the coinei fiom mine. I knockeu anu
heaiu hei ieply to come in. She was slightly suipiiseu to see me walk in; she
lookeu ieauy foi school too, though she was in miuule school.
"Katelyn." She beameu anu I smileu at hei, my 12-yeai olu little sistei was a
bag of sweet potatoes. She was nice but a little obnoxious sometimes, which is
why I likeu to stay cleai of hei. I nevei thought my uoing so woulu huit hei
feelings.
She hau the same black haii that ian in oui family but hei blue eyes weie
lightei than the iest of ouis.
"Bey }anie, want to uo something fun aftei school." I askeu anu she quickly
nouueu, obviously exciteu. I chuckleu at hei ieaction "0kay, we'll chat latei
okay." I askeu anu she eageily agieeu.
I went uown the hallway anu uown the long staiicase; the mansion I calleu
home was bieathtaking fiom the outsiue as it was on the insiue. It coulu go fiom
being my sanctuaiy to being my peisonal hell with the ciazy family I hau. I loveu
eveiy single one of them but getting on each othei's thioats was inevitable. 0i
was that just my own teenage angst talking.
I pauseu when I saw my Nom anu Bau in the kitchen, she was laughing with
hei heau back anu my Bau was smiling at hei with his aim aiounu hei waist anu
a cup of coffee in the othei hanu.
I smileu at the scene in spite of myself, I uon't think I fully unueistanu the
love they shaie, blame it on my age oi whatevei. But I liveu in a society that
uoesn't believe in tiue love oi its existence foi that mattei. It was goou to see
that it was theie, anu I hopeu that one uay I'u get to expeiience it myself.
They weie cute but still nauseating sometimes; they'ie still my paients aftei
all. I benu uown anu walkeu in between them, puiposely hinting foi them to
stop. I guess they got the message because they gave each othei a knowing look.
"Noining angel." Bau saiu to me as I giabbeu the fiesh toast off the toastei
anu quickly butteieu it.
"Bi Bau." I ieplieu; I gave up tiying to get him to stop calling me by that
nickname. I quickly took in his well-suiteu appeaiance; my Bau was a woilu-
ienowneu coipoiate mogul, anu that also came with some meuia attention. The
name }esse uilbeit meant a lot of things to many people but to me he was just my
Bau. Ny oveipiotective, sweet, but sometimes annoying fathei.
I took anothei bite out of the ciispy slice as I maue my way out the kitchen
islanu, "Youi biothei left a couple of minutes ago." Nom saiu anu I shiuggeu,
"0kay." I saiu lamely; I uiun't ieally caie about }T's wheieabouts.
"Anu }anie." Bau piobeu anu I iolleu my eyes "Bon't woiiy Bau, Nom
alieauy gave me the 411. She anu I aie going to have some sisteily bonuing aftei
school." I saiu anu he flasheu me a biilliant smile.
"I have to go. Bye." I saiu giving them both quick hugs anu iushing out
towaius the gaiage; oui massive gaiage was an automobile exhibition. I got into
my silvei }aguai XK conveitible; I inhaleu the bianu new cai smell anu smileu to
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
4
myself as I pusheu the stait button. It was a biithuay piesent fiom my Bau anu
now that I have my uiivei's license I can uiive it on my own. It's a pietty
luxuiious cai foi a 16 yeai olu, but hey, when youi Bau is a multi billionaiie
anything goes iight. Be loveu to spoil me; hell he nameu his piivate plane aftei
me. Something he let me giow up believing I owneu. Then again he spoils all of
us, he nameu his massive yacht !"#$%&' )%"*+, anu his islanu aftei my Nom.
I uiove out of the ciiculai uiive way anu out of the tall metal gates. I uiun't
minu the uiive back to the city much; I loveu the fact that we weie secluueu fiom
the iest of the town.
The city of angels helu a special place in my heait; I loveu eveiything about
this city. The palm tiees, the weathei, the glitz anu glamoui; I've always been
uown with what LA hau to offei.
I pulleu up on my high school's paiking lot, inueeu I saw }T's ieu Naseiati
on its usual paiking spot. 0h yes, my big biothei }T.
The pioclaimeu bau boy anu the school's hottie; they weie also wiong
about him. Theie's such an extieme neeu to class eveiyone in high school, its sau.
It mostly just clouus anu naiiows oui juugment in eveiyone anu eveiything.
}T was the stuuent bouy piesiuent anu the school's football quaiteiback;
this was his senioi yeai. Be hau the same oveiachieving mentality as Bau; he was
intelligent anu uiiven. 0theis say I have those qualities as well, but I just uiu
what I thought was necessaiy, nothing moie nothing less. }T was also the
oveipiotective big biothei ovei }anie anu I, as if uealing with Bau wasn't bau
enough.
The only thing }T uiu that pisseu me off was uate Auiianna Spaiks, the
blonue cheeileauing captain anu oveiall bitchy bimbo.
She was nice to me when }T was aiounu but as soon as he was gone she
shaipeneu hei claws. }ust being aiounu hei was exhausting anu I piefeiieu not
to be but I coulun't get away fiom hei because she's foievei clinging onto }T.
I got out of my cai anu saw Tess appioach me, Theiesa Collins has been my
best fiienu since miuule school, no one unueistoou me like she uiu.
She was a natuial ieuheau, she mostly woie it long anu wavy, anu she hau
waim biown eyes, she was an oveiall pietty giil. I huggeu hei when she ieacheu
me
"I'm so high-jacking that bag." She teaseu as we walkeu out of the lot.
"Bow about you ask nicely insteau." I saiu anu she chuckleu. Nany of the
stuuents hau alieauy aiiiveu, going thiough the main entiance of the school.
Walking thiough the ciowueu hallways of St. }osephs Bigh School felt like toituie
sometimes. I'll nevei unueistanu why my paients ueciueu to senu us to public
schools. Then again the thought of attenuing at one of those uptight snobbish
piivate schools maue my skin ciawl.
We walkeu ovei to oui lockeis anu I took out my books foi the fiist peiiou,
"Come ovei to my house aftei school." Tess saiu locking heis; I giimaceu.
"I can't, I piomiseu }anie we'u uo something touay." I saiu anu she chuckleu
"Youi paient's iuea." she askeu anu I nouueu "Well why uon't you biing hei
ovei too." she askeu anu I thought about it foi a shoit while.
"That's actually a gieat plan Tess, I'll suggest it to hei anu let you know." I
saiu anu the bell iang making me slightly wince.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S
"I know; it gets to me too, eveiy time." Tess saiu anu I sheepishly smileu at
hei, she entwineu hei aim with mine, "Lets get this ovei with." I saiu anu we
walkeu to oui fiist class.




CBAPTER 2

I was glau when I walkeu into ait class; this was the only class Tess uiun't
take with me. Somehow that nevei ueteiieu me fiom absolutely loving it. I woulu
always sketch stuff when I was little; I guess I got my love foi ait fiom my Bau.
l oJmlte ott my ooqel bot yoo bove tbe toleot to cteote lt he once saiu to me.
I maue my way to my uesk; the othei stuuents quickly filleu the classioom
as well. I absently toyeu with my pencil waiting foi them to settle uown, a biief
silence maue me look up.
Ny gaze lockeu on the new guy talking to Ni. Anueison, he hau uiity blonue
haii that hung loose aiounu his haiiline. Be uefinitely hau an athlete's bouy but
he was not bulky. Be also lookeu slightly oluei, 17, 18 maybe. I was pietty suie
he was new heie, with his looks; I woulu've noticeu him befoie. I hau a new
uefinition foi 'hot guy' now anu foi a moment I caught myself ogling him like
most of the giils in this class.
wbot tbe bell! I chastiseu myself, foicing my gaze uown again. Ni. Anueison
intiouuceu him as Bianuon Caitei; I stole a peek at him again anu tiieu to make
quick obseivations about him. Fiom the way he uiesseu, he's fiom a well-to-uo
family. Bis expiession gave off a sense of confiuence, maybe a little cockiness.
Be also lookeu like he hau a wilu stieak.tiouble; he was tiouble.
}ust my ciappy luck! The one guy I felt slight attiaction to hau to possibly be
a total piick.
Ni. Anueison instiucteu him to take an empty uesk, that's when I iealizeu
the only empty one was iight behinu me. I uiun't know weathei to be glau oi
pisseu off, all I knew foi suie was that I coulun't affoiu to be ciushing on the new
hot guy who was obviously tiouble.
Be walkeu ovei with leisuiely stiiues anu oui gazes met foi a seconu; he
hau beautiful giey eyes, they weie shaip, intense anu mischievous. I bioke the
connection when I felt my pulse pick up a little, besiues I was positive he was
useu to giils being staiiy-eyeu aiounu him. Be ceitainly uiun't neeu me to auu to
that tally.
Ni. Anueison staiteu the class anu I felt a weiiu feeling come ovei me, it felt
a little electiic anu waim. The feeling was not unpleasant; it just causeu
uneasiness anu tension. I shook my heau, tiying to get iiu of whatevei lt was but
nothing woikeu. Was I getting sick. Was I imagining it. What the hell was it
anyway.
A shaip bieath escapeu me when the feeling uisappeaieu.
I wonueieu what hau causeu it in the fiist place, oi if it was all in my heau.
Then I thought maybe the Bianuon guy causeu it. I quickly uismisseu that silly
thought anu tiieu to focus on the lesson.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
6

Aftei the bell iang foi lunch bieak I went out of the class, not uaiing to look
in Bianuon's uiiection. I maue my way to my lockei staking my books in anu
closeu it. I iesteu my foieheau against it foi a seconu anu Tess showeu up
"Whoa, you look flusheu. Aie you okay." She saiu anu I manageu a smile foi
hei, I uiun't know why I felt so uiaineu. "I'm fine." I saiu.
"Well uiu you heai." she saiu opening hei lockei, I iaiseu my eyebiows at
hei
"Theie's a new hot guy in school." She saiu anu I swalloweu haiu
"Yeah, I heaiu." I saiu leaving it at that.
"I got a loau of him on my way to music class, uamn that boy is fine. Well not
}T uilbeit hot, but hot nonetheless." She saiu anu I fiowneu.
Tess has hau a ciush on my biothei foi as long as I can iemembei, she
thinks he uoesn't know she exists but she's my best fiienu anu she's been to my
house a couple of times, of couise he knows hei.
"Ew Tess, you know how I get when you fangiil ovei my biothei." I saiu anu
she iolleu hei eyes. "Come on, lunch's on me." she saiu.
We went to the cafeteiia anu like any othei high school; eveiyone sat in
theii iespective cliques oi innei ciicles. Eveiyone knew who I was, but I wasn't
youi conventional populai giil. Ny noimally waiy natuie uiun't make me bubbly
oi easy to hang out with.
Tess anu I giabbeu a tiay anu took tuins filling it with foou; I tuineu only to
bump into Auiianna. I tiieu to still my tiay, but a small poition of my foou spilleu
onto hei cheeileauing shiit. I unconsciously apologizeu, she gaspeu
"Watch wheie you'ie going you little twit!" she hisseu anu the little iemoise
I felt vanisheu. I was about to make a snappy ietoit when }T appeaieu out of
nowheie
"Is theie a pioblem." Be askeu nonchalantly, his blue eyes looking between
the two of us.
Auiianna plasteieu a fake smile, "No, just a mistake." She saiu anu I iolleu
my eyes. She at leaseu knew }T well enough to know that theii ielationship
woulu be ovei if he thought she was mean to me. But l knew my biothei well
enough to know that he wasn't easily manipulateu, a pait of me knew that he
coulu see thiough hei. What I coulun't unueistanu was why he was still with hei.
"Let's go sit uown Aue." Be saiu to hei then gave me a smile that I uiun't
ietuin, I lookeu back to see them walk ovei to theii table. Auiianna lookeu back
too anu shot me an icy glaie that I uefinitely ietuineu.
I staiteu towaius Tess when I noticeu a paii of giey eyes watching me, my
stiiue falteieu a little. Bianuon tuineu his attention back to his new set of fiienus
whom weie mostly giils, anu I uiun't like the fact that it botheieu me.
I sat uown on my table, it was on the fai coinei anu only Tess anu I sat
theie, we both loveu it because it alloweu moie piivacy.
"Aie you okay." Tess askeu, iefeiiing to my neai fight with Auiianna
"Yeah." I saiu monotonously. She lookeu at the paii
"She's all wiong foi him." She saiu, "What uoes he see in hei." she auueu,
anu I also glanceu at them. "Beats me too." I mutteieu then flincheu. Realizing
that I askeu myself that question out of annoyance anu she uiu so out of huit. I
sometimes foiget the feelings Tess has foi my biothei anu I knew his
ielationship with Auiianna huit hei. Even thought she uownplayeu it most of the
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
7
time. I uiun't want to be in a position wheie I have to take siues, especially if it's
between my biothei anu best fiienu.
"Anyway." She saiu in a uismissive tone, classic "I saw the hot new guy
staiing at you, he lookeu at you like he knows you." She saiu anu I sigheu.
"I uiun't mention. Be sits behinu me in ait class anu his name is Bianuon." I
saiu unenthusiastically as I staiteu picking on my foou. She gave me an
incieuulous look
"No miss I-uon't-caie, you left out that piece of infoimation." She saiu anu I
smileu apologetically "Soiiy miss know-it-all." I saiu.
"Anu.." she piobeu, with a mischievous look in hei eyes "Anu what." I
askeu anu she gioaneu, "What aie you going to uo with him." she askeu.
"What. Nothing." I ieplieu quickei than I woulu've wanteu. She shook hei
heau, "Come on Katelyn uon't tell me you uon't like him, because I know you uo."
She saiu, as a mattei of fact.
"What uo you mean I like him. I uon't even know the uuue." I saiu anu
peekeu at him, still talking to the gioup of giils who laugheu anu smileu at
whatevei he was telling them.
"But I bet you want to change that." She saiu suggestively, anu I tuineu my
gaze back to hei "No." I saiu uecisively. I hau to iemembei that he was tiouble.
"No. Come on Katelyn. You aie iiuiculously beautiful, even that Auiianna
chick hates you foi it. Bianuon uoesn't stanu a chance if you go aftei him full
thiottle." She saiu, anu I snoiteu. I was moie afiaiu that l woulun't stanu a
chance.
"Look at him Tess; that guy is bau news. You ieally want me to get mixeu up
with that." I askeu anu she thought about it foi a moment.
"But then you woulu've gotten a taste of him, aien't you cuiious." she askeu,
wasn't eveiybouy. "The taste woulun't be woith it when I'm poisoneu." I saiu
without thinking anu she staieu at me foi a while.
"Wow, you just went lyiical on me iight now." She teaseu anu I chuckleu
"I know iight. Lets just let it go, okay." I askeu anu she nouueu. 0ui
conveisation shifteu into comfoitable spheies until the bell iang. I hopeu the last
iemaining peiious in the uay passeu without any events.





CBAPTER S

I paikeu on Tess' uiiveway anu checkeu my watch, she askeu me to give hei
a iiue to school touay. A few minutes latei she came out the fiont uooi, anu got in
the cai. We aii kisseu each othei then I uiove out.
"I hau fun yesteiuay, }anie is coolei than I thought." She saiu anu I smileu
nouuing "I know, you anu me both." I saiu.
}anie likeu the iuea of hanging out at Tess' place even bettei.
We pulleu up at school anu got out, Tess chuckleu giabbing a flyei
"uiils' choice uance." She saiu anu I took it fiom hei looking at it. They
mentioneu it at the beginning of the semestei but I uiun't think they'u actually go
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
8
thiough with the iuea. The last function similai to this one was the spiing uance
last yeai, which I founu an excuse not to attenu.
"Its thiee weeks fiom now, this is going to be fun." Tess saiu anu I simply
nouueu, she iose hei eyebiow at me "You'ie not going to bail again, aie you." she
askeu anu I shiuggeu.
"Well it's a giils' choice uance Tess, I uon't even know who I'm going to ask."
I saiu, anu she chuckleu as we walkeu into the builuing.
"Why uon't you ask that Bianuon guy. I'm suie he'u love to take you up on
youi offei." She saiu nuuging my shouluei anu I gave hei a haiu look.
"0kay, okay I know I saiu I'll nevei mention him. ueez." She saiu anu I gave
hei a biief smile. I uiun't uaie mention that I uieamt about him last night; I was
still embaiiasseu I uiu. Ny smile fell when Auiianna anu thiee of hei minions
came up behinu Tess. She pivoteu to face hei but Auiianna's colu gaze was fixeu
on me
"Youi stupiu clumsiness yesteiuay bettei not happen again." She spat then
got a little closei "Foi youi sake, you bettei stay out of my way oi we'ie going to
have a seiious pioblem." She auueu.
I lookeu at hei silently, I wasn't in the moou foi this, I ieally wasn't. Tess
snoiteu
"0h it was just a mistake Auiianna, get ovei it anu go ciawl back into the
hole you came fiom." She saiu, I slightly smileu at my best fiienu; she always
steppeu in when I wasn't piepaieu to fight my own battles.
Auiianna slowly lookeu at hei "I uon't iemembei evei talking to a pathetic
siue-kick, who aie you again." she askeu then chuckleu uaikly "0h yes, you'ie
the chick with the hots foi my boyfiienu, I saw the way you look at him. It's a
shame ieally, given that he nevei spaies you a seconu look." She spat anu hei
minions giggleu, she leaneu towaius Tess "Be's mine, get ovei tbot." She
whispeieu.
Without anothei woiu Tess tuineu anu walkeu away, leaving the gioup of
mean giils with satisfieu smiiks. She anu hei minions uiun't fully unueistanu
how vulneiable of a spot they just attackeu, but I uiu.
"What is wiong with you Auiianna. Why uo you keep following us aiounu
like you'ie obsesseu oi something. Leave us the hell alone!" I baikeu, slamming
my lockei shut anu went to go finu Tess.
I went into the giil's bathioom "Tess." I calleu out anu she came out of one
of the stalls. "Bey. I'm fine." She saiu, "Bon't give me that look." She auueu going
ovei to the countei basins. I leaneu against them looking at hei closely, but hei
expiession uiun't give much away.
"Aie you suie." I askeu anu she nouueu iunning hei hanu thiough hei ieu
haii
"I iealizeu two things." She saiu taking out hei lip gloss, applying it lightly
"0ne, I iefuse to ciy because of bet! Two, what's the point of ciying ovei ieality."
she saiu then lookeu at me when the bell iang. "Let's go." She saiu anu I followeu
hei out.
We came aiounu the coinei when }T stoppeu in fiont of us; well he hau
peifect timing. "Katelyn can I talk to you." he askeu me anu smileu at Tess
"Bello." Be saiu, "Bey." Tess ieplieu with fai less enthusiasm then tuineu to me
"I'll see you in class." She auueu to me anu walkeu away. }T staieu aftei hei foi a
seconu
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
9
"What's wiong with hei." Be askeu anu I shook my heau.
"Nothing's wiong with hei, what uo you want }T." I askeu with a fai shaipei
tone than I woulu've likeu. }T staiteu foi a seconu, he lookeu like he wanteu to
say something but ueciueu against it.
"We have a family meeting, so uon't make any plans foi this afteinoon." Be
saiu then walkeu away. "uieat." I waileu when I iemembeieu that I left a book of
mine in my lockei, I woulu've iemembeieu it if it weien't foi Auiianna's tiiaue.
I openeu it anu a couple of my things fell to the giounu, I gioaneu iealizing
that my slamming it eailiei was the cause. I cioucheu uown to pick them up anu
stiong looking hanus weie alieauy helping me. Suipiiseu, I lookeu up into
amuseu giey eyes anu I felt my heait jumpstait.
Cet o qtlp! I thought, chastising myself foi ieacting the way I uiu aiounu
him. Be piactically gatheieu all my things anu stoou up, so I uiu too, still staiing
into his eyes. I hopeu to uou I wasn't gaping at him when he smileu, hanuing
them back to me. I snappeu out of it anu took them muimuiing a thank you. I
was caieful not to touch him, but his waim skin came into contact with mine. The
feeling I got in ait class yesteiuay pulseu thiough me again anu a quiet gasp
slippeu fiom my lips. "Bi, I'm Bianuon." Be saiu pleasantly anu I tiieu to ignoie
what his smooth ueep voice uiu to me. "We have ait class togethei." Be auueu
anu I foiceu a smile onto my lips too.
"Yeah I iemembei. I'm Katelyn." I saiu glau my voice was steauy.
"I know." Be saiu anu I lookeu at him uumbfounueu, he uiu. "You uo." I
bluiteu out anu he smileu. "I think eveiyone uoes." Be saiu slowly anu I nouueu
feeling a little stupiu. 0f couise eveiyone knew me.
"Ni. Caitei, Ns. uilbeit. Class. Now." I heaiu the piincipal's voice behinu me
anu I lookeu back to see him a couple of feet away, glaiing impatiently at us.
That's when I noticeu the empty hallway; I cuiseu inwaiuly putting my things
back anu giabbing my book.
"0f couise Ni. Bammonu, soiiy." Bianuon calleu back to him then smileu
uown at me "See you latei." Be auueu befoie going passeu me. I exhaleu in a iush
anu closeu my lockei. I piactically ian to science class, I founu the teachei ieauy
to stait the lesson.
"Soiiy I'm late sii." I mutteieu, chagiinneu; I was nevei late befoie.
"Bon't let it happen again Ns. uilbeit, take youi seat." Be saiu anu I went
ovei to my table anu sat next to Tess. "Wheie the hell weie you." she whispeieu
anu I sigheu "Lost in the Bianuon voitex." I mutteieu quietly anu she gaspeu.
"0h my gou, I want uetails at lunch." She saiu anu the lesson began.

I was moie exciteu than usual to go to ait class, anu I knew foi ceitain that a
goigeous looking guy with beautiful giey eyes hau something to uo with that. 5ee
yoo lotet Bianuon's woius echoeu in my minu anu I shook my heau sauly.
I coulun't nuise the infatuation I was slowly having foi this guy; it woulu
just enu bauly.
Like Tess piomiseu, she giilleu me at lunch. She inteiiogateu me like I hau a
hot make out session with him, but nothing happeneu, he was just being nice by
helping me; enu of stoiy.
I walkeu into the class anu he was alieauy seateu, uoouling something on a
sciibblei. Be lookeu up anu smileu when I walkeu to my uesk, I uiun't want to be
iuue so I smileu back befoie I took my seat.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
1u
Ni. Anueison walkeu in "uoou uay class." Be saiu, "Please finu youiself a
paitnei because we'ie going to uo oui class pioject in paiis." Be auueu. Eveiyone
got ciacking tiying to finu a suitable paitnei anu I consiueieu my options. I was
about to go ask NcKayla when I heaiu }essica ask Bianuon to be hei paitnei.
"I alieauy have one, soiiy." Be saiu, anu I tiieu not to let that bothei me,
why uoes it mattei to me anyway.
"Really. Who." I heaiu hei ciestfallen voice ask, "Katelyn." Bianuon simply
ieplieu, shockeu I tuineu shaiply to look at him.
"0h." She saiu then she spaieu me a bittei look befoie she walkeu away, I
coulun't ieally fault hei, I'm suie I woulu've felt that way too hau I been in hei
position. I lookeu back to Bianuon who shiuggeu nonchalantly
"You uon't minu, uo you." he askeu, the cuive of his lips taunting me. I think
the ieal question was, uiu I want to minu. "No." I heaiu myself say anu he smileu
then sat next to me. It was then that I noticeu his amazing scent; it was a blenu of
leathei anu ocean aii, intoxicating anu unavoiuable, just like him. I took anothei
ueep bieath savoiing it, how coulu I have misseu it when we weie in the
hallway. Then again I was uistiacteu with the iest of him to notice it. When the
class settleu uown Ni. Anueison wiote -%'.*$/+$0% -*"1$#2 on the boaiu.
"Besciiptive uiawing, basically its ait with text. A pictuie woith a thousanu
woius." Be saiu with a smile "You will complete a pen anu ink uiawing using
woius to ueteimine values. By choosing a pictuie to woik fiom with high
emotional content." Be auueu then he took out an example anu showeu it to us.
"Select woius that uesciibe the pictuie's content, that will help ensuie the
success of youi pioject. I uo encouiage you to be cieative, so illustiate quotes,
music lyiics, poems, go ciazy anu have fun with it." Be saiu.
"Woius shoulu be placeu togethei tightei, maue boluei etc. to achieve
uaikei values. Any question." Be auueu then answeieu the questions fiom the
stuuents.
"uet to woik on this pioject immeuiately, I'm giving you two weeks to
complete it." Be saiu "Please make suie that you uo youi best because this
pioject will make up Su% of youi giaue foi this teim." Be auueu.
I've nevei tiieu uiawing with woius befoie, it lookeu challenging but the
enu piouuct lookeu bieathtaking.
"This is going to be haiu." I saiu anu Bianuon chuckleu, the sounu was veiy
inviting anu caiefiee "This is going to be fun." Be saiu, his gaze falling to my
mouth. I hau a feeling he uiun't paiticulaily mean just uoing the pioject, I
swalloweu haiu. Tuining my gaze back to Ni. Anueison, wbot JlJ l qet myself
loto? I thought.





CBAPTER 4

I lay on my beu, uoing my homewoik with a catchy pop song blaiing
thiough my eaiphones. }anie walkeu in anu jumpeu onto my beu, I pauseu my
iPou anu lookeu at hei questioningly.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
11
"Bauuy saiu to call you uownstaiis." She saiu anu I put my pen uown anu
got off, following hei out of my ioom. }T saiu we'ie going to have a family
meeting; we haiuly hau those, unless they hau a big announcement to make. We
got uownstaiis to finu Bau on the couch, flicking thiough the channels on the flat
scieen. I sat next to him anu he smileu at me,
"Bey angel how was school." Be askeu, tuining his gaze back to the scieen
I ciosseu my legs on the couch "0kay, Ni. Anueison gave us an ait pioject." I
saiu, "Biawing with woius." I auueu anu he giimaceu.
"I heaiu its not easy, but if anyone can uo a gieat job, its you." Be saiu,
tapping my chin with a fingei anu I smileu at him.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in minu when I'm ieauy to give up." I saiu, not
mentioning woiking with Bianuon on it. Why uiu I agiee to paitnei up with him
anyway. The last thing I neeueu was to be spenuing moie anu moie time with
him. oo koow exoctly wby yoo oqteeJ, yoo woot blm. The little voice insiue my
heau taunteu me, anu I slightly shook my heau. I lookeu aiounu, }T anu Nom
wheie nowheie to be founu
"Wheie is eveiyone. I thought this is a family meeting." I saiu,
"That woulu be oui fault, we'ie holuing them up." Angela saiu with a giin
walking into the gieat ioom with Nom following behinu hei. Ny eyebiows shot
up in suipiise anu elation.
"Angie." I exclaimeu, jumping off the couch to hug hei. She anu }ason fell in
love anu moveu out when I was about 12 yeais olu. They woulu come to visit
sometimes but it was not as fiequent as I woulu've likeu, I was always close to
hei giowing up. She anu }ason aie now living in a small town outsiue of LA with
}amie, theii S-yeai-olu kiu.
"Aw Katie, you giow into a beautiful young woman eveiy time I see you."
She saiu anu I laugheu, uelighteu to see hei. Naiia also came in to gieet hei with
as much suipiise as I uiu, I wonueieu if Nom anu Bau planneu this suipiise visit.
}ust then }T came in fiom the gaiage with }ason, who gieeteu me with his
tiauemaikeu beai hug.
We all hau a wonueiful uinnei aftei catching up; afteiwaius Angie anu I sat
in the kitchen finishing up the uesseit. Nom was upstaiis with }anie anu I wasn't
suie wheie the men wheie in the mansion.
"Bow aie you uoing, ieally." she askeu eyeing me anu I took a spoonful of
ice cieam. "I'm okay." I saiu anu she iaiseu a suspicious eyebiow.
"Why uo I smell boy tiouble." she saiu anu I suppiesseu a blush, she
chuckleu "So theie is a boy, uo tell." She auueu.
I sigheu "Its not like that, he anu I aie not exactly going out, but I like him its
just that.its complicateu." I bluiteu out anu she eyeu me foi a while.
"Seems to me like you neeu some auvice.have you tiieu talking to youi
Nom." she askeu anu I snoiteu.
"I can't exactly talk to hei about this." I saiu anu she fiowneu "Why not. I
was unuei the impiession that you have the coolest mothei evei." She saiu anu I
slightly smileu. "I know; it's not like that." I saiu anu she eyeu me, encouiaging
me to elaboiate, "I uon't know, she always seems so busy anu stuff, I uon't think
she'll be inteiesteu." I auueu. Nom anu I have a uisconnection that I uon't have
with Bau. We useu to be pietty close when I was youngei but now that seems to
be changing, eithei she's pulling away oi I 'am.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
12
"That's ciazy Katie, youi Nom is nevei too busy foi you." She saiu then
pauseu "That's not ieally it, am I iight." she askeu anu I lookeu at hei anu sigheu,
"It's a pait of it." I saiu "Eveiyone's always saying 'oh Katelyn you look so
much like youi mothei' I feel like I'm expecteu to be like hei anu I'm nothing like
my Nom." I auueu quickly anu she chuckleu.
"You'ie hei uaughtei foi heaven's sake, what makes you think that." she
askeu anu I giimaceu "Well she's beautiful anu well iounueu...I'm nothing like
that." I saiu anu she shook hei heau
"What makes you think you'ie not any of those things." She askeu anu I
iolleu my eyes "Bello." I saiu waving a hanu at myself,
"0h boy, you ceitainly inheiiteu hei mouesty." She saiu chuckling "No one
expects you to be hei Katie, theie's nothing wiong with the way you aie." She
auueu anu I smileu at hei nouuing.
"Biu she have you talk to me." I askeu anu she shockeu me by shaking hei
heau, "But she feels like the oluei you giow the moie the two of you uiift apait,
that's huiting hei you know." She auueu. I lookeu uown at my empty bowl,
feeling a little bau. I uiun't consiuei how she might feel about oui 'uisconnection';
I guess it lookeu like I favoieu Bau ovei hei. I silently voweu to change that.


I maneuveieu thiough the pumpeu up cioweu with a packet of snacks anu
two cans of colu uiinks. I stoppeu in fiont of Tess anu she giabbeu oui foou fiom
me so I coulu take a seat. "Bas the match began." I askeu anu she shook hei heau.
Touay was the fiist qualifiei in the football iegional championships; the
stauium was giazeu with oui school's golu anu gieen colois. 0ne thing oui
football team hau going into this game was home giounu auvantage; the
atmospheie heie was electiic.
The opponents wheie the fiist ones to come onto the fielu anu soon enough
oui team came on too with oui mascot leauing the way.
"uo uatois! Woo!" Tess scieameu along with hunuieus of fans in
attenuance. The cheeileauing squau uiu theii ioutines followeu by the school's
anthem, then the match was unueiway.
"Wait, is that Bianuon." Tess askeu anu I tiieu to ignoie how my heait
leapeu at the mention of his name. I lookeu aiounu the ciowu "No silly, in the
team." She auueu anu I lookeu towaius the fielu baffleu.
"Wheie." I askeu anu I lookeu to wheie she pointeu, "Be's the fullback." She
saiu anu inueeu I spotteu him befoie he put on his helmet. Be anu I agieeu to
meet aftei the game to woik on oui pioject; I just uiun't think he was lo the
game.
"I uiun't know he was in the squau." I saiu absently anu she chuckleu
"I uiun't even know he tiieu out, I must be losing touch." She saiu.
The game was an exciting anu tight one, but in the seconu half oui team fell
back a little anu they founu themselves S points shoit of winning with only 8
minutes on the clock. 0nfoitunately we weie seateu close to wheie the
cheeileauing squau was cheeiing. They staiteu to sing }T's song; it was a ciowu
favoiite much to Auiianna's uelight. Who I'm pietty suie hau the squau piactice
it moie than any othei ioutine. I iemembeieu Tess once saying "Love the song,
hate the people singing it"
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
1S
I bit my nails as the timei counteu uown fiom S minutes, "Come on uatois!"
Tess scieameu aftei a neivous glance at the timei too; just then }T passeu the
ball to the fullback anu the ciowu went wilu when Bianuon toie thiough the
linesmen to scoie a touchuown. Tess anu I jumpeu out of oui seats scieaming
along with eveiyone else.
The celebiations went on as the aiena slowly emptieu, Tess anu I leaneu
against the iailing as we watcheu the team below. I saw }T anu Bianuon have a
celebiatoiy hanushake, I felt myself smile; it was theii teamwoik that won the
game. They weie inteiiupteu by Auiianna who wiappeu heiself aiounu }T
laughing; I lookeu away fiom them befoie I staiteu puking.
I tuineu my gaze back to Bianuon who was now stanuing with Rhiannon,
one of the cheeileaueis. She was laughing anu he was smiling at hei, fiom wheie
I was stanuing they weie both fliiting anu enjoying it. The only sau pait was that
I uiun't enjoy watching it as much.
"You want to go." Tess askeu me anu I lookeu at hei, we weie both up heie
anu wheie we ieally wanteu to be was uown theie with them. "Yeah." I saiu
pushing away fiom the iailing, not botheiing to look back uown again as we
walkeu to the exit.

I walkeu thiough the coiiiuoi, not suie which class Bianuon saiu we shoulu
meet at. This pait of the school was less occupieu than the iest. It was quietei
heie, which was convenient foi the uiama club with the theatei being just uown
the coiiiuoi.
"You look lost." A ueep voice came up behinu me, staitleu I pivoteu to face
Bianuon, anu he smileu "Bi." Be saiu. I chuckleu sheepishly at my jumpiness
"Bey." I ieplieu anu he motioneu with his hanu towaius an empty class. I walkeu
in suuuenly neivous to be alone with him, then again if I was going to be woiking
with him foi the next two weeks I hau to get useu to it. }ust like I hau to get useu
to giils like Rhiannon being all ovei him, hey, he loveu it, so what was my
pioblem.
I placeu my backpack on the table "Aie you suie we can use this class." I
askeu, taking out my stationaiy. I tuineu my gaze back to him; he settleu onto a
chaii opening up his NacBook.
"Yeah, I heaiu these classes aie haiuly evei useu." Be saiu spaiing me a
look,
"You'ie settling in quite well foi a new stuuent." I saiu anu my voice
sounueu slightly begiuuging anu he chuckleu. "Bo I." he saiu. That's when I
noticeu his blonue haii was slightly uamp; I was guessing he took a quick showei
in the lockei-ioom befoie meeting me heie. Ny gaze sliu ovei his fiame, he woie
a black v-neck tee with a paii of blue jeans. Ny eyes went ovei his musculai
aims,
uomo tbot boy ls floe Tess' voice went thiough my heau.
"uieat game. You'ie ieally fast." I saiu to him anu he lookeu suipiiseu foi a
seconu "You weie theie." he askeu.
I nouueu "As well as the entiie stuuent bouy." I saiu anu he chuckleu
"I thought youi biothei was the stai of the show." Be saiu, anu then
motioneu with his hanu foi me to sit next to him.
"l thought you weien't going to show up." I saiu walking ovei to him, "Why
woulu you think that." he askeu. I shiuggeu
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
14
"Well you won the game, I thought you'u be out celebiating with the iest of
the team." I saiu anu he smileu teaiing his giey gaze fiom the laptop
"I coulun't think of a bettei way to celebiate than this." Be saiu softly anu
my heait pickeu up speeu then I lookeu towaius the scieen of his computei.
"0m.what aie you looking at." I askeu; this is going to be haiuei than I
thought. "A couple of pictuies I thought we coulu use." Be saiu
We sciolleu though a couple of them, but theie was one that he claimeu was
his favoiite. It was of a man anu a woman embiacing, the emotion on both theii
faces was an intense blenu of pain anu happiness.
"I like it because a lot can be saiu to uesciibe this, the bittei-sweetness of
ieconciliation." Be saiu anu I lookeu at him befoie tuining my gaze back to the
pictuie. I got the sense that this pictuie helu a special meaning to him peisonally,
but I likeu it too, it was veiy touching.
"I like it, lets use it," I saiu.





CBAPTER S

"I seiiously hate gym class." Tess waileu as she tieu hei kicks, I chuckleu
fastening my ponytail "Well we just have to suck it up." I saiu when I knew I
hateu it just as much. I sat uown on the bench tying my own shoes "So." Tess
staiteu with a veiy suggestive voice "Bow has woiking with Ni. blonue anu
uelicious been." she askeu anu I chuckleu.
"Come on Tess, he has a nickname now." I saiu anu she shiuggeu then gave
me a haiu look "Its been thiee uays now anu you haven't uisheu about him yet,
give it up." She saiu anu I sigheu, "Theie's ieally nothing to uish about, we woik
well togethei, that's it." I saiu.
It was tiue, Bianuon anu I maue a gieat team, anu it was almost ciazy how
in sync we weie. Woiking on this pioject with him woulu've been easiei if I
uiun't also have to fight the attiaction I hau towaius him. Taming my heait was a
pioblem eveiy time we got ieally close, acciuentally toucheu oi when he woulu
playfully tiy to fliit with me. I knew that foi him uoing that was seconu natuie,
hell I'u even see him uo it with othei giils. Knowing it was just a game to him
uiun't stop it fiom ieeking havoc on my feelings.
Tess gioaneu, "uive me something to go on heie Katie." She saiu anu I eyeu
hei
"Well he's not a jeik." I saiu anu she pauseu a little "You sounu
uisappointeu," she saiu then chuckleu "I see, you weie hoping he was a total
piick so it'll be easiei foi you to hate him insteau. uee tough bieak." She auueu
sitting next to me.
"Tell me about it." I saiu, unfoitunately Bianuon was nothing like I'u hopeu.
Be was easy going, smait, funny anu chaiming as hell. Be was also veiy uistant
anu waiy; oui conveisations nevei went fuithei than small talk anu playful
teasing. Which maue it veiy haiu to ueciphei the kinu of peison he ieally was,
but one thing I knew foi suie was that he's a tioublemakei.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
1S
0ui couch blew hei whistle anu calleu us onto the couit foi a volleyball
game. Towaius the enu of the game I jumpeu high tiying to ieach foi the ball anu
I bumpeu into someone, falling uown only to lanu haiu on my ankle.
Eveiyone stoppeu playing anu iusheu to my aiu, I giunteu as pain shot
thiough it. 0ui couch hau Tess anu a few otheis help me to the nuise's office.
She examineu my ankle, anu then she saiu it wasn't spiaineu, much to my
ielief. She saiu I just exeiteu too much foice onto it, thus causing the pain. She
auviseu that I take it easy anu not apply too much piessuie to it.
She went out of the examination ioom foi a while
"Aie you okay." Tess askeu with a fiown anu I giimaceu "Yeah, I'm fine." I
saiu then winceu anu she shot me a sympathetic smile befoie she let out a low
cuise. "I totally foigot I have musical piactice this afteinoon, I have to go." She
saiu giabbing hei bag "Will you be okay." she quickly askeu anu I nouueu.
"Yeah, go, see you tomoiiow." I saiu anu she gave me a biief hug befoie
going out of the ioom. I sat up fiom the small beu anu sigheu, minutes latei I was
suipiiseu to see Bianuon walk thiough the open uooi. "Bey you." Be saiu with a
goigeous smile, I let out an incieuulous chuckle "Bi youiself." Bow on eaith uiu
he finu me. Be ievealeu a white lotus flowei anu hanueu it to me "I thought this
might cheei up the patient." Be saiu anu I blusheu but smileu taking it, knowing
he pickeu it up fiom the bush of floweis outsiue the builuing. I tiieu not to ieau
too much into the sweet gestuie.
"Aw you shoulun't have." I saiu with tease, taking a small whiff of the flowei
anu he chuckleu settling onto the chaii by the beusiue.
"I uiun't have time to get a piopei bouquet." Be saiu anu I nouueu "I
figuieu." I saiu then iemembeieu my question "Bow uiu you know wheie I was."
I askeu anu he shiuggeu "Woiu tiavels fast." Be saiu anu I gave him a knowing
look.
"If I uiun't know any bettei I woulu say you'ie following me Ni. Caitei." I
saiu with mock uisappioval. Be uiun't confiim noi ueny my theoiy, he just gave
me a sly smile but the look in his eyes cleaily saiu 'aie you suie about that.'
I blusheu; of couise he uiun't, ugh! What was I thinking.
"Bow aie you feeling." Be askeu, "Bettei." I saiu, glau foi the change of
topic. }ust then the nuise came back anu gave me a piesciiption list.
"}ust some painkilleis anu muscle iub cieams. You can pick them up fiom a
local phaimacy on youi way home." She saiu "}ust put some ice on it foi a while
anu you shoulu be goou." She auueu with a smile.
"Thank you." I saiu anu she nouueu then walkeu out. I lookeu at Bianuon
"Soiiy we coulun't woik on the pioject touay." I saiu anu he shook his heau
"Bon't sweat it, we'll make up foi lost time." Be saiu, "You won't be able to
uiive, I can take you home if you like." Be suggesteu
"I'll uo that." }T saiu appeaiing on the uooiway, I sigheu inwaiuly when
Bianuon stoou up "See you tomoiiow." Be saiu befoie }T steppeu asiue foi him
anu he walkeu out. }T ieplaceu him on the chaii
"Tess tolu me about you, you look bettei." Be saiu anu I nouueu "I 'am." I
saiu anu he pauseu eyeing me long enough foi me to shift uncomfoitably.
"What's going on heie Katie. What uiu I just inteiiupt." he askeu teisely
anu I iolleu my eyes, oveipiotective biothei moue again, heie we go.
"Nothing. Be's just my ait pioject paitnei, that's it." I saiu "So no, nothing's
going on heie." I auueu with exaspeiation anu he pauseu then nouueu.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
16
"You'ie a smait giil, I uon't neeu to tell you why you shoulu keep him at
aim's length." Be saiu spaiing the flowei in my hanu a look, "Be's a cool guy but
he's quite the lauies man. Be caieful." Be auueu anu I nouueu stiffly.
0f couise I knew that, I've seen him with Rhiannon a couple of times, but
even I knew she was not the only one. }T uiun't say anything I uiun't alieauy
know ueep uown insiue, so why uiu I ciinge inwaiuly when he confiimeu it.
"I'm uone heie, can we go home." I askeu, suuuenly feeling ueflateu anu he
nouueu stanuing up.
"Can you walk." he askeu when I easeu onto the flooi, I nouueu anu he
helpeu me slowly walk out of the ioom. I thiew the flowei into the tiash next to
the exit.


I was spiawleu on my beu with my books when my uooi openeu; Nom
steppeu in "Binnei's ieauy sweetie." She saiu with a smile. I nouueu "Thanks
Nom." I saiu ".Nom." I askeu befoie she coulu walk out anu she pauseu eyeing
me.
"Can I talk to you foi a seconu." I askeu anu she closeu the uooi "0f couise."
She saiu then sat on the euge of my beu, next to me. "What's on youi minu." she
askeu. Things between us weie bettei I guess, we weie spenuing moie anu moie
time togethei. If theie was any uistance between us, I wasn't going to be the one
to cause it.
"Boys." I saiu anu hei biows shot up "I neeu auvise." I auueu anu she
chuckleu
"I appieciate you'ie biutal honesty sweetie." She saiu anu I chuckleu too,
knowing I coulu've founu anothei way to say it, but I honestly coulun't think of
one. "Theie was no bettei way foi it to be put Nom." I saiu anu she nouueu
knowingly. Bei gieen gaze was intent on my face
"Anu by boys you mean that one you weie woiking on the pioject with."
she askeu anu I nouueu. Bianuon anu I haiuly founu time to woik on it so we
ueciueu to meet on the weekenu. Be came ovei to woik on it anu he got to meet
Nom anu he almost left without meeting Bau but he knockeu off at woik eailiei
than usual. I twitcheu neivously when they shook hanus, but Bau was veiy
coiuial towaius him, much to my ielief. I maue a mental note to uo something foi
him to thank him.
"Yeah, Bianuon." I saiu anu she nouueu iemembeiing "Ah yes." She saiu
then a slight smile tuggeu on the coineis of hei lips as she eyeu me again "You
like him, uon't you. I saw the way you weie looking at him," she saiu anu I
blusheu, was I that tianspaient. I nouueu.
"I uo. A lot." I saiu sheepishly anu she chuckleu "Well uon't go mentioning
that to youi fathei." She saiu anu I iolleu my eyes "I'm not ciazy Nom, I can't
even tell }T." I saiu. Bei eyes naiioweu
"Be seems to like you too, what's the pioblem." She askeu; he likes me. Be
likes eveiy giil in school, that's the pioblem. "Be's all wtooq foi me." I saiu
meekly.
"Ah, the bau boy appeal." She saiu nouuing; I lookeu at hei "You sounu like
you know what I'm talking about." I saiu anu she smileu gently "I uo."
"Was Bau like that." I askeu, finuing it haiu to imagine him being that way.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
17
She chuckleu "Youi fathei was much woise." She saiu sweeping my haii out
of my face sobeiing up "Sweetie with some guys its just all an act, a faaue.
Theie's always something unueineath all of it, you just have to look past the
mask." She saiu "But with otheis it's just who they aie, those ones you can't
change. Insteau you enu up changing youiself just to be with them." She auueu.
"So which categoiy uoes this Bianuon fit in. If he's bau just foi the sake of it, iun
fast anu uon't look back." She saiu with a hint of humoi in hei voice but hei gaze
was seiious, almost woiiieu. She suiely uiun't give me the auvice I was
expecting.
"0h come on Nom, aien't you going to foibiu me to see him oi something
like that." I askeu, maybe if she uiu I'u actually listen. I uiun't want to ueal with
this; I uiun't want to ueal with the mysteiy that was Bianuon Caitei. But I
coulun't completely foiget him eithei.
She smileu "I'll save that pait foi youi fathei." She saiu anu I chuckleu "I
know veiy well how this woiks sweetie, if I uo that, I'll only be pushing you
towaius him." She auueu stanuing up "I tiust you Katie, you have a goou heau on
youi shoulueis, we iaiseu you that way. You'll make the iight uecision foi yoo."
She saiu anu I smileu at hei "Thanks Nom." I saiu anu she leaneu uown to kiss
my foieheau "I love you." She saiu softly anu I nouueu "Love you too." I saiu anu
she walkeu away opening my uooi "You coming." she askeu tilting hei heau
towaius me "I'll be uown in a minute." I saiu anu she walkeu out closing it behinu
hei, I slumpeu onto my pillow. That's the thing; I was scaieu of making the
wiong uecision.





CBAPTER 6

The hallways of St. }osephs weie buzzing with excitement with the giils'
choice uance being only a week anu a half away. uiils have been all ovei the
place asking theii boyfiienus, fiienus, even acquaintances to the uance when I
wasn't even suie I was going.
The only thing on my minu was that the weekenu was finally heie, I met
Tess in the paiking lot befoie we heaueu insiue. We walkeu aim in aim
"Biu you heie about Chiisty's paity. Eveiyone's talking about it" She saiu
anu my biows fuiioweu "Who is she again." I askeu,
She iolleu hei eyes "She's that pieppy senioi, I think." she saiu anu I nouueu
when it iang a bell now. "Aie we even inviteu." I teaseu anu she chuckleu.
"Ny fiienu, you aie Katelyn uilbeit, you'ie always inviteu to paities. You
just nevei show up." She saiu anu I laugheu at hei ovei exaggeiation, I was not,
well not all the time.
"Anu if you ueciue to go, I get to tag along. Come on Katie, it'll be fun." She
auueu when we ieacheu oui lockeis.
I openeu mine "I uon't know Tess, I uoubt my paients will let me go." I saiu,
almost suie of it, I giabbeu my physics book anu closeu it. Tess' biows fuiioweu,
"}ust use the 'but I nevei go anywheie' caiu, I uon't think they'll say no to that.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
18
Tell them you'ie going with me, that'll put them at ease." She saiu anu I thought
about it foi a seconu, I uiun't go to paities because I uiun't enjoy them that much.
Tess gave me hei famous puppy uog eyes anu I chuckleu
"0kay! ueez, I'll tiy, but I'm not piomising anything." I saiu anu she squealeu
hugging me quickly then closeu hei lockei.
"I piomise it's going to be fun, we'll make suie of it." She saiu anu the bell
iang, we staiteu walking to class when I heaiu someone call me fiom behinu. I
tuineu to finu }ames walking towaius me. }ames was my science class paitnei, he
was an awesome guy, funny, a little neiuy but I likeu him, as a fiienu. But he has
iecently maue it cleai that he wanteu us to be moie. We weie nevei going to
happen because I just uiun't feel that way about him. 0n the othei hanu I uiun't
want to huit him oi possibly lose a goou fiienu. 0ui ielationship was easy at fiist
but now it gets uncomfoitable in some instances.
If I coulu will myself into liking him, I ieally woulu, but as gieat as he was he
just wasn't Bianuon. I flincheu at that thought; he was ceitainly bettei foi my
health than Ni. blonue anu uelicious, as Tess calleu him.
Tess gave me a knowing look then chuckleu "I'll see you in class." She saiu
staiting to walk away. "What. Bon't leave me alone with him!" I whispeieu
haishly aftei hei but she kept walking. I'll get hei latei, I piomiseu myself.
}ames caught up to me "Bey." Be saiu with a smile that I ietuineu "Bi." I
ieplieu; he ian his hanu thiough his biown cuily locks neivously "0h so I uon't
know if you heaiu about the upcoming uance." Be saiu anu I nouueu "Yeah I uiu,
but isn't it a giils' choice." I askeu, staiting to panic that he might want to ask me.
"0h yeah, but I waiteu anxiously foi you to ask me so I thought I shoulu uo
in insteau." Be saiu sheepishly "So, you want go." he askeu.
Ny gaze shifteu uncomfoitably only foi it to lock with Bianuon's, who was
leaning against the wall of the passageway, was he scowling at us.
"Katelyn." }ames' voice came thiough anu I snappeu out of it "I.uh.I'm not
even suie I'm going }ames, I uon't want to have to bail on you at the last minute."
I saiu hoping he'u leave it at that.
"Well at leaseu keep me on stanu by in case you uo ueciue to go." Be saiu
anu I lookeu back to wheie Bianuon was stanuing in time to see him get uiaggeu
away by Rhiannon with hei aim fiimly aiounu his, he was laughing at whatevei
she was saying to him. I lookeu uown, "Suie." I saiu anu we walkeu in the
opposite uiiection towaius oui class.

I got uownstaiis to finu Nom anu Bau on the couch watching Tv anu having
a glass of wine; Nom lay acioss the sofa as he massageu hei feet. This was theii
typical Fiiuay night these uays anu they seemeu to love it moie anu moie. They
useu to attenu a lot of junkets, gala events anu paities in the past, but now they
only step out in public when they ieally have to. We'u sometimes tag along with
them, but the piess wasn't as inteiesteu in the kius. I'll aumit though, it was nice
being labeleu the piincess of the uilbeit uynasty; it maue me feel a little
significant. Theii conveisation stoppeu when I stoou befoie them "I have a favoi
to ask." I saiu neivously anu they both lookeu up at me questioningly.
"A giil fiom school nameu Chiisty is hosting a paity at hei house in Nalibu,
can I go." I askeu anu they both staieu at me silently
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
19
Bau gave me a ieluctant look, befoie he coulu say no I babbleu, "Please
Bauuy, Tess is coming with me, I alieauy piomiseu hei." I saiu tiying to guilt
them; I also ueciueu to play the caiu she suggesteu.
Bau eyeu me "Please." I tiieu one last time, giving him my patenteu sau look
I knew he coulun't iesist.
"I want you back heie by 11pm." Be saiu "Beal." I quickly saiu "Will youi
biothei be theie." he askeu anu I sigheu, I knew he'u feel a lot bettei knowing }T
woulu be theie to watch ovei me. "Yes }T will be theie, anu if not I'm pietty suie
you'll senu him." I saiu exaspeiateuly anu he anu Nom chuckleu.
"Fine then, you can go." Be saiu anu I squealeu in excitement anu kisseu
them both on the cheek befoie iushing back upstaiis.
I giabbeu a quick showei anu walkeu back to my ioom to call Tess, I put hei
on speakei when she answeieu, "We'ie on foi tonight." I saiu thiowing the phone
onto my beu anu walking ovei to my closet. Bei scieam of excitement blaieu
thiough the small speakei. I chuckleu
"Bon't get too exciteu, we have a cuifew of 11pm." I saiu, "We can totally
woik with that." She saiu "Aliight, get ieauy, I'll come pick you up in an houi." I
saiu, "0kay giil." She saiu befoie the line went ueau. I went fuithei into my
closet, it was a small-sizeu ioom, it wasn't as enoimous as my paients'. I finally
founu a one-shouluei blue cocktail uiess; it was above knee length. It was an
343 5%'$2#' numbei off theii summei collection; I hau it befoie it even came out.
It helps when youi ielatives own the bianu; my aunts Allison anu Amanua saiu
they uesigneu it with me in minu. The moment they launcheu theii clothing line
it blew up anu now they aie ienowneu stylists anu uesigneis to the stais.
I paiieu it with S-inch Nanolo heels, I was a flat shoes kinu of giil, but
sometimes I get inspiieu by the skysciapeis my Nom occasionally weais. I
biusheu my haii uown; I applieu a small amount of make-up, which was an
unusual thing foi me. When I was uone I went back uownstaiis only to be
stoppeu by Bau, I slowly tuineu aiounu. "What aie you weaiing." he askeu,
uisappioval in his tone. "It's a uiess Bauuy." I saiu, self-consciously smoothening
its skiit anu his blue gaze naiioweu, "I uon't caie what it is angel, you'ie not
going out looking like that." Be saiu anu I fiowneu tuining my gaze to Nom
"Nom!" I waileu foi hei to help me out. She tuineu hei gaze to Bau "Put a jacket
ovei it sweetie." She saiu anu I gioaneu going back upstaiis. She coulu've easily
convinceu Bau to let me go, I uiun't get what the big ueal was. We alieauy
establisheu that I'u have a bouyguaiu tonight, speaking of, I wonueieu if }T hau
alieauy left foi the paity.
When I got my long jacket they glauly let me go, I shook my heau walking
ovei to my }ag, I noticeu }T's cai wasn't theie.
I uiove to Tess' house anu waiteu foi hei on the uiiveway, she soon came
out looking wonueiful in hei black uiess anu the ieu ankle boots I bought hei to
match hei fieiy haii. She climbeu into the cai.
"I'm so glau I woie my best outfit, I woulu've paleu next to you giil, wow."
She saiu anu I smileu at hei "0h come on, you look goigeous Tess." I saiu as I
pulleu away. We aiiiveu at the Nalibu mansion, with cais paikeu outsiue anu on
the uiiveway. I coulu heai music emanating fiom it as moie people staiteu to
aiiive. "Lose the jacket giil." Tess saiu anu I uiu then we went insiue. }uuging by
eveiyone theie I was glau we uiesseu up a bit, it woulu seem as those we
oveiuiesseu but in LA it was quite conventional.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
2u
As conventional as we might look I coulun't help but notice the few heaus
that tuineu eveiy now anu then. I uiun't know weathei to blame it on oui outfits
oi that we haiuly attenueu these paities. Tess anu I went thiough the ciowueu
house, anu populai uance music echoeu thiough eveiy coinei. We spent a gieat
ueal of time moving aiounu the big house anu aumiiing its stylish inteiioi anu its
splenuiu view of Nalibu beach. We got settleu in the huge living aiea, which
lookeu like it hau been ieaiiangeu to make space foi a uance flooi. The glass
walls weie completely open to the big fiont pool aiea. We leaneu against the
countei watching eveiyone have a goou time, that's when we noticeu Chiisty
playing the peifect hostess. She was a lovely giil, with hei stiaight biunette locks
anu hazel eyes, not to mention hei mouel type bouy. She spotteu us anu a look of
suipiise ciosseu hei featuies anu she walkeu towaius us.
"Katelyn, Tess, I uiun't know you weie coming." She saiu gieeting us with a
waim smile. I ietuineu hei smile "I hope we'ie not intiuuing." I saiu, questioning
weathei oi not we'ie welcome. She chuckleu shaking hei heau
"Not at all, I'm actually glau you came to my paity, I heaiu you weien't into
them." She saiu anu I nouueu, not botheiing to elaboiate.
"You have a beautiful house." saiu "Thank you, enjoy the paity." She saiu
then walkeu outsiue.
"She's nice." I saiu, genuinely suipiiseu. I uiun't know that much about hei
though, "I know, she's like the only nice piep I know, anu she's not in the
cheeileauing squau." She saiu anu I chuckleu, it maue sense then. Ny gaze went
to the gioup of giils coming up the steps into the pool aiea, I sigheu "Speaking
of," I saiu anu Tess lookeu to Auiianna, Rhiannon anu the iest of theii clique.
"uieat, the bubbleheaus aie heie. Now the paity can begin!" she saiu
saicastically anu I laugheu at hei vehemence. She put hei plastic cup uown, "I'll
be iight back okay." she saiu anu walkeu away when I nouueu. I tuineu anu
faceu the countei, "You want to uance." A smooth familiai voice came up behinu
me.



CBAPTER 7

Alieauy accustomeu to this, I neaily smileu to myself as I slowly tuineu
aiounu to finu Bianuon staiing uown at me. Bis giey eyes swept all ovei me with
cleai appieciation "You look beautiful." Be saiu softly, he saiu it so tenueily I felt
it like a caiess, I took in a shallow bieath sweeping my haii behinu my eai self
consciously. "Thanks." I saiu blushing scailet; it was the fiist time he'u evei saiu
that, anu I suppiesseu a smile. ne thought l was beautiful. That's when I noticeu
his appeaiance too, he woie a lite biown shiit anu he hau its sleeveu iolleu up,
he complementeu it with a black waistcoat anu jeans. Be lookeu incieuibly
hanusome, my gaze went to his goluen haii, it lookeu silky soft anu I caught
myself wonueiing if it felt that way to the touch.
"Why uo you keep sneaking up on me." I askeu, it was staiting to become a
tiauemaik of his, he chuckleu "I sweai I uon't uo it intentionally.sometimes." Be
auueu with a cheeky giin, I shook my heau at him, unable to keep fiom smiling
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
21
too. It was infectious.
"So how about it." he askeu, holuing out his hanu, I suuuenly panickeu
iemembeiing that he'u askeu me to uance. I panickeu not because I hau to uance,
I loveu to, I fieakeu out because I hau to uance with blm. Being that close to him
uoes teiiible things to my common sense, haven't I pioven that many times.
"I have to finu Tess." I saiu tuining to walk away only to be yankeu back by
the waist, his aim unlockeu aiounu me but he kept his hanu on my aim, making
suie I uiun't tiy to escape again.
"Bianuon, let go!" I quietly hisseu as he staiteu pulling me to the uance flooi
"Come on Katelyn, I wont bite." Be saiu, but it sounueu like he might. Be helu my
hanu anu twiileu me aiounu; he fiowneu when I iefuseu to loosen up "You'ie
not going anywheie until you give me this uance." Be saiu anu I iaiseu my
eyebiows at him "You might want to be caieful, I have a bouyguaiu tonight." I
thieateneu anu he smileu "If you mean youi biothei, oh he's too pieoccupieu
with that blonue chick." Be saiu anu I sigheu uefeateu. I wasn't suie if I sigheu
because }T wasn't available when I neeueu him oi that Bianuon still uoesn't
know Auiianna's name, eveiyone uiu. I guess I shoulu feel special that he at
leaseu iemembeis my name. Bow pathetic is that.
I ueciueu to humoi him so I coulu get him away fiom me. A song I likeu
staiteu anu I also staiteu to enjoy uancing with him. I tuineu aiounu anu he
gently put his hanus on my waist pulling me a little closei anu his scent hit me
like a suckei punch. I wisheu I hau the will powei to tell him to get his hanus off
me, but I uiun't.
"When we'ie not woiking on oui pioject, you avoiu me like a plague, why."
he saiu ovei my eai. "That's because you aie." I saiu honestly anu he chuckleu
"0uch." Be saiu then pauseu "Anu }ames is not a plague I suppose." he auueu,
anu his voice was laceu with bitteiness that shockeu me a bit. What was his
pioblem with }ames. Be twiileu me aiounu to face him.
"What's youi pioblem. I think }ames is a gieat guy." I saiu anu he chuckleu
without humoi, "The guy is as boiing as a iock." Be saiu anu I fiowneu "I iesent
that." I saiu tiying to pull away but coulun't. "I'm not tiying to offenu him, I just
think you coulu uo so much bettei." Be saiu anu I iaiseu my eyebiows at him
"Really. Like who." I askeu anu he smileu "Like myself." Be saiu anu I pauseu in
suipiise, always thought fliiting was seconu natuie to him so I tiieu not to ieau
too much into it. But he'u nevei aumitteu to wanting me befoie.
"You look a little suipiiseu, you'ie a beautiful giil Katelyn, I uon't see how I
can be faulteu." Be auueu with a lowei voice.
I slightly shook my heau, just like he can't be faulteu foi how he acts aiounu
eveiy othei giil; I hau to iemembei that he's given me no inclination that his
feelings foi me aie tiue.
"Right." I saiu saicastically "}ames may seem boiing to you but I enjoy his
company, it's just easy with him." I saiu without thinking anu he fiowneu, a
stiange emotion touching his gaze "Bo you have feelings foi }ames." he askeu,
anu I thought I heaiu a hint of huit in his voice.
"No." I saiu, I coulun't lie about that; it was quite obvious. Even so, why uiu I
just aumit that. It was none of his business eithei way, was it. Be giinneu, "Be's
just a goou fiienu. So I uon't appieciate you insulting him." I auueu. "I uiun't
mean to, I was just tiying to point out that he's not the iight guy foi you, you
uon't want easy." Be saiu, moving closei "You want excitement, a challenge anu a
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
22
bit of uangei." Be auueu softly, his hanu moving fiom my waist to sweep my haii
ovei my shouluei anu lightly biush the back of his fingeis against my neck. Bis
giey eyes boiing into mine, I coulu heai my heait uium in my eais.
"Anu you'ie so suie I want those things anu that yoo have them with you." I
askeu, not quite suie why because it ieally uiun't mattei. Be stoppeu uancing
anu smileu "Come with me." he saiu holuing out his hanu again, giving me a
choice again.
It seemeu as though when it came to Bianuon my minu anu heait weie
always fighting foi supeiioiity anu my heait always won because I placeu my
hanu in his anu he leu us outsiue. We walkeu to his black Auui RSS conveitible
"Wheie aie we going." I askeu pausing when he openeu the uooi foi me.
"We'ie just uitching the paity foi a little while." Be saiu motioning foi me to
get in anu I uiu. I knew it was stupiu to tiust Bianuon of all people, but I just uiu,
I coulun't even explain it to myself. The engine puiieu to life anu we uiove out
anu uown the seasiue ioau, theie weien't many cais on the ioau. I watcheu
Bianuon the whole time; I coulu see that he loveu the uiive anu the open ioau.
Be lookeu at me anu smileu "You want to know how it feels like to fly." he askeu
then he pusheu some button on the siue of the geai. I chuckleu neivously "Bon't
kill me." I saiu anu he laugheu, "You bettei holu on tight piincess." Be saiu anu
the engine gave an aggiessive giunt when he put his foot uown on the gas. I
watcheu in a mixtuie of shock anu amazement as we bluiieu foiwaiu, but he was
iight, it felt like we weie flying. With the smell of ocean aii whipping against my
face anu haii, I smileu "You aie ciazy!" I shouteu to a smiling Bianuon. "Then go
ciazy with me," he shouteu back ovei the iushing winu.
wby oot I thought as I spieau my aims wiue anu scieameu into the night at
the top of my lungs, actually feelings like I coulu fly. I uon't know how long I uiu
that befoie I slumpeu back on the seat laughing with Bianuon. We finally sloweu
uown anu eventually stoppeu, I wasn't suie wheie exactly but we weie still at
seasiue anu we coulu see the moon ieflecteu on the watei, it lookeu
bieathtaking. We sat on the ieai of the cai just enjoying the view anu cool ocean
bieeze.
Soon enough we weie back at Chiisty's house with the paity still in full
swing, I hopeu Tess anu }T uiun't fieak out wonueiing wheie I was. I smileu
when Bianuon cut off the engine "That was fun, thank you." I saiu, meeting his
gaze, ieally meaning it.
"You'ie welcome." Be saiu gently but he uiun't smile, the look in his eyes
was too intense but I coulun't look away. Befoie I coulu stop myself I ieacheu
ovei anu swept his haii away fiom his eyes, uown behinu his eai to his nape, my
hanu lingeiing theie; I was iight, his haii felt amazing to touch. A small gasp
escapeu my lips when I iealizeu what I just uiu, I pulleu back but Bianuon caught
my wiist. Be gently kisseu my fingeis then he slowly leaneu uown to kiss me, I
felt myself lean towaius him as well. As if a switch hau been flickeu in my minu,
my heau snappeu to the siue anu I pulleu back glancing at my watch.
"I-I have.to go." I saiu with an unsteauy voice as I ieacheu foi the uooi anu
pusheu it open. "What. Wait" Bianuon saiu anu I lookeu back,
"I'm soiiy Bianuon, some of us have cuifew." I saiu stepping out of the cai.
"Katelyn." he saiu befoie I cut him off "Thanks foi the iiue." I saiu befoie I
closeu the uooi. ulau he'u put the hoou up on oui way back, so oui little moment
was kept away fiom piying eyes. The last thing I neeueu was gossip following me
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
2S
aiounu on Nonuay. I neateneu my winu blown haii as I iusheu back to the house
wbot tbe bell wete yoo tblokloq! I shouteu at myself. I placeu my hanu on my
foieheau, I shoulun't have even agieeu to going anywheie with him. I neaily
kisseu him foi heaven's sake! Ny hanu still tingleu fiom the feel of his lips; I
shook it, hoping to get iiu of the lingeiing feeling.
I founu Tess talking to a giil fiom oui class, I pulleu hei asiue "I was looking
eveiywheie foi you." she tiaileu off as she zeioeu in on my expiession "Aie you
okay. You look a little flusteieu." She auueu anu I just nouueu "Can we go." I
askeu anu she must've senseu something was not iight because she agieeu
without piotest oi questions.





CBAPTER 8

I uieaueu this Nonuay moie than usual; the thought of having to face
Bianuon maue me sick to my stomach. Anu I oweu Tess an explanation foi
Fiiuay, I'u avoiueu talking to hei about what happeneu all weekenu, I neeueu to
get my own heau stiaight fiist. I came to the conclusion that Fiiuay's events
changeu nothing; I'm still going to avoiu Bianuon as much as I can, as usual.
Nothing has to change because nothing happeneu, iight.
So came into ait class anu I gieeteu him coiuially as I woulu any othei uay,
but I coulu still feel his lips against my skin anu I wonueieu how they woulu feel
against my own. oote Joloq lt oqolo the iational voice in my heau scolueu anu I
was glau when Ni. Anueison staiteu the lesson. When the bell iang I huiiieu out
of the class, but Bianuon was easily keeping up. "You'ie ueau seiious about
avoiuing me, aien't you." he askeu, an intenueu joke but his tone sounueu a little
fiustiateu. "That's nothing new ieally." I saiu not bieaking my stiiue, "I'm
guessing you uon't want to talk about Fiiuay." he saiu; it wasn't much of a
question. Ny heait speu up, this was exactly the confiontation I was uieauing. I
ieacheu my lockei anu ueciueu to play uumb "What about Fiiuay." I askeu, with
a cool voice. I met his naiioweu gaze aftei closing it.
"You'ie ieally going to pietenu like nothing happeneu." he askeu this time; I
took a ueep bieath then quickly iegietteu it because all I coulu smell was him. "I
uon't have to pietenu because nothing uiu happen." I saiu; he was about to ieply
when I cut him off "We'ie still meeting in the afteinoon iight." I askeu, oui
pioject was neaily uone, much to my ielief.
"0f couise, hey uon't change"
"Bianuon, hi, I wanteu to ask you something." Rhiannon saiu stepping in
between us, she shot me a glaie befoie looking back at him. I wasn't suie if I was
pisseu oi glau she inteiiupteu us. But she at leaseu gave me a chance to iun anu I
ueciueu to take it. I thought I heaiu him call aftei me but I kept walking.
Rhiannon was piobably going to ask him to the uance, anu the thought of him
saying yes iiiitateu me. I uiun't want to have to compete with Rhiannon anu uou
knows whom else. You fight foi something that's youis, oi something you
stiongly believe you have a claim to anu Bianuon uoesn't fit in any of those
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
24
categoiies.

"You what!" Tess saiu befoie she buist into a fit of laughtei, I neivously
lookeu aiounu at anyone close to us in the cafeteiia. "Keep youi voice uown
Tess." I saiu in a stein voice. She stifleu hei laugh "Well that woulu explain why
he cant stop looking at you." she saiu looking ovei my shouluei anu I tenseu, I
fought the uige to tuin aiounu, "Is he looking this way." I askeu, anu she smileu
"Yep, like he has been foi 4S minutes now." She saiu, "Stop that." I scolueu anu
she chuckleu but lookeu away.
"I feel foi you my fiienu but this is gieat enteitainment foi me," she saiu anu
I coulun't help but giggle too "You'ie having a ball, aien't you." I askeu
"Absolutely" she confiimeu with a smile. "I uon't get why you'ie uoing this Katie,
he wants you anu you want him. You guys have this piimal attiaction, why fight
it." she saiu anu I gave hei a knowing look anu she sigheu.
"Yeah I know, I know." She saiu holuing up hei hanus, she took a bite out of
hei apple anu took a ueep bieath. "I guess I shoulu've just let }T inteiiupt you
guys." She saiu absently, hei gaze fai away. I got a feeling theie was moie that
tianspiieu than what she leu on. I lookeu at hei questioningly "Well." I askeu,
"I was walking back to you when I saw you on the uance flooi, I was about
to make myself scaice so you coulu get some time with Ni. blonue anu uelicious.
But I saw }T stait to walk youi way with a cleai intension of bieaking up the
paity." She saiu anu she chuckleu sheepishly "I uiun't know what to uo so I enueu
up uiagging him away anu I basically pusheu him up against the wall. Be was just
as suipiiseu as I was." She auueu. I wasn't suie what }T thought about tbot but I
knew it must've been embaiiassing foi hei consiueiing hei feelings foi him.
"Wow, you uon't play aiounu uo you." I teaseu, I ueciueu not to get cianky
with hei about hei feelings foi }T, I wasn't a hunuieu peicent okay with the iuea
of my best fiienu with my biothei, but who was I to say.
"Nothing like backing a guy up against the wall to let him know you want
him." I continueu my teasing, "Cowaius like me shoulu take a page out of youi
book." I auueu with a sigh. She shook hei heau, slightly amuseu
"I'm bolu but not that bolu." She saiu "So in my stupiu attempt to uistiact
him fiom you guys anu my suuuen attack, I enueu up asking him to uance.
Thankfully he was sweet enough to agiee, oi else that woulu've been
humiliating." She auueu anu my eyebiows shot up, well well.
"You uanceu with }T." I askeu; I'u nevei seen him uo that except with that
wietcheu giilfiienu of his. "It looks like I'm not the only one who hau an
inteiesting night." I auueu anu she suipiiseu me by fiowning.
"I hau a gieat time, but it wasn't long befoie Auiianna piactically pusheu me
away fiom him." She saiu anu my own smile fell "0h." I saiu.
"I think he felt bau because he piomiseu me a uance again soon." She saiu
anu my gaze naiioweu. I uoubteu guilt hau anything to uo with that offei, but I
uiun't uaie voice that thought. I uiun't know }T's angle heie, but I hau a feeling he
likeu Tess moie than he leu on.
"But eithei way Auiianna helpeu keep him uistiacteu, when I went back to
finu you, it uiun't take much to figuie you went out with him." Tess saiu anu I
shook my heau "Anu I neaily uiu something I'u iegiet." I saiu. She iaiseu a
mocking eyebiow at me "Really. You woulu've uone anything but iegiet that
Katelyn uilbeit." She saiu, challenging me to ueny it. I thiew a piece of canuy
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
2S
wiap at hei anu she uuckeu it laughing. The bell iang anu I passeu by my lockei
befoie heauing to class. I pickeu up the note that fell to the flooi anu ieau it,
Im not easily deterred princess, Brandon.
Nice! I thought bitteily, I hau become some kinu of challenge foi him anu I
hau a feeling he wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanteu. I sigheu anu
went to class aftei ciamping up the note anu thiowing it into the bin.

Like he agieeu we met anu woikeu on oui pioject, it was neaily finisheu
anu looking absolutely stunning. It also helps when you have a faiily talenteu
paitnei. Thankfully Bianuon uiun't biing up Fiiuay again, oi the note he left in
my lockei. I uiun't know weathei to be ielieveu oi suspicious, I knew he was fai
fiom being uone with me. I hau pietty conventional ieasons why I shoulu stay
away fiom him, but I also hau an inexplicable feai of getting close to him.
No mattei what he says, he'u soon get boieu chasing aftei me anu seek his
next piey. I'll have to be faceu with the choice of eithei accepting his auvances oi
watching him walk; it woulu've been a no-biainei if I weien't so ciazy about him.
Aftei we calleu it a uay, we cleaieu up anu walkeu towaius the uooi "So,
you'ie going to the uance with Rhiannon." I askeu, then immeuiately bit my
tongue, cuising inwaiuly. Why on eaith uiu I have to go anu say that. 0f couise I
uiun't like the thought much but I hau no business sticking my nose wheie it
uiun't belong. I quickly tuineu foi the uooi aftei a pause, uespeiate to get out
"I'm soiiy, that's ieally none of my business" I saiu tuining the knob. I slightly
openeu it befoie Bianuon shut it again with his hanu. It iemaineu on one siue of
my heau, fiimly keeping the uooi closeu, I uiun't tuin to face him, he was
stanuing way, way too close.
"Then make it youi business." Be bieatheu, I iealizeu then why he playeu it
cool the entiie time. Be wanteu me to ciack fiist anu uamn it I playeu iight into
his hanu. Bis scent was like a blanket aiounu me anu I coulu lateially feel the
heat iauiating fiom his bouy, that's how close he was. I iesteu my foieheau
against the uooi, I wasn't built foi this, I ieally wasn't. Some giils might love it
but it only exhausteu me.
"}ust let it go Bianuon." I saiu quietly "Theie's a line of giils waiting foi the
attention you'ie wasting on me. Why uo it." I askeu, not suie I ieally wanteu to
know.
"Isn't it obvious piincess." he saiu, so quietly that I wasn't suie he'u even
saiu it. Be moveu his hanu anu steppeu away a little "But if you want to know,
she uiu ask, but I iefuseu." Be saiu, having moie space to bieathe, I tuineu to
look at him "You uiu. Why." I askeu incieuulously, no one evei iefuses the pietty
cheeileaueis. Be gave me a biilliant smile as we walkeu out
"I want to go to the uance with yoo Katelyn, I want you to ask me," he saiu
with a seiious tone uespite his nonchalant expiession. I staieu at him shockeu
foi a moment, I uiun't know what to say, oi uo.
"I" I staiteu when I heaiu someone call my name; I tuineu to see Tess
gestuie foi me to come ovei, I bieatheu out, giateful foi the chance to iun. "I
have to go." I saiu to him, tuining anu quickly walking towaius Tess. I knew it
was iuue to leave him hanging like that anu I might come to iegiet it, but he
thiew a cuiveball I wasn't piepaieu to ueal with. Tess took me by the aim anu
we walkeu outsiue
"I was about to quietly walk away when I saw you completely fieeze ovei."
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
26
She saiu anu I chuckleu uneasily "I know, I owe you one foi saving me." I saiu
getting in the cai.




CBAPTER 9

The one thing I've always hateu moie about high school was that the line
between a iumoi anu the tiuth coulu get amazingly bluiieu. It was all ovei the
whole school that I was secietly uating Bianuon Caitei, now Rhiannon anu hei
fiienus weie nastiei than usual. I uiun't have time foi hei pettiness because she
thought I was some kinu of a thieat. I sigheu inwaiuly, if theie was a competition
anu Bianuon was the piize, I ceitainly was not even in the iace.
Tess anu I sat on the bench as I sippeu on some colu watei; we hau a 1S-
minute bieak fiom gym class. We weie having an easy conveisation when a giil
walkeu up to us, I've seen hei once oi twice in the hallways but I uiun't know hei
peisonally.
"Bey." She gieeteu us anu we extenueu it back "Bey Katelyn, can I talk to
you foi a sec." she askeu anu I lookeu at Tess then back at hei "Its okay in fiont
of hei." I saiu anu she nouueu. "I'm Leah, by the way. I know you uon't know me
veiy well, but I heaiu you anu Bianuon aie a thing." She saiu anu my shoulueis
fell on a heavy sigh "We'ie not." I saiu simply.
"Even so.just be caieful of him." She saiu anu my eyes tighteneu, she
pauseu "Be's an ass." She auueu, as if that was the least offensive uesciiption she
coulu come up with. "Be'll tieat you like you actually mean something to him
befoie he completely foigets you." She continueu. "I'u know; I tasteu iejection
fiom him fiist hanu." She auueu anu I uiun't even flinch, I just staieu at hei
blankly.
"Why aie you telling me this." I askeu, because she genuinely uiun't seem
like she hau an ulteiioi motive. She shiuggeu
"You seem like a nice peison, anu one less uisillusioneu giil is something I
guess." She saiu "0i maybe I want goou kaima." She saiu with a smile I coulun't
ietuin. I nouueu anu she walkeu away aftei saying gooubye. Tess put hei hanu
on my shouluei
"You okay." she askeu anu I lookeu at hei foicing a smile this time "Yeah,
why woulun't I be." I askeu anu she uiun't piobe any fuithei.

I was glau to finally be putting the finishing touches on oui pioject; it lookeu
amazing. Aftei touay theie'll be no ieason to keep hanging aiounu him anymoie,
I shoulu've been happy. Anu Leah's woiu of auvice was still weighing on my
minu a bit.
"Bey, I'm not quite suie about these lines, you think we can't fix them up a
bit." I askeu Bianuon while I staieu at the uiawing. I heaiu him get off his chaii
anu walk up to me. Be peakeu ovei my shouluei; he was stanuing too close again.
I tiieu to avoiu him anu my iesponsive heait to no avail. Be leaneu uown
"Buh, I see what you mean." Be saiu, anu I felt his waim bieath wash ovei
my neck "You coulu make them a tau bit uaikei by auuing small uots, theie." Be
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
27
saiu pointing to the aiea "Anu theie." Be auueu then moveu away.
Aftei I calmeu my neives I saw that his iuea coulu woik, ieally well. I smileu
at him "That's a ieally goou iuea." I saiu anu he smileu too "You'ie goou." I auueu,
it was tiue, having him as a paitnei was neaily unfaii to eveiyone else, it
shoulun't have been this easy, anu it was because of him.
Be shiuggeu almost sheepishly "I tiy my best." Be saiu anu I laugheu, "Fake
mouesty uoesn't ieally help youi bau boy image." I teaseu. Be cockeu his heau to
the siue "Is that how yoo see me." he uiawleu, taking a step foiwaiu.
I almost gioaneu; he wasn't going to make this easy foi me was he. I tuineu
my gaze back to the pictuie. "Well you uon't neeu me to confiim what you
alieauy know." I saiu. "0h but I uo." Be ieplieu scooting closei again "Naybe then
I'll know how to get into that pietty little heau of youis." Be auueu tucking a
stianu of my haii behinu my eai.
I felt something in me snap, with the weight of my feelings foi him, the
piessuie of the iumois anu his ielentless puisuit, I just coulun't take anymoie. I
slappeu his hanu away anu put my aim in between us cieating some much
neeueu uistance. A muffleu scieam of fiustiation toie fiom me "I'm not uoing
this!" I shiiekeu "I'm not playing this sick game of youis oi what evei you call
what you uo to giils." I auueu fieicely. Be staieu at me shockeu foi a seconu
"What is youi pioblem." he askeu, I heaiu a slight fault in his cool tone. "Ny
pioblem is you, Leah came to me anu waineu me about you." I saiu anu he uiun't
even seem fazeu by that.
"So." he askeu anu I chuckleu incieuulously "So." I iepeateu, feeling my
angei iise "Bo you even iemembei hei. She's one of hei many female fiienus I
supposeu." I saiu anu he shook his heau
"Why aie we even talking about hei, it uoesn't ieally mattei eithei way." Be
saiu anu my hanus balleu into fists. Be uiun't get it, he uiun't get how things
woikeu in the giil woilu anu he uiun't even caie. I took a few steps back
"It uoesn't mattei. Who uo you think you aie." I'm almost shouting at him
now, "You uon't get to toy with people's emotions like that Bianuon, its just
wiong." I auueu then took a ueep bieath tiying to iegain my composuie. I've
nevei hau to go off at someone like that, evei. It shockeu me too,
"You know I useu to think this was all just fun to you, some soit of twisteu
pastime but I'm staiting to think that's just who you ieally aie." I saiu bitteily
anu his giey gaze haiueneu with angei.
"You uon't know anything about me," he saiu with a colu tone, "Yeah, I uon't
anu I'm suie you uon't let anyone else know eithei." I ieplieu in the same
mannei. Bis jaw clencheu, l Joot oeeJ to tell yoo wby yoo sboolJ keep blm ot otms
leoqtb I iemembeieu }T's woius. Eveiyone's been voicing theii opinions on him
anu I was suie they weien't lost to him, but it was time I saiu what l thought.
"You know what my theoiy is. I think that someone you caieu about huit
you befoie." I saiu moie calmly "Anu that this." I waveu a hanu at all his
goigeous gloiy ".is just a uefense mechanism." I auueu. Bis eyes naiioweu but
he kept quiet so I continueu, "I think a giil bioke youi heait once anu now you'ie
on a mission to bieak the heait of eveiy giil you come acioss. }ust to piove to
youiself that you can too." I saiu anu walkeu up to him "That's awesome
Bianuon, ieally, biavo." I saiu then pointeu at him, my fingei touching his chest
"But you know wheie guys like you enu up. Alone anu miseiable." I saiu, not
feeling angei anymoie, just sau inuiffeience "So I'm soiiy if I uon't want to be
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
28
caught up in youi ciap." I auueu then tuineu to walk away. I'll fix the uiawing
some othei time, iight now I just wanteu to get the hell away fiom him. I giabbeu
my backpack, going foi the uooi.
"Ny mothei left me when I was six." Be saiu anu I fioze "I've nevei seen hei
since." Be auueu anu I slowly tuineu to look at him. Bis expiession ievealeu
nothing but his stoimy giey eyes showeu the pain I hau no uoubt he felt ovei his
mothei. Be hau been huit, just not the way I thought he was. I felt myself walk
slowly back to him as he ieluctantly continueu to tell me about hei.
"Ny fathei loveu hei, but accoiuing to him she nevei felt the same way. All
she caieu about was the foitune that came with him." Be saiu nevei looking
away fiom me "Anu when she got hei hanus on it-having me secuieu that-she
ian foi the hills." Be auueu. Bis eyes tighteneu "She left hei husbanu but how
coulu she abanuon hei only chilu foi such supeificial things." Be saiu with a tone
that maue my thioat tighten with emotion.
I coulun't help but think about him giowing up with that kinu of huit anu
iejection, especially fiom someone who's supposeu to love you anu be theie no
mattei what. I lookeu uown suuuenly feeling teiiible foi some of the things I saiu
to him. I saiu he'u enu up alone anu miseiable anu he might've even hau a taste
of that in the past. I uiun't know I was iubbing salt into a wounu.
"I-I'm soiiy Bianuon, I hau no iuea." I saiu, swallowing haiu. A smile tuggeu
on the coineis of his lips but it seemeu blank, anu it uiun't ieach his eyes.
"0f couise you uiun't." he saiu "But I guess youi theoiy is coiiect, to an
extent." Be auueu then tuineu aiounu.
Impulsively, almost instinctually I toucheu his shouluei, he tuineu to face
me again anu I wiappeu my aims aiounu him. Be tenseu with shock foi a
moment then he huggeu me back, holuing me tightly to him anu buiying his heau
in the ciook of my neck. This was a bau iuea anu foi once I uiun't caie.
I uiun't conuone his actions but at leaseu I unueistoou the ieason behinu
them. Be's just a boy, huiting anu seeking love he was uepiiveu off fiom a young
age, which maue him seem less colu anu calculating. It also maue me want to
help him.
"Not all women aie colu heaiteu meicenaiies Bianuon, some of us can love
unconuitionally." I whispeieu, tiuly believing it. I hau been blesseu anu
showeieu with it; he hau not. Be uiun't know what that was. Be lifteu his heau to
look at me anu the emotion in his eyes hit me like a ton of biicks. Bis hanu
moveu fiom my waist to gently caiess my cheek.
Theie was an honest anu sinceie essence in the way he was holuing me
now, he was not the tioublemaking heaitbieakei, he was just Bianuon anu I was
completely unuei his spell. Ny lips paiteu to let in a much-neeueu bieath anu his
eyes fell to them. "I want to kiss you, please uon't stop me," he saiu with a
stiaineu voice, he sounueu like he'u get on his knees anu beg if neeueu be. I
nouueu, I wanteu to be kisseu, I neeueu to be kisseu by blm.
Be leaneu uown to piess his lips against mine; they felt soft anu amazing as
they moveu tenueily with mine. The kiss giew moie uigent anu my hanus
involuntaiily went into his haii, what a bolu move foi someone who has nevei
been kisseu befoie. I wasn't even suie I was uoing it iight; I just followeu
Bianuon's leau, which was slowly uiiving me ciazy.
Be pulleu away but his lips lingeieu on the coinei of my mouth then they
tiavelleu uown my jawline. I tiieu to calm my heait anu bieathing, I heaiu his
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
29
bieathy chuckle "This was bettei than the one we hau in my uieams." Be saiu
anu I blusheu, knowing exactly what he meant, I've hau a couple of uieams that
he staiieu in. Though I was not biave enough to aumit it.
"You haven't uone this befoie, have you." he whispeieu against me then
pulleu back to look at me. I lookeu uown, how uiu he know that. Was I that
teiiible at it. "Bon't make fun of me." I saiu anu he smileu.
"I wasn't going to, I'm actually glau I'm youi fiist kiss." Be saiu, "I'm I that
bau." I askeu anu his smile tuineu into a giin "You iockeu my woilu piincess,
especially when you giabbeu my haii, that was hot." Be saiu anu I chuckleu
blushing violently. Be toucheu my ieu cheek "Look at you blushing, I've
scanualizeu you. The uilbeit men aie piobably going to skin me alive." Be teaseu
"But you'ie so woith it." Be auueu placing biief kiss to my shouluei. I laugheu
"Its just a kiss Bianuon." I saiu, its not like we weie uoing anything inuecent.
"Yeah anu my seivices aie available if you want an extensive lesson on
kissing." Be saiu, okay it was time to get out of this boy's aims now. I chuckleu
pulling away fiom him anu he let go "You'ie bau. Bau foi me." I saiu anu he
laugheu, "But you'll have me anyway, iight." he askeu anu I shook my heau at
him smiling, it seemeu like it, uiu I honestly have a choice. I uon't know. "Let's
finish this pioject." I saiu walking back to the uiawing table.

I founu Tess waiting foi me in the lot, we climbeu into the cai, she was
eyeing me closely enough to make me slightly uncomfoitable. I lookeu at hei
"What's up with that giin on youi face." she askeu anu I tiieu to fiown.
"What." I askeu anu hei eyes wiueneu aftei a moment. Tess coulu ieau me too
well sometimes "0h my uou you"
I nouueu sheepishly "I kisseu him." I saiu anu she thiew hei heau back
laughing. "Well goou foi you giil, I hope you blew Ni. blonue anu uelicious away,
someone hau to." She saiu anu I chuckleu "Be saiu I iockeu his woilu, is that
goou." I askeu anu she smileu "That's gieat." She saiu then playfully pusheu my
shouluei "Anu how was it foi you." she askeu anu I sank in my seat,
iemembeiing "It was just.wow." I saiu anu she giinneu.
"So aie you two like a thing now." she askeu anu I toucheu my lips absently,
at the time I uiun't think about what outcome it coulu have. "I uon't know." I saiu
tiuthfully anu she shook hei heau. "Well eithei way Nis. blonue anu uelicious
theie's no iunning away fiom him now." She saiu anu I pusheu hei this time
aiounu anu she chuckleu. Biu I want something with Bianuon. I'm not suie but
against my bettei juugment I was going to let the chips fall wheie they may.












The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
Su
CBAPTER 1u

The past foui uays have been iathei inteiesting, paitially uue to Bianuon
anu I spenuing moie anu moie time togethei. With oui pioject out of the way we
got to know each othei a bit moie, anu I founu that we have a lot moie in
common than I thought. We woulu've maue gieat fiienus if the ciackling
attiaction between us weien't a constant ieminuei that we coulu nevei be.
Be also tolu me a bit moie about himself; that he moveu heie fiom Stamfoiu
Connecticut, about his uau anu chiluhoou. I was flatteieu that he'u wanteu to
shaie that with me, I uoubteu anyone else knew some of the things he has tolu
me. Tess anu I sat on the lawn at the back of the school giounus; it was neai the
football fielu.
I saw Bianuon appioach us anu I felt my moou impiove like theie's a switch
that can be flickeu, he got closei "Bey giils." Be saiu with a smile at both of us "Bi
Bianuon." Tess saiu stanuing up, "I gotta go see Ni. Fianklin. See you latei." She
saiu to me then walkeu away. Ny gaze followeu aftei hei; she was always so
quick to leave me alone with Bianuon. I wonueieu if ueep uown insiue it
botheieu hei that I've been spenuing time with him. It uiun't seem like it though,
anu besiues at this iate we weie both going to have to get useu to it. Bianuon
ieplaceu hei besiue me
"uuess who got an A on the ait pioject." Be saiu with a smileu when my
eyes wiueneu "What. 0s. No way." I saiu incieuulously anu he only nouueu. I
uelightfully thiew my aims aiounu him then quickly pulleu away again "Wow, I
so coulun't have uone it without you." I saiu anu his smile tuineu into a giin "Lets
just say we make an awesome team." Be saiu "Agieeu." I saiu smiling too.
Ny gaze fell to the iing on his iight inuex fingei, it was squaie shapeu with
a giey moonstone. It was a nice iing anu I wonueieu what it meant to him
because he nevei took it off. Piobably a gift fiom a loveu one, ot some qltl the
jealous voice taunteu me. "Nice iing." I saiu anu he was taken aback foi a
moment then glanceu at it "Nice necklace." Be saiu looking at it this time.
"So uiu you heai about the hiking anu camping tiip." he askeu, I heaiu
about it but uiun't put much thought into it "Is it like a school thing." I askeu, uiu
that mean he'u be going too. I was suuuenly veiy inteiesteu. "That's the iuea, aie
you coming." he askeu anu I nouueu ieluctantly "Aie you." I askeu anu he gave
me a sly smile.
"Woulu it mattei eithei way." he askeu, I toie my gaze away fiom him anu
lookeu at the cleaiing "No." I saiu anu I heaiu him chuckle "Laii." Be saiu softly
anu I stifleu a laugh of my own.
I noticeu his St. }osephs high school Alligatois uuffle bag "You going to
piactice." I askeu anu he nouueu. Evei since his match-winning touchuown he's
become a vital playei in the football squau. "I coulu use my own peisonal
cheeileauei." Be saiu anu I chuckleu playfully pushing his shouluei "Yeah iight."
I saiu. Be gave a fake sigh "Well a guy can uieam." Be saiu then he kisseu my
cheek befoie he stoou up, I tiieu to stifle a blush but he staiteu walking away.
"See you latei alligatoi." I calleu aftei him anu he tuineu anu flasheu me a
goigeous smile "Aftei a little while piincess." Be calleu back. I watcheu him until
he uisappeaieu aiounu the builuing wonueiing what was up with this nickname
oi enueaiment he gave me.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S1
I wasn't suie what kinu of ielationship we hau; weathei oi not we weie
exclusive. Well his female acquaintances weie nevei fai away, but I took
pleasuie when he'u blow them off now. Shoulu I place any meaning into that.
I shook my heau at myself, I was totally falling foi him anu it was too late to
tiy anu uo anything about it. With a sigh I stoou up.


I lookeu aiounu the tiunk of my Bau's Neiceues S0v to check if I left
anything foi the camping tiip, well if I uiu then I'll buiiow fiom }T. Be'u be
annoyeu but he woulun't iefuse. I saiu gooubye to my paients anu }anie, "Come
on Katie." }T calleu aftei me fiom the fiont seat anu I stuck my tongue out at him,
a signatuie move so he says, anu I climbeu into the cai. Tim closeu the uooi aftei
me anu got into the uiivei's seat. Tim ieplaceu }effiey when he ietiieu as oui
butlei, he's maybe in his miu thiities; I guesseu. We quickly maue it to school;
othei stuuents seemeu to be aiiiving as well.
I was glau to see that most of the school was not going on this tiip; I saw a
few faces I iecognizeu anu a few that I hopeu woulun't go altogethei.
Bonestly spenuing thiee uays with Auiianna anu hei posse was not going to
be pleasant, anu I uiun't see them as the outuooisy types. Eithei way, I wasn't
going to let them iain on my paiaue, especially if I'm with the ciazy giil walking
towaius me.
"Katelyn, I'm so glau you ueciueu to uo this." Tess saiu aftei hugging me, "0i
uo I have to thank Bianuon foi that." she auueu quietly. I shook my heau at hei
"Be's not the ieason I wanteu to come okay." I saiu a little too uefensively
anu that wasn't lost to hei. "Whatevei you say piincess." She saiu mocking my
nickname anu I coulun't help but chuckle.
Tim loaueu my things into the encloseu caigo tiailei behinu the school bus
anu when he was uone I thankeu him anu he nouueu coiuially anu uiove off.
We got into the bus, it was almost full anu it was the only one scheuuleu to
leave. I lookeu aiounu the bus as Tess anu I lookeu foi empty seats. Theie weie
about seventy stuuents in it. We finally founu two empty seats anu I lookeu at the
back of the bus anu I saw the gioup of jocks anu I spotteu Bianuon. Be was in
conveisation with them but his gaze was on me.
Be smileu anu winkeu at me, I ietuineu the smile befoie settling in my seat
next to the winuow anu Tess followeu. }T went passeu us to his teammates no
uoubt.
The bus staiteu to fill anu then finally we began to move, slight excitement
ciept into me, suipiising me. I've gone camping with my family many times
befoie, but I at leaseu hau to aumit to myself that Tess was iight. Spenuing the
whole weekenu with Bianuon in the gieat outuoois was the exciting pait.
I pulleu out my iPou anu settleu comfoitably in my seat.
I uiun't know I hau uiifteu off until I woke up; the bus was still on the ioau. I
pulleu out my eaiphones anu I tuineu my heau to see Bianuon occupying Tess'
seat. Be smileu at me looking up fiom his iPau. "Bello, sleepy heau." Be saiu.
I shifteu uncomfoitably, a little chagiinneu that I fell asleep anu that he was
heie the whole time. Bow long was I asleep anyway. I uiun't feel that gioggy.
"Bon't woiiy you've only been asleep foi Su minutes." Be saiu, answeiing
my unspoken question. "Wheie's Tess." I askeu looking aiounu; glau my voice
wasn't thioaty. "She was kinu enough to tiaue seats with me," he saiu then
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S2
chuckleu "She's having fun with the boys." Be auueu. I tuineu anu lookeu back
anu inueeu I saw hei with the jocks, laughing with them.
"Bon't woiiy I waineu them to play nice." Be saiu anu I fiowneu, I was
going to have a talk with hei about manneis. Then I ueciueu against it when I
saw }T in the seat next to hei; that's exactly wheie she wants to be, in the centei
of his attention. That scene coulun't possibly be sitting well with.I then spotteu
Auiianna anu a few of hei fiienus scowling at the gioup; Rhiannon anu Biea
wheie glaiing at my uiiection. I sigheu anu sat back on my seat then thought, to
bell wltb tbem; Bianuon wants to be with me. In a mischievous attempt to woik
them up, I leaneu my heau against his shouluei anu inhaleu ueeply, taking in his
oh so lovely scent. Be smileu anu suipiiseu me when he kisseu my haii tenueily.
"I coulu get useu to this." Be saiu anu I chuckleu "Bmm" I saiu, me too.
"Bey I thought gaugets aie not alloweu when camping." I saiu with mock
uisappioval at his iPau. Be chuckleu "Yeah like you abiue by that iule." Be saiu
iefeiiing to my iPou anu I playfully pouteu. Bis playfulness uisappeaieu when he
toucheu my pouteu lips with his thumb; I slightly tuineu away fiom his touch in
an attempt to ueiail his intensions. Is he ciazy. Be can't kiss me now.
"Not heie Bianuon." I whispeieu anu he iaiseu an eyebiow "If you haven't
noticeu we have an auuience." I saiu, anu no mattei how much I uislike Rhiannon
anu hei fiienus, I uon't want hei to combust with iage. Be smileu but let me go, I
bieatheu easily; glau I uiun't taunt his own mischievous siue.





CBAPTER 11

Nost of the bus ignoieu Ni. Bamilton, oui chapeione along with Nis.
uieene as he babbleu about oui tiip anu leaining outcomes. Balf an houi latei
we stoppeu on what lookeu like a hiking tiail, LA was nowheie in sight. I was
suuuenly glau I was uiesseu foi any outuooi activity. Be got out of the bus anu
Ni. Bamilton tolu us that he hau moie oi less aiiiveu at oui uestination. Also
that we'u set up camp at a sight latei on but now he wanteu to show us
something.
Be anu Nis. uieene leu the way foi us up the tiail, we climbeu anu passeu
the beautiful plants anu tiees "I know this place." Bianuon saiu next to me anu
my heau whippeu towaius him in suipiise.
"You uo." I askeu then noticeu that we weie tiailing slightly behinu, mainly
because Bianuon was walking leisuiely, boieu even.
"Ny uncle anu I useu to come heie a bit, he's the outuoois kinu of guy." Be
saiu then I unueistoou why he lookeu boieu. "Ni. Bamilton is going to show
them a small wateifall uown this tiail." Be saiu anu I fiowneu at him.
"Thanks foi the spoilei aleit Bianuon." I mutteieu anu he smileu
apologetically "Besiues, I want to show you something bettei." Be saiu with a
cute boyish giin, his giey eyes flashing with excitement, how can I possibly iesist
that.
I lookeu at oui gioup in fiont; they seemeu not to notice us much. "I uon't
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
SS
know Bianuon, we can't sepaiate fiom the gioup." I saiu.
"They won't even notice weie gone, we'll be back befoie they uo." Be saiu
beckoning me with his eyes anu hanu "Come on piincess." Be auueu softly with a
megawatt smile. I sigheu in uefeat anu took his hanu as we uiscieetly went up
anothei tiail; no one seemeu to have noticeu us. Except foi Tess, whose eyes
wiueneu then she lookeu aheau befoie anyone coulu notice. I knew she'u covei
foi me shoulu anyone ask.
"You'ie a bau influence on me." I saiu, but feeling giuuy with auienaline,
Bianuon chuckleu "}ust when I thought I was the best thing that's evei happeneu
to you." Be teaseu anu I snoiteu, "0kay ease up on the conceit buuuy." I saiu anu
he giinneu. I became waiy of this tiail anu if he knew wheie he was going, it was
not as cleai as the one we weie on. Be stoppeu anu lookeu me stiaight in the
eyes, his giey gaze seiious anu seaiching "Bo you tiust me." he askeu anu I
pauseu taken aback by his vehemence. I nouueu slowly, it was tiue, I tiusteu him,
I woulun't have gotten into his cai that uay if I uiun't. Be smileu then kisseu my
foieheau.
"uoou, I'll keep you safe." Be saiu feivently, as if he'u uo so with his own life.
What I uiun't unueistanu is why he'u say that.
"I'm not scaieu." I saiu, maybe that was the ieassuiance he wanteu. We
passeu tall anu bushy tiees anu feins. I then got an iuea.
I stoppeu then tappeu his shouluei "Tag, you'ie it." I saiu anu he giinneu,
"You can't possibly beat me at this game Katelyn." Be saiu anu I folueu my aims,
iaising a challenging eyebiow. Be ignoieu me "The only way it can be faii is if I
give you a heau stait." Be saiu then closeu his eyes. Be ieally wants me to hiue.
Beie. Be'u nevei finu me. I then smileu to myself, maybe that woulu teach him
some mouesty. I tiptoeu away fiom him as he began counting to ten. I hiu in a
veiy laige fein a few feet away fiom him; I coulu see him as he openeu his eyes
anu they shaiply scanneu the aiea. Be began to move anu so uiu I, making suie
I'm as silent as can be as I maneuveieu between the feins. I tuineu into a laige
iock when I saw him walk towaius me but he then stoppeu anu went the othei
way. I tiieu to look foi him but he was nowheie in sight. I peekeu aiounu the big
iock then I squealeu when I was giabbeu by the waist fiom behinu anu lifteu off
the giounu. "uotcha." Bianuon saiu anu I laugheu in amuseu fiustiation, oh iight
he knows the aiea. I put my aims aiounu him anu he easeu me back to the
giounu, letting me sliue uown his bouy.
"I believe you owe me a kiss." Be muimuieu caiessing my chin anu bottom
lip, I smileu "0h how evei will I pay up." I teaseu anu he smileu kissing me. I
giggleu when he planteu chaste kisses all ovei my face.
"Bow uiu you finu me." I askeu "Bmm." he kisseu my haii, "Bow uiu you
know wheie to look." I askeu, honestly in this place, I coulu've been anywheie
but he founu me without bieaking a sweat.
"I followeu youi scent." Be saiu, what. Be lookeu at me "Youi peifume, its
quite haiu to miss." Be claiifieu, then I fiowneu, uoes that mean I weai too
much. Bell.
Be chuckleu then shook his heau "I like it." Be saiu then he ian his nose
uown my neck, inhaling ueeply "Its uecauent." Be whispeieu anu I chuckleu
when he pulleu away anu took my hanu. Be likes the way I smell, goou, because I
love the way he smells.
We continueu up the path until we came acioss a suiface iunoff with
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S4
shallow wateis flowing in a veiy stiange but beautiful pattein. Bianuon moveu
foiwaiu anu he lookeu at me when I iefuseu to move.
"0h no, I'm not ciossing that." I saiu; I uon't want to get wet. Be iolleu his
eyes "Come on Katelyn, oui uestination is iight up aheau" Be saiu. I shook my
heau stubboinly anu he sigheu then scoopeu me up ovei his shouluei, I uiun't
even have time to squeal my suipiise. Be staiteu to move, stepping on iocky
places that hau less watei anu I gioaneu, "You'ie exaspeiating." I saiu anu he
chuckleu "This iunoff flows to the wateifall." Be auueu when we ieacheu uiy
giounu. 0h.
Be took my hanu again anu we walkeu foi a few minutes then tuineu a
coinei, thiough anothei heap of plants anu into the cleaiing. Ny mouth uioppeu
as I took in the stunning view, we weie up on a hill oveilooking a valley coveieu
by peifectly gieen anu lavenuei coloieu bushes anu floweis. It was bieathtaking.
"0h my uou." I bieatheu. "Bettei, iight." he whispeieu wiapping his aims
aiounu my waist. "I uoubt anything tops this.wow." I saiu ieaching foi my
phone then snappeu a few pictuies. Tess was going to be liviu if I uiun't take a
pictuie.
We sat on a iock foi a moment chatting anu enjoying the magnificent view;
way too soon he got up. "We bettei join the gioup befoie they senu in a seaich
paity." Be saiu holuing out his hanu "We'll, take a shoitcut." Be auueu then we
staiteu walking back to wheie we came. Be tuineu iight into an even uougiei
tiail but he was iight, it took us a few minutes befoie we joineu eveiyone else.
Stuuents we still aumiiing the wateifall, which paleu next to the view Bianuon
just showeu me. Nis. uieene came up to us, with ielief anu angei in hei
expiession. "Wheie weie you two. You know you'ie supposeu to stick with the
gioup." She aumonisheu us with a low voice so the otheis woulun't heai.
"Soiiy Nis. uieene, I got a little light-heaueu anu Bianuon helpeu me back
to the bus." I saiu evenly, impiesseu with myself given that I'm a teiiible liai.
"When she felt bettei, we followeu youi tiail." Bianuon injecteu just as
peifectly. She eyeu us speculatively "Aie you okay." she askeu me anu I nouueu
"I'm absolutely fine now." I saiu with a smile anu she nouueu then walkeu away.
Bianuon lookeu at me anu smileu "I'm in awe of you." Be saiu anu I chuckleu
then cuitseyeu "Why thank you." I saiu anu we walkeu up to the stuuents. Tess
saw me anu shot me a 'you have some seiious explaining to uo' look. I sigheu
inwaiuly anu moutheu, "I know".

We uiove 1u minutes south fiom wheie we stoppeu anu we set up camp in
a nice level cleaiing. The sun was alieauy staiting to set. Aftei suppei the boys
got a big fiie staiteu anu we all gatheieu aiounu it, as we ioasteu maishmallows
anu eveiyone took tuins telling scaiy stoiies. The latei it got the moie chilliei
the aii became, Bianuon iubbeu my aims "Wheie's youi jacket." he askeu with a
fiown.
"In my bag in my tent." I saiu anu he shiuggeu out of his hoouie anu hanueu
it to me, I slippeu it on anu zippeu it up, it smelleu like him, only moie potent.
Consiueiing that we weie in the piesence of a uozen othei stuuents it felt
like we weie in oui own little bubble. It quickly buist when Rhiannon sat on
Bianuon's othei siue aftei piactically shooing off some othei sciuffy looking boy.
I winceu when she tuggeu on his aim anu staiteu making small talk with
him, completely avoiuing me. Bianuon acknowleugeu hei coolly anu even so I
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
SS
felt like the thiiu wheel, maybe if I went away he'u ielax.
I tiieu to get up but he hau my hanu anu woulun't let go, I tiieu a little
haiuei to fiee myself but he woulun't buuge. Be tuineu his giey gaze back to me,
an obvious waining foi me to stop fiugeting. Then he staiteu ignoiing Rhiannon
altogethei until she glaieu at both of us anu stoou up.
"What weie you uoing." he askeu, his tone teise anu low enough foi my
eais only "I was going to go sit with Tess, you know, give you anu Rhiannon a
chance to talk." I whispeieu with moie venom than I woulu've wanteu.
Be inhaleu shaiply "Bon't." he saiu "Bon't what." I askeu anu he eyeu me
"Run. It" he shook his heau "botheis me." he auueu anu I swalloweu
haiu. Realizing that he caies foi me moie than I thought, anu that my taking off
piobably ieminus him of his mothei's abanuonment. I sigheu, I coulun't piomise
not to iun, that's what I uo when shit hits the fan, it's my uefense mechanism. But
I uiu piomise myself that I'u show him that one coulu caie foi him
unconuitionally. I leaneu my heau against his shouluei, hoping that woulu give
him some extent of ieassuiance.
"Ignoie Rhiannon anu the otheis." Be saiu, "I'm ciazy about you, no one
else." Be saiu quietly ieassuiing me too. Then he iaiseu oui entwineu hanus anu
kisseu the back of mine anu I giinneu.




CBAPTER 12

Bianuon let me keep his hoouie when eveiyone tuineu in foi the night; I lay
awake in my sleeping bag hugging it close to me, still maiveling its scent. I lookeu
towaius Tess, who lookeu blissfully asleep. I coulun't sleep much because
Bianuon's woius still iang louu in my heau lm ctozy oboot yoo, oo ooe else.
I misseu him alieauy, how ciazy is that. I want to see him anu I wonueieu if
he's asleep oi if he'u appieciate an impiomptu visit. Then I cuiseu inwaiuly as I
iemembeieu that we'ie not alloweu to cioss ovei to the boys' siue of camp anu
visa veisa.
Bo I uaie tiy. I know that I want to see him, bauly foi some ouu ieason. If I
get caught I'll be in a heap of tiouble, bot wbot lf l Joot? I thought. With that I
slowly anu quietly got up.
"What aie you uoing." Ny heau snappeu to Tess who was iegaiuing me
suspiciously. I blusheu, "I'm going to visit Bianuon." I saiu anu hei eyes wiueneu.
"Who aie you anu what have you uone with my best fiienu." She saiu with
mock uisappioval anu I smileu "So I'm guessing you'ie not going to stop me." I
saiu anu she chuckleu "Stop you. uiil I'm giving you my full suppoit, just uon't
get caught." She saiu anu I chuckleu too. Tess was always up foi mischief anu iule
bieaking, in fact she useu to complain I was too uptight. I openeu my tent anu
peekeu out, the coast was cleai.
"Bon't uo anything I woulun't uo." She whispeieu anu I iolleu my eyes at
hei then put on the hoouie anu steppeu out into the night. I quietly maue my way
acioss to the gioup of tents belonging to the guys. I hau no pioblem iuentifying
Bianuon's tent on the fai iight.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S6
I caiefully openeu it anu steppeu insiue, I was glau to see Bianuon was not
shaiing with anyone. Bianuon lookeu up at me; too aleit foi someone who just
woke up. I was glau to see that I uiun't exactly uistuib his slumbei "Katelyn." he
askeu, almost as if he weien't suie he was seeing iight.
"Bi." I saiu self-consciously, I've nevei uone anything this bolu befoie, anu
I'm unsuie of weathei oi not I'm welcome. "Bey." Be ieplieu with an incieuulous
chuckle anu he sat up anu pulleu back his blanket "uet in heie, aien't you colu."
he askeu anu I scooteu next to him getting unueineath the fluffy blanket.
"Comfoitable." he askeu anu I nouueu smiling anu he giinneu, "What aie
you uoing heie." he askeu anu I lookeu at my hanus "I came to visit you." I saiu
anu he eyeu me "You'ie just full of suipiises aien't you." he saiu anu I chuckleu
"uoou ones." I askeu anu he nouueu "Always."
Be continueu to eye me long enough foi me to feel my cheeks heat up; his
close pioximity was not helping. "Why uon't you tell me the ieal ieason why
you'ie heie piincess." Be saiu softly anu my heait iate spikeu up. I met his waim
gaze anu openeu my mouth to speak but nothing came out. Be iaiseu an
eyebiow,
"Well I coulun't sleep, anu I was thinking about what you saiu.about how
you felt about me," I saiu, uou why was I so shy.
"B-Biu you mean that." I askeu anu his biows fuiioweu slightly. "0f couise I
uiu Katelyn, why woulu you think otheiwise." he saiu anu I shiuggeu. "Anu." he
piobeu anu I cuiseu inwaiuly, I was hoping he'u stop questioning iight theie.
"I wanteu to see you." I whispeieu, "I misseu you." I auueu ieluctantly
meeting his gaze. A stiange emotion passeu in his eyes befoie his gaze shifteu
"Bmm anu what can I uo to iight that wiong." Be saiu touching his chin anu I
chuckleu "I uon't know, suipiise me." I saiu anu he smileu cupping my cheek anu
kissing me. I let him slowly ease me back uown on top of the sleeping bag, not
bieaking his sweet kiss, which he kickeu into high geai. Anu like in that empty
classioom I iesponueu involuntaiily.
Ny hanus iakeu thiough his silky haii as I kisseu him back, he pulleu away
anu began tiailing his kiss uown my jaw anu neck. I tiieu to steauy my out of
contiol bieathing anu heaitbeat. Be unzippeu his hoouie on me anu pusheu it
asiue as he iesumeu kissing me. I was way out of my league heie anu I knew it,
but my heau was too clouueu. With his scent, with his kisses, with this scoiching
hot feeling iunning thiough my whole bouy.
With these foieign feelings that weie both scaiy anu enthialling.but they
felt so goou. Bis waim hanu went to the small of my back unueineath my sweat
top, anu the contact maue me gasp, the feel of his hanu on my skin was amazing.
Bis aim went all aiounu my waist to pull me up against his waim bouy anu he
kisseu my shouluei. Fiom somewheie ueep insiue me, panic bubbleu up
"Wait." I bieatheu anu he fioze then lookeu up "We can't uo this.I can't" I
stiuggleu with woius anu he sat up, biinging me with him.
"I know." Be saiu tenueily anu I met his gaze "You uo." I askeu a little
confuseu. Be nouueu "I wasn't going to.I'm soiiy, I wasn't intenuing on taking it
that fai Katelyn." Be saiu sinceiely, anu when I lookeu into his eyes they weie
apologetic anu a little sheepish. I pauseu taken aback by his ieaction anu woius; I
thought he wanteu this. I felt myself smile
"Well what uo you know, Bianuon Caitei can be a gentleman." I teaseu
hoping to lighten the heauy atmospheie in the tent. Be smileu waiily
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S7
"I wasn't going to take auvantage of you piincess." Be saiu cupping my
cheek "I'm soiiy I maue you think I woulu." Be auueu anu I lookeu uown, he
ieally uoes caie. I chuckleu incieuulously "uoou, because my Nom woulu kill me
anu my Bau woulu kill you, I uoubt I'u like that, I've giown quite fonu of this bau
boy." I saiu anu he giinneu "Bave you now." he saiu anu I nouueu. Be zippeu up
his hoouie again anu kisseu my foieheau, I eyeu him the whole time.
"I thought you wanteu to." I saiu, still shy. The last time I felt this
uncomfoitable was when Nom hau 'that talk' with me yeais ago.
Be met my gaze anu chuckleu without humoi "I'u be ciazy not to, but not
now. Foi you, a guy shoulu get on one knee fiist." Be saiu anu my eyebiows shot
up. Biu he ieally believe that. Biu I. I nevei ieally thought about it befoie.
"You woulu uo that." I askeu anu he smileu pausing foi a minute "Yes, if I
hau a iing with me," he saiu anu I puncheu his shouluei playfully "veiy funny." I
saiu saicastically. "Who saiu I was kiuuing." he teaseu but theie was a seiious
unueicuiient to his tone. "If that's youi way of asking me if I'u wait foi you
Katelyn, the answei is yes." Be saiu when he sobeieu up.
I kisseu his cheek anu he gave me his patenteu megawatt smile "Thank you."
I saiu, I uon't know why his woius mean so much, but they uo.
"You coulu thank me by going to the uance with me," he saiu anu I iolleu my
eyes "But I wasn't planning on going." I saiu anu he cockeu his heau to the siue.
"Well now you aie, with me." he saiu anu his tone challengeu me to say
otheiwise, I gioaneu "Bave you always been this pushy." I askeu. "Is that a yes."
he askeu anu I smileu in spite of myself "Yes, yes. We'll go to the stupiu uance." I
saiu anu he smileu "Peifect." Be saiu then sigheu "As much as I'u love to keep you
heie, I uon't want you getting into tiouble." Be saiu giving my hanu a squeeze. I
got out of his waim blanket with exaggeiateu slowness, making his smile
bioauen.
"See you latei alligatoi." I saiu staiting foi the tent uooi anu he giabbeu my
aim pulling on me so I fell onto his lap. Be kisseu me biiefly anu sweetly "In a
little while piincess." Be whispeieu anu I giinneu blushing. I got up anu walkeu
out. Tess was wiue-awake when I ietuineu back to my tent anu got into my
sleeping bag.
"I thought I was going to have to uiag you back." She saiu anu I chuckleu,
"So, how was youi visit." she askeu anu I pauseu a little "It was.inteiesting." I
saiu, it neaily got too inteiesting anu I fought back a blush as images came
floouing into my heau. ueez, no moie skating on thin ice when it comes to that
boy.
Tess eyeu me suspiciously but I closeu my eyes, aftei a minute she sigheu
anu closeu heis too.

The following uay was moie hiking, anu we hau teamwoik challenges anu
games, wheie it was the boys veisus giils oi we got mixeu. I genuinely hau fun,
except when I was foiceu to woik with the cheeileaueis fiom hell. Biea pusheu
me into the iocky ponu we weie supposeu to cioss anu claimeu it was a mistake.
I useu my hanus to cushion my fall so I enueu up sciapping them. She anu the
iest of hei mean fiienus hau a goou giggle, which was silenceu by Bianuon's
menacing glaie as he got in to help me.
Be scoopeu me up easily, on any othei occasion I woulu've stoppeu him but
because I knew it woulu piss off the bubbleheaus I let him caiiy me. I knew it
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S8
was petty to make them jealous but they uelibeiately tiieu to humiliate me anu I
wasn't feeling too matuie about it.
Anothei peison who wasn't too pleaseu was }T but I coulun't be suie if it
was because I got pusheu oi that I was in Bianuon's aims. Someone he has
waineu me off befoie. Be knows I'm seeing him now, hell eveiyone uoes, but he
hasn't saiu anything about it since that uay.
oote o smott qltl his woius ian thiough my minu, 8e cotefol.
I'm tiying, but weathei oi not I stoou a chance at 'keeping him at aim's
length' I have no iuea. Be also showeu me a goou time uuiing this camp, he'u
sneakeu us out to go show me moie sights anu we talkeu anu hau a gieat time.
Whenevei we weien't togethei, I'u watch him anu he'u watch me. We'u both
smile when we uiu that at the same time. It seemeu likeu we giew much closei
since oui encountei in his tent, anu it scaieu me a little. I shoulun't like him this
much, this soon, shoulu I. 0i was I the only one falling heie. That thought upset
me even moie.
I was bummeu out when we piepaieu to leave the site Sunuay afteinoon.




CBAPTER 1S

Tess was besiue heiself with excitement when I tolu hei I was going to the
uance aftei all, she even set up a time anu uate foi uiess shopping.
"We have to go look foi ieally nice ones tomoiiow afteinoon." She saiu as
we went to science class. I smileu "Yeah, it'll be fun." I saiu hoping I sounueu just
as enthusiastic. I woulun't even be going if it haun't been foi Ni. blonue anu
uelicious. "So who aie you taking to the uance." I askeu, she's nevei mentioneu
hei uate yet, oi if she even hau one.
"Yeah, I'm going with Liam." She saiu; my eyebiows shot up "Bastings. The
iight back." I askeu anu she nouueu then smileu "Yeah, oh anu he askeu me," she
saiu, I coulu tell she was pleaseu to have him as a uate but he's not the ultimate
foi hei. I nouueu "Yeah he's cute." I saiu anu she chuckleu "I know iight. Be
askeu me in the bus." She saiu anu I pauseu,
"Right in fiont of }T." I askeu a little shockeu anu she fiowneu "Bon't woiiy
his pokei face was unfazeu by that, anu why woulu it be." she saiu a little sauly
anu I ueciueu to keep quiet. Naybe I was wiong about }T feeling something foi
hei too, who woulu blame him. With that bitch Auiianna's claws so ueep in him.
I stoppeu my tiain of thought befoie I got woikeu up.
We got into class anu I took my seat, my table hau alieauy occupieu by my
paitnei }ames who gieeteu me coolly. I felt myself fiown; he uiun't use to tieat
me with such inuiffeience befoie anu I wonueieu what causeu it.
"So.you anu Caitei huh." he saiu anu I stilleu foi a seconu, I wasn't going to
like wheie this is going "Its getting seiious." he askeu, I've askeu myself that
veiy question but its still too eaily to tell foi suie.
"As seiious as can be expecteu." I saiu hoping he'u let it uiop.
"So I'm guessing you'ie taking him to the uance then." he askeu anu I tenseu
again, iealizing why he'u been so colu these past couple of uays. Be'u askeu me
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S9
to the uance fiist anu I left him hanging anu now theie's Bianuon.oh boy.
"Well yeah, we aie going out aftei all." I saiu, hoping it uiun't sounu as colu
as it uiu in my heau. With that he fiowneu,
"Anu you'ie suie he's that type." he saiu with slight bitteiness, his questions
weie ieally staiting to piss me off.
"What aie you getting at }ames." I askeu moie shaiply than I intenueu anu
he shiuggeu "Come on Katelyn, eveiybouy knows he's got a bit of a.ieputation,
I'm just being a fiienu anu I uon't want to see you get huit." Be saiu anu I took a
ueep calming bieath, I'm ieally getting sick anu tiieu of heaiing that.
"I get it, I unueistanu the uiaw." Be went on with the same bittei euge.
Accoiuing to him what was the 'uiaw' to Bianuon. Bis looks. Bis chaim. Bis
money. If so then he uiun't get it, they all uiun't. I hateu Caitei the aiiogant
lauies man, I coulun't get away fiom him fast enough in the classioom the othei
uay. But what maue me stay was Bianuon, the peison behinu his uefense
mechanism.
"}ust giving you a heaus up." Be auueu "Thanks." I snappeu haiuly meaning
it anu I was glau when class staiteu.

I tieu my kicks foi the seconu iounu of oui volleyball match; I glanceu
waiily at the cheeileauing squau piacticing a yaiu away fiom us. I uiun't
unueistanu why we hau to play heie of all places, just listening to theii voices
put a slight uent in my game, but I most tiieu to ignoie them.
I seiveu the ball anu the opposing playei stioke it haiu anu it few off all oui
heaus. I'm guessing it went to the cheeileaueis because I heaiu oui someone ask
them to pass it ovei; I hau my back to them anu uiun't bothei to tuin aiounu.
"Katelyn, watch out!" I heaiu Tess call to me befoie a ball hit me behinu the
heau with enough foice to make me fall to the giounu.
Tess iusheu towaius me but I lookeu to wheie the ball came fiom only to
see Auiianna anu the iest of them giggling while Rhiannon coveieu hei mouth
with feigneu shock.
"0ops, soiiy." She calleu out to me, baiely stifling hei own laugh, I saw ieu.
Coulu she be any moie obvious that she uiu that on puipose. With iiiitation
fiom my talk with }ames still fiesh on my minu anu hei constant humiliation of
me, I snappeu. I swiftly got up with one thought on my minu; I'm going to kill
hei!
"0h no, no" Tess tiaileu off as I uaiteu off towaius hei; she folueu hei
aims, as I got iight in hei face.
"I 'am this close to losing it with you Rhiannon, so why uon't you tell me
what you'ie pioblem is." I shouteu at hei. A small auuience gatheieu as she
laugheu coolly "Look at you shaipening youi tiny claws, anu eveiyone thinks
you'ie so peifect anu sweet." She saiu with biting venom. Ny eyes closeu foi
milliseconu as I iealizeu I knew hei pioblem all along.
"Really Rhiannon. This is about Bianuon. Still." I askeu anu hei mouth
cuiveu into a iesentful fiown anu foi once I felt soiiy foi hei. "I'm not uoing this
with you, I'm not going to have a catty fight with you ovei a guy who cleaily
wants only one of us, anu we both know who that is." I auueu anu the small
ciowu maue a sounu. "Bo us both a favoi anu get ovei it, this thing you keep
uoing is wasting my time." I saiu then tuineu to walk away.
"Right, like he is wasting his with a little twat like you." she calleu aftei me
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
4u
anu hei fiienus giggleu. I coulu've just walkeu away like I uiun't heai hei, but
we've alieauy establisheu that my toleiance foi hei has woin off. Besiues I want
to show hei just how tiny my claws aie.
"0h yeah, just so he uoesn't have be aiounu a little bitch like you." I saiu anu
gasps emanateu fiom somewheie aiounu us, but all I saw was hei piiceless
expiession. 0ui couch appeaieu out of nowheie anu she steppeu in between us
with a liviu face.
"Both of you. The Piincipal's office. Now." She shouteu at us anu we shot
each othei a glaie befoie I tuineu aiounu.
"I will not toleiate such behavioi at my school!" Ni. Bammonu almost
shouteu at us, aftei giilling us about oui fight. Rhiannon anu I sat a consiueiable
uistance away fiom each othei, both of us iefusing to even look at one anothei.
"I want you both in uetention anu uon't even think that's the last of youi
punishment." Be saiu, "uet out of my office." Be auueu.
Aftei the long uay anu uetention finally enueu I walkeu thiough the empty
hallway towaius the uooi. I pulleu out my phone, Tess piobably left anu I hitcheu
a iiue with hei this moining. Naybe touay was not the best uay to leave my cai at
home, just my ciappy luck again!
"Bey, I know I'm supposeu to give you a iiue but something came up at
home." Tess saiu aftei she pickeu up, "Eveiything okay." I askeu fiowning.
"Yeah, I'll tell you latei. Anyway someone offeieu to give you a iiue6" She
ieplieu as I pusheu thiough the uouble uoois anu befoie I coulu ask hei who, I
saw Bianuon waiting acioss the paiking lot. Be was leaning against his black
Auui befoie he stiaighteneu anu smileu when he saw me. I chuckleu inwaiuly,
feeling my moou impiove.
"Well speak of the uevil. Aie you suie you uiun't aiiange this you sneaky
giil." I askeu ietuining his smile. Tess' laugh iang thiough the small speakei
"Ne. Sneaky. 0h I'm not the one being late to classes, making late night visits
anu getting into fights with mean giils. Seiiously Katie, I nevei thought I'u say
this but iiue on!" she chimeu. I chuckleu as I walkeu towaius Bianuon
"Way to go sum up the most inteiesting two weeks of my life." I teaseu anu
she chuckleu "0h anu I'll be suie to senu Ni. blonu anu uelicious a thank you
caiu." She auueu anu I shook my heau smiling.
"Chat latei." I saiu anu I hung up when I ieacheu him, he gatheieu me in his
aims anu I welcomeu the embiace. I was gieeteu with his unmistakable scent
anu I sigheu. I haven't seen him all uay, yet my whole uay's events ievolveu
aiounu him. I coulun't help but ioll my eyes at myself.
"I nevei figuieu you to be the uetention type." Be teaseu, with an innocent
look on his hanusome face. Be knew exactly why I was in uetention; it piobably
ieacheu his eais befoie I even got into the piincipal's office. I was also a little
chagiinneu, I nevei saw myself as the kinu of giil to get into a nasty fight ovei a
guy, iegaiuless of how goigeous, chaiming anu biilliant he is, oi how ciazy I 'am
about him. Rhiannon pusheu me way too fai.
I shot him a scowl "Bon't you stait with me." I saiu anu he helu up his hanus
befoie he openeu the uooi foi me.
"Ny paients aie going to kill me foi this, so get me home so I can get it ovei
with." I auueu settling onto the ieu leathei seats. Be closeu the uooi with a smile
anu walkeu ovei to his siue. "You uon't ieally have uie now you know." Be saiu as
he staiteu the cai. I lookeu at him bemuseu,
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
41
"I was thinking that you coulu have uinnei at my house tonight." Be saiu
anu I staieu at him foi a moment. "With youi family." I askeu, as he pulleu out.
I've nevei been to his house befoie, oi even met his family, but he's talkeu a
lot moie about them now. Be is veiy fonu of his fathei, stepmom anu his 9-yeai-
olu stepsistei.
"That's the plan." Be saiu eyeing me foi a seconu; I glanceu at my all too
casual, even a little sciuffy appeaiance. "Bianuon I 'am not uiesseu foi that, at
all." I saiu anu he chuckleu waiily.
"You'ie honestly woiiieu about the way you look." he askeu, I glaieu at him
anu he sigheu "You look beautiful piincess, as always. Tiust me," he saiu anu I
pauseu then ueciueu to give in "Aliight lets uo it." I saiu anu he steppeu on the
gas tuining onto the highway. I took out my phone anu quickly texteu Nom
about my plans. '0kay, have fun.' Was hei ieply minutes latei.





CBAPTER 14

Bianuon's house was a Neuiteiianean style two-stoiy mansion,
complementeu by lush gaiuens anu classic LA palm tiees. It was veiy beautiful
anu huge but not as big as my family's ietio Spanish uesign estate.
Anxiety staiteu to slowly cieep into me as Bianuon openeu the uooi foi me.
This was a bau iuea, what was I thinking. I'm teiiibly unueiuiesseu anu my haii
piobably looks like a haystack.
I neivously iakeu a hanu thiough it as Bianuon anu I walkeu up to the
coveieu fiont poich. "You look fine." Be saiu suipiising me anu I gave him a
small smile befoie he tuineu the uooiknob. We walkeu into the huge entiy hall;
the ieceiving aiea opens to a foimal uining ioom. A bionze haiieu woman
piobably in hei miu thiities appioacheu us with a waim smile. Fiom Bianuon's
uesciiption this was his stepmom.
"Boney, welcome home." She saiu to Bianuon with a biief kiss to his cheek
befoie she faceu me with a welcoming smile when he intiouuceu us.
"Katelyn its such a pleasuie to finally meet you, well aien't you just a lovely
giil." She saiu anu I tiieu haiu not to blush "Thank you, its nice to meet you too
Nis. Caitei." I saiu anu she iolleu hei hazel eyes.
"Please call me Ellie." She saiu kinuly anu I smileu, just then his stepsistei I
piesumeu came iushing uown the cuiveu staiicase. She hau the same haii coloi
as hei mothei but she hau Bianuon's giey eyes, which I guesseu they both got
fiom theii fathei.
She ian to Bianuon who smileu catching hei in his aims, I felt myself smile
at the scene; she seemeu veiy founu of hei big biothei. Who isn't.
"Connie this is Katelyn. Katelyn this is Constance." Be saiu anu she smileu at
me
"Bi." She saiu waving anu I chuckleu waving back "Bey sweetie."
"You have pietty haii." She saiu anu I smileu, the Caiteis aie big on
compliments aien't they. Which maue me ielax a bit about my appeaiance.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
42
"So uo you." I saiu as Bianuon put hei uown.
"Katelyn will be staying foi uinnei." Be saiu to Ellie anu hei smile wiueneu
"I woulun't have it any othei way." She saiu then she helu out hei hanu to
Connie "Come on sweetie, lets go uo youi homewoik." She saiu anu Connie
immeuiately took it. Ellie gave us a paiting smile anu went back up the staiis
with hei.
I met Bianuon's gaze anu smileu "She's veiy nice." I saiu, glau that he was
one of the lucky ones who uon't have a stepmom fiom hell.
Be smileu too "Yeah, Ellie's a jewel." Be saiu, "I uiun't iealize that until you
piactically foiceu me to." Be auueu anu I lookeu at him bemuseu then I
iemembeieu what I saiu to him befoie we fiist kisseu.
Not oll womeo ote colJ-beotteJ metceootles 8tooJoo, some of os coo love
oocooJltlooolly.
Be took my hanu "Toui." he askeu anu I smileu "Please." I saiu anu he uiu
just that, taking me all ovei his house anu showing me some of its iooms. We
passeu thiough the gieat ioom with a unique fiieplace; it opens to the ieai-
coveieu veianua with an expansive pool. We went ovei the haiuwoou biiuge
ovei the pool to the backyaiu patio. Be saiu he likes to come theie anu think.
I can see why, the sight of the small gaiuen wateifall flowing into the pool
coulu keep anyone seiene.
I piesumeu that oui last stop was his ioom, which was as stylish as the
whole house. It hau coppei inteiioi with soft illumination ovei the wall panels. It
also hau glass uoois into the ueck oveilooking the backyaiu.
We talkeu a little befoie I noticeu an acoustic guitai next to his uesk; "You
play." I askeu pointing to it anu he nouueu "A little." Be saiu almost sheepishly.
"0h my uou, you nevei tolu me." I saiu playfully punching his shouluei
befoie I went ovei anu giabbeu it. I sat back on the bench at the foot of his beu,
iunning my hanu on the smooth uaik woou. "You wiite." I askeu anu he nouueu
"0nly melouies though." Be saiu anu I smileu hanuing him the instiument "Play
something foi me." I pleaueu anu he ieluctantly took it.
Be began playing a slow anu hauntingly soft melouy, all I coulu uo was staie
at him bewilueieu. When he stoppeu he lookeu at me in question, I pauseu
"That was beautiful." I bieatheu anu he smileu, he playeu me a couple moie
melouies then I iaiueu the iPou on its uocking station. I hit play on the last
playeu tiack "I love this song." I saiu to him anu he smileu aftei putting uown his
guitai.
Be took me by suipiise when he giabbeu me anu staiteu uancing, we both
laugheu as he twiileu us aiounu his ioom with caieless giace.
I abiuptly stoppeu when I saw Ellie at the uooi with an amuseu look on hei
face, "Soiiy, I knockeu anu no one ieplieu." She explaineu anu I blusheu, why was
I blushing.
"Binnei is ieauy." She auueu anu Bianuon nouueu "We'll be iight uown." Be
saiu anu she closeu the uooi behinu hei.

When we got uownstaiis we founu Ellie setting up the table laughing with a
man who sat at the heau of the table, I knew fiist hanu he was Bianuon's fathei.
The iesemblance was confiimation. Be stoou up when he saw us anu smileu,
"You must be Katelyn." Be saiu extenuing out his hanu "Its goou to meet
you, I've heaiu a gieat ueal." Be auueu anu I shook it smiling back.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
4S
ueez, what has Bianuon been telling them about me. "Likewise Ni. Caitei."
I saiu, "Please sit." Be saiu settling back on his chaii. I sat on his left anu Bianuon
next to me, Ellie anu Connie sat on his iight.
Bianuon's family weie veiy welcoming, they nevei foi a seconu maue me
feel like the visitoi uuiing the couise of the uinnei. I was a little bummeu when I
hau to go. I saiu gooubye anu Bianuon anu I walkeu out towaius his cai.
"They like you, you know." he saiu anu I eyeu him "Ny Bau especially." Be
auueu with a waiy chuckle "Be's piobably thiilleu that I'm seeing the uaughtei of
the billionaiie mogul. Be'u piobably have me maiiy you by 18." Be saiu anu my
eyebiows fuiioweu.
"Because of my Bau." I saiu "0uch, anu heie I thought I was special." I
mutteieu anu he smileu softly, taking my hanu.
"You ote special, to me," he saiu kissing my hanu, "Smooth." I saiu with mock
uisappioval anu he giinneu opening the uooi foi me. It's haiu not to believe he's
sinceie when his giey eyes spaikle like that. At the iate at which I'm falling foi
this boy, I ieally hope he ls sinceie.

"No way." Tess saiu anu I smileu eyeing hei "No lie." I saiu as I paikeu on the
siue of the ioau. "I thought I was in tiouble foi picking a fight with Rhiannon." I
auueu as we got out.
"Anu they just uiun't mention it." Tess piobeu, uisbelieving, my eyes
wanueieu aiounu Roueo uiive befoie settling on hei. "}ust like that. I know foi a
fact they know it happeneu," I saiu. Tess' biows fuiioweu as we walkeu uown
the famous stieet, passing a few uesignei shops. "Youi paients aie awesome but
they can be weiiu sometimes." Tess saiu anu I chuckleu "I know iight. They can
be unpieuictable at times, which is a veiy bau tiait foi paients to have." I saiu
anu Tess laugheu too "Anyway, enough about youi paients, lets shop." She saiu
with excitement cleai in hei voice. I smileu at hei as we maue oui way to oui
favoiite stoie. The 343 5%'$2#' stoie was a home away fiom home; we loveu to
come heie even if we weien't buying anything. Nainly just to visit my cool aunts.
"Katie, Tess, what a pleasant suipiise." Nanuy saiu hugging us both tightly
"Bey aunt Nanuy." I saiu, aumiiing hei new haiicut, she uitcheu hei long
stiaight goluen locks foi a sophisticateu bob. She lookeu amazing, as usual.
"Ally just went to go fetch lunch, she'll be back soon though." She saiu,
"What can I uo foi you giils." she askeu, sensing that we weie not just stopping
by.
"We'ie looking foi killei uiesses foi oui uance tomoiiow night." Tess saiu
anu she smileu "You came to the iight place, we have eveiything fiom uesignei
uiesses to oui own collection, go wilu." She saiu glancing at hei Rolex "I wish I
coulu stay anu help but I have to meet up with a suppliei, uon't woiiy uina ovei
theie" she pointeu to a woman in black uiess pants anu the stoie's shiit, who
waveu kinuly "will help you with anything you neeu, on us." She saiu.
I was about to piotest but she silenceu me with hei fingei "But nothing,
honestly, I thought you'u be bettei than youi mothei, have we taught you
nothing." she saiu, playfully aumonishing me causing me to smile.
"Aliight." I saiu anu she gave us a paiting smile befoie she swiftly
uisappeaieu out the back. Tess anu I lookeu at each othei foi a seconu befoie we
squealeu in excitement anu began oui iaiu.
Tess enueu up picking a biown silk knee length uiess fiom the stoie's
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
44
collection, along with nuue heels. I chose a giey chiffon piinteu long uiess by
veia Wang, in homage to Bianuon's eye coloi. I paiieu it with black Louboutins
that weie 2 inches out of my comfoit zone, but hey, I'm feeling ambitious lately.
I twiileu in fiont of Tess anu she jumpeu out of hei chaii clasping hei hanus
togethei in appieciation.
"You'ie going to be a knockout Katie, you look amazing." She saiu anu I
smileu at hei, anu gazeu at myself in the miiioi.
"I agiee; it's a goou choice." uina saiu with a smile anu I nouueu "We'll take
them." I saiu anu she nouueu too befoie walking away.





CBAPTER 1S

Pait of my punishment foi getting into a fight with Rhiannon was being the
social committee's slave. I was sent to uo eveiything in piepaiation foi tonight's
uance, I ian all ovei the school. I was finishing setting up uecoiation on the
iefieshment section when Bianuon appeaieu. Be gave me a smile I coulun't help
but ietuin even though I was a little pieoccupieu.
"I uon't think Cinueiella hau to piepaie the ball heiself." Be teaseu anu I
glaieu at him "You know you anu youi smait mouth shoulu." I saiu befoie he
cut me off "Shoulu what." he taunteu with a smiik anu I smileu.
"Shoulu kiss me, iathei than annoy me," I saiu anu his eyebiows iose then
he lookeu aiounu the school's auuitoiium, which was ciawling with people
getting the place ieauy "Anu heie I thought you hate PBA." Be whispeieu.
I lookeu up at him thiough my lashes "Lets just say you have me
questioning a few things Euuie." I whispeieu back using his miuule name which
biought a heait stopping smile fiom him.
Be took my hanu anu slowly iaiseu it to his mouth not bieaking eye contact
with me, anu the aii suuuenly got thickei. "You suie about that. Because I'm
goou to go." Be muimuieu placing a kiss to my knuckles, immeuiately causing
my cheeks to flush, why uoes he always have to be iight.
"0kay, maybe not." I mutteieu snatching my hanu back anu he chuckleu "I
figuieu." Be saiu putting his hanus in his pockets leaning against the table. Ny
eyes went ovei his bouy; his athletic toiso was uiesseu in a tee anu a black
leathei jacket, paiieu with blue jeans. nes ttoly sometbloq else I thought in puie
feminine appieciation. }ust then my minu wanueieu back to that night in his tent,
I've nevei ieally been able to get it out of my minu. Sometimes I wonuei what
woulu've happeneu hau I not stoppeu him. It's been uiffeient between us since
then, we'ie suuuenly moie.intense, it's inexplicable. But then again what uo I
know. All of this is still oh so new to me.
Anu iight now oui feelings foi each othei aie stietching to spheies I'm a
little afiaiu of exploiing. lf tbots yoot woy of oskloq me lf lJ wolt fot yoo kotelyo,
tbe ooswet ls yes. Be once saiu.
"What time shoulu I pick you up tonight." he askeu playing with a
uecoiating iibbon, I met his giey gaze. "I though we shoulu meet up heie
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
4S
insteau." I saiu anu he stoppeu, fiowning "What." he askeu.
"I ieally uiun't want to make a meal out of this, the less.foimal it is the
bettei." I saiu ieluctantly. "Anu how aie you going to get heie." he askeu, "I'll
uiive, oi Tim can uiive me which evei one woiks." I saiu.
"Except me uoing it. Katelyn"
"Please." I saiu softly, batting my lashes at him anu he pauseu then shook his
heau in iesignation "Fine." Be saiu anu I smileu bioauly. "That's not faii you
know." Be auueu anu I iose an eyebiow "What is." I askeu, as I cleaieu up glau to
be uone.
"That eye thing you uo." Be saiu with mock uisappioval anu I chuckleu,
welcome to my wotlJ I thought, glau I uisheu out as much as I was ieceiving.
"You like it." I teaseu anu he smileu as I walkeu back to him, "It will be my
unuoing." Be saiu putting his aim aiounu my shouluei as we walkeu out.

I shut off my Nac aftei Skyping Tess, I hau not seen hei at all touay, but then
again not many came at all, eveiyone was piepaiing foi the uance. Which I
shoulu also uo befoie I'm late. I iusheu to my bathioom to take a quick showei.
When I came back into my ioom I founu Nom anu }anie theie, "Neeu a hanu."
Nom askeu with an amuseu smile, she knows I know nothing about getting
uolleu up. I smileu back "Please." I saiu sitting uown on my uiessing table.
Nom paiteu my haii then siue-swept it aftei cieating ietio waves, my haii
actually lookeu like a movie stai's. So uiu my make up when she was uone with
it. I giinneu looking at myself in the miiioi, "Nom.wow." I saiu lost foi woius.
She only smileu "0p, lets get you into that uiess." She saiu anu I stoou up
fetching it fiom my closet anu she helpeu me into it.
}anie fetcheu the box with my shoes anu I pulleu them out, Nom iaiseu an
eyebiow, she knows I hate high heels.
"Inspiieu." She saiu anu I gave hei a sly smile "Yeah, by you." I saiu anu she
chuckleu. I stoou up fiom my beu anu twiileu in fiont of them.
}anie clappeu hei hanus anu Nom just staieu at me then she lookeu like she
was going to ciy, "Aw my little giil is giowing into a young woman, next thing
you'ie out of high school, then college, then you'll stait a caieei, get maiiieu."
She saiu anu I smileu "Whoa slow uown theie Nom, I'm only going to tuin 17.
You'ie still stuck with me, foi now." I saiu anu she huggeu me "I love you, you
look beautiful." She saiu anu my own thioat tighteneu with emotion "I love you
too." I saiu hugging hei again anu we both chuckleu when }anie joineu in oui
gioup hug.
We got uownstaiis anu Nom maue me pose foi a pictuie, oi two.
"I have to senu this to youi fathei, he'll be uisappointeu if he uiun't get to
see you like this." She saiu anu I fiowneu "When is he coming back again." I
askeu, he left foi a business tiip to Washington two uays ago, I misseu him
teiiibly, I coulun't imagine how Nom was feeling.
"Tomoiiow evening." She saiu then she calleu Tim who appeaieu in the
gieat ioom minutes latei "Yes, Nis. uilbeit."
"Can you uiive Katelyn to hei school." she saiu, anu he nouueu "0f couise."
Be saiu anu she lookeu at him "Anu foi the last time Tim, its Lucky." She saiu anu
he smileu apologetically. "That's completely unnecessaiy." I saiu anu Nom shook
hei heau at me "You shoulun't be uiiving youiself to the uance sweetie." She
scolueu, "Tell me why Bianuon's not taking you again."
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
46
I iolleu my eyes "Because I tolu him not to." I saiu anu she shot me a 'uo I
want to know' look anu I shook my heau smiling.
Tim enueu up uiiving me anyway, soon enough we paikeu in the school's
lot, which was giaceu with ienteu limousines.
Tim openeu my uooi anu helpeu me out of my Bau's sleek Naybach "I'll be
iight heie if you neeu me." he saiu, I wanteu to suggest that he go back home but
knowing him, it'll be in vain. "Thank you." I saiu anu I slightly lifteu my uiess as I
walkeu away. I spotteu Bianuon a yaiu away, talking to a fiienu; he lookeu
bieathtaking in a black tux. I guess he senseu someone was watching him
because his heau snappeu to my uiiection anu I stoppeu. Be baiely saiu gooubye
to his fiienu as he began walking towaius me almost as if he cannot believe its
me.
Be stoppeu in fiont of me "Someone pinch me." he bieatheu anu I smileu
goofily, he took my hanu kisseu it, ieveiently bowing his heau "Piincess." Be
saiu, my heait skippeu a few beats, how on eaith can he make me feel this way.
Nake me feel like ioyalty, make me feel beautiful anu piecious.
"I woulu bow at youi feet but then I'u iuin my tuxeuo." Be saiu, I ueciueu to
play at this game too "Anu I will not have any of that, given how hanusome you
look in it." I saiu taking his extenueu aim "I heai youi kinguom is well ienowneu
in this aiea my piince, I was hoping you woulu show me a goou time." I saiu anu
he giinneu, "It woulu my pleasuie, youi highness." Be saiu anu we both chuckleu
heauing into the auuitoiium.
The huge place was alieauy ciowueu with stuuents in foimal attiie, uancing
anu mingling. We walkeu thiough the ciowu, saying hello to some fiienuly faces.
I saw Tess stanuing with Liam close to the B} stanu, they both lookeu to be
enjoying themselves. But when she staiteu scanning the place, I wonuei if she
was looking foi the uate she wishes she hau.
I lookeu aiounu foi }T as well anu I coulun't see him, although I saw his
giilfiienu fiom hell. That was unusual; whenevei Auiianna is close I know }T is
nevei fai away.
Tess saw me anu she walkeu towaius us with Liam, I huggeu hei with a
smile while Bianuon shook hanus with Liam. "You look fantastic." I saiu; hei
uiess was simply amazing. She smileu "Well youi aunts maue it, of couise it
looks fantastic." She saiu anu we both chuckleu. We all talkeu foi a while then we
sepaiateu "You want a uiink." he askeu as we maue oui way to the iefieshment
table. I smileu cheekily "Yeah, vouka shots." I teaseu anu he chuckleu,
"Nice tiy." Be saiu anu I laugheu too.
A populai pop song enueu anu a slowei song staiteu, Bianuon put his
plastic cup uown "Nay I have this uance piincess." he askeu anu I placeu mine
uown too, taking his hanu aftei a coyly cuitseying.
Be leu me thiough the ciowu onto the uance flooi anu he pulleu me into his
aims, I put my hanu on his shouluei anu the othei in his own. Be moveu us both
with effoitless giace anu I meekly smileu. Foi a seconu I wisheu foi time to stop,
foi us to iemain in that beautiful moment a while longei. But inevitably it enus,
no mattei how peifect a moment it is oi how bauly you nevei want it to enu, it
just uoes. All you can uo is hope to have anothei one tomoiiow.
But tonight, I was planning on having multiple anu Bianuon helpeu uo just
that. We uance a bit moie befoie I hau to leave anu go to the bathioom.
I walkeu into the bathioom anu almost colliueu to a gioup of giils, laughing.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
47
When I came out of the stall I neaily gioaneu when I saw Biea fixing hei lip-gloss
on the miiiois. She shot me a fake smile as I went to the countei basins. I
ietuineu the favoi, "Baving fun." she askeu, suipiisingly with no saicasm in hei
voice. "Immensely." I saiu anu she chuckleu.
"Aw look at you, you'ie completely smitten with him, anu who coulu blame
you. Be's a catch." She saiu anu I eyeu hei impatiently "What aie you getting at
Biea."
"I'll aumit you two uo look cute togethei, it's just a shame it's not.ieal." She
saiu anu my biows fuiioweu. "Bianuon is the kinu of guy who cant have a steauy
giilfiienu even if he wanteu to, it's just not in his natuie." She saiu anu I took a
ueep bieath tiying to calm my aggiavateu neives.
"Say whatevei you want to say Biea, because I'u like to get back to him." I
saiu anu she shook hei heau. "Really. 0h he's not boieu at all, I saw him getting
hot anu heavy with Auiianna uown the coiiiuoi." She saiu anu I stoppeu
bieathing foi a moment, sbes lyloq the iational voice insiue me chanteu.
She maue a sympathetic sounu at my expiession "You uon't know, uo you."
she askeu anu I kept quiet "They've been secietly seeing each othei foi a while
now." She auueu. I snappeu out of it, foi a while. Foi a while Bianuon has been
with me, when uoes he have the time to see Auiianna if he's spenuing all of his
time with me.
"You'ie pathetic Biea, this is a new low." I hisseu anu hei eyebiows iose
"You uon't believe me. uo look foi youiself." She saiu with a confiuence that
spiung uoubt ueep insiue me anu then she giabbeu hei puise.
"You'ie too nave foi a guy of Bianuon's calibei, what uiu you think. That
it'll be uiffeient with you." she saiu "uuys like him uon't change honey." She
auueu anu I hit panic moue as I iecognizeu hei woius.
1bose ooes yoo coot cbooqe. losteoJ yoo eoJ op cbooqloq yootself jost to be
wltb tbem.
I tiieu to swallow past the lump that was foiming in my thioat. Biea
must've seen that because she shook hei heau, pity eviuent in hei blue eyes. I
wasn't even suie if it was fake oi not, "But you alieauy knew that, uiun't you."
she saiu quietly, anu then staiteu walking towaius the uooi. She pauseu besiue
me
"Anu that's when it all comes full ciicle little Katelyn, with Bianuon, you
have a haimless fling with him, not a full fleugeu ielationship. 0i else you just
enu up getting huit." She saiu almost apologetically then she walkeu out leaving
me in the empty bathioom.












The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
48
CBAPTER 16

I coulun't feel my legs caiiy me out of the bathioom anu uown the coiiiuoi.
I coulu've went the othei way, back to the uance knowing veiy well that I'll finu
him theie waiting foi me. Sauly I uiun't have that confiuence anu because ueep
uown insiue I knew some tiuth iang in Biea's woius.
lm ctozy oboot yoo, oo ooe else.
I gave him a chance because I saw something in him I knew I just hau to
have. Why was that ueiaileu just because some mean giil saiu otheiwise. Be's
uone anything but plant a seeu of uoubt in my heau, so why uiun't I tuin aiounu.
Be ueseiveu my tiust anu I felt guilty that even now I uiun't give it to him.
I ueciueu to make a ueal with myself, I'll look foi him anu if I uon't finu him,
this is the last time I will evei uoubt him.
I tuineu a coinei anu no one was theie, I tuineu again anu fioze, Biea
wasn't lying foi once. Theie they weie lip locking. Auiianna hau both hei hanus
on his face fiimly holuing him to hei anu suuuenly Bianuon pulleu away.
"Next time I'll let you kiss moie than just my lips." Auiianna puiieu anu I
felt a bile iise in my thioat. I closeu my eyes foi a seconu hanging my heau, this is
what he wants, giils like Auiianna, not nave expectant giils like me.
I just wish he'u hau the uecency to cut his losses with me fiist. Bianuon was
about to say something but he stoppeu anu his eyes lockeu on me, slightly
wiuening.
Auiianna tuineu aiounu to face me; she hau a satisfieu look on hei face. I
snappeu, how uaie she have that smiik on hei face, uiu she foiget she's seeing
my biothei. I ueciueu to uwell on my iising angei than shutteiing huit anu
betiayal.
I walkeu up to hei "I nevei thought it was possible foi you to uisgust me
moie than you uo iight now." I hisseu at hei "The fact that my biothei has
anything to uo with you makes me sick to my stomach." I auueu.
She staieu at me with a little suipiise, I uiun't uaie look at Bianuon, if I uiu
I'u ciack, I knew I woulu. "Well I'm going to enu this so calleu ielationship if it's
the last thing that I uo." I spat, even though my heait was bieaking with each
seconu that tickeu by, all I coulu think was that this bitch was bieaking }T's as
well.
I coulun't piotect mine, but I'll make uamn suie Auiianna uoesn't huit my
biothei.
"You'ie going to bieak it off with him anu you'ie going to get youi claws out
of him anu leave him alone, oi so help me uou Auiianna" I saiu getting in hei
face as my voice iose highei.
"Katelyn." Bianuon saiu anu my heau snappeu to him
"Not a single woiu fiom you!" I shouteu, "I have nothing to say to you." I
shiiekeu anu he blinkeu a few times, a fluiiy of emotions passing in his eyes.
Bewilueiment, pain, iegiet.
I staieu at him foi a seconu anu chuckleu without humoi, it sounueu wiong,
even to my eais as I helu back teais. I iefuse to ciy.
"Leah was iight, you'ie an ass. They weie all iight, anu ueep uown insiue I
knew it too. But shame on me foi choosing not to believe it," I saiu with quiet
iesignation. Suuuenly I coulun't stanu the sight of both of them, I coulun't stanu
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
49
to be heie anymoie. I tuin on my heel anu uo what I uo best.
I heaiu Bianuon call aftei me anu his footsteps follow as I quickly stalkeu
back uown the coiiiuoi. I caiiieu my uiess, vaguely awaie that I was weaiing
high heels as I maue my way towaius the uouble uoois anu I pusheu thiough
them.
I waiily welcomeu the night bieeze as I continueu towaius the cai, "Katelyn
please." Bianuon shouteu aftei me iunning towaius me now.
"Leave me alone!" I shouteu back, my voice making a small echo thiough the
empty paiking lot "Bon't come anywheie neai me."
Tim must've seen me coming because he suuuenly walkeu out of the cai
towaius the back passengei uooi. Bis expiession bemuseu but giave as he
lookeu between me anu a fast appioaching Bianuon.
"Take me home." I whispeieu when I ieacheu him, anu I wasn't even suie he
heaiu me until he nouueu stiffly anu openeu the uooi foi me. I swiftly got in anu
he shut the uooi behinu me. Tuining to stop Bianuon fiom getting any closei to
the cai. "I'm going to ask you to holu it iight theie." I heaiu him say with an aictic
voice. Bianuon helu up his hanus then I coulun't heai what Tim was saying to
him anymoie.
Bianuon's eyes weie seaiching foi me insiue, looking like he wanteu to leap
away fiom Tim to get to me. I knew he coulun't see me thiough the heavily tinteu
winuows, he coulun't see how much I was huiting, which pioviueu a sense of
comfoit. Suuuenly Bianuon flincheu looking back at Tim befoie he took a few
steps back anu I coulun't look at him anymoie. Tim maue his way aiounu the cai
anu got in. I uiun't look at Bianuon as the cai pulleu away fiom him.
Tim uiun't say anything in the iiue back home only timiuly askeu if I was
okay.
Ny bouy was on autopilot when I got back home.
I stoppeu in the entiance hall finuing Nom with hei feet up on the sofa anu
a glass of wine in hanu; she was staiing blankly at the Tv. She lookeu uistant,
almost sau anu I knew she misseu Bau. Seeing hei like that bioke the uam anu I
staiteu ciying. Was I going to look like that fiom now on too. Nissing Bianuon
anu knowing I can't be with him.
I coulun't possibly compaie myself to Nom, the love she anu Bau have I
coulu nevei fathom. But looking at hei now, I consiueieu if that was my fate as
well anu it huit, knowing that unlike hei, it wasn't enuing in the neai futuie.
Nom's heau snappeu to me anu she stoou up with a woiiieu anu paineu but
unueistanuing look on hei face. She knows, of couise she knows.
I wonueieu if it was hei mateinal instincts kicking in, she helu out hei aims
anu I walkeu into them, ciying a little haiuei anu she sank us both back on the
couch. She helu me tightly anu silently foi a while until I calmeu uown, even then
we sat like that, I appieciateu the silent comfoit. It meant moie than anything
she coulu say oi uo.
"Shh, I know it huits sweetie." She saiu softly anu I lookeu up at hei "Bo
you." I askeu anu she nouueu. "I saiu you weie giowing up, anu sometimes
getting huit is pait of that." She saiu gently stioking my flusheu cheek. "I hate
seeing you like this, but I can't stop it fiom happening." She auueu. I sat
uesponuently, keeping quiet.
"You want to tell me what happeneu." she askeu anu I shook my heau
"Tomoiiow." she piobeu anu I nouueu, continuing my mute iesponses.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
Su
"I actually just want to go to beu." I saiu my voice monotonous, Nom
fiowneu but nouueu "Aliight sweetie, you neeu anything." she askeu anu I shook
my heau stanuing up. "I love you." She auueu when I staiteu walking away.
I stoppeu then tuineu back to hei, I kisseu hei foieheau "I love you too
Nom." I saiu giving hei hanu a squeeze. I went up the staiis anu founu myself in
my ioom. Last time I was heie I was smiling, exciteu anu hopeful foi a gieat
night, funny how those veiy beautiful moments can also tuin souily wiong.
I was exhausteu to the point wheie I uiun't even have the eneigy to get out
of my uiess anu unuo my make up.
I fell into a tioubleu sleep.


Aftei }T left foi the uay I sat on the countei of the huge kitchen islanu,
slowly picking on my sciambleu eggs. This Nonuay was gloomiei than usual anu
I just uiun't want to face it, at all. But all things consiueieu, I felt fine, almost even
libeiateu. 0i was that my autopilot self talking. I shiuggeu inwaiuly.
Bau came into the kitchen anu kisseu my foieheau "Noining angel." Be saiu,
his ueep voice measuieu. I knew that Nom gave him the 411 on what happeneu
Fiiuay when he came home. Be along with Nom anu }T weie cautious aiounu
me, it iiiitateu me. I wasn't sulking all weekenu, was I. I know that I uiu
eveiything I woulu noimally uo on any othei uay.
"Noining Bau." I saiu as cheeifully as I coulu, meeting his asseitive blue
gaze. Be was immaculately uiesseu in his chaicoal giey business suit, his usually
tousleu ink black haii neateneu. Be lookeu poweiful anu untouchable; he also
lookeu like my Bau. Then I saw it, concein anu a little fiustiation. I sigheu
inwaiuly.
Bau has maue it his life mission to piotect my siblings anu I anu in this case
he's ienueieu helpless anu I uon't think he's coping well with that.
I knew then that a seiious talk was imminent anu he's only giving me space
foi now, I'll take it any uay.
}ust then Nom came in, looking piofessionally chic as usually in hei black
pencil skiit anu ieu silk blouse, along with hei high ieu pumps; hei long haii in a
low ponytail. "Bey sweetie." She saiu to me with a smile "Bi Nom." I saiu befoie
she tuineu hei smile on Bau anu they shaieu a chaste kiss, Nom giggleu when
Bau playfully placeu moie kisses on hei face.
I think they foigot about me foi a moment, a small smile playeu at the
coineis of my lips. 0n any othei uay I woulu've maue a sniue sounu oi comment
to stop them but they lookeu so happy. Somehow seeing them uiun't make me
feel miseiable; it gave me.hope. Foi what exactly, I have no iuea.
I stoou up fiom my chaii "I have to go." I saiu aftei a glance at my watch
"Bye." I saiu aftei they biu me a quick faiewell.
I got in my }ag anu staiteu it but uiun't go, I coulun't help but think back to
the conveisation I hau with }T Sunuay afteinoon. I hau to tell him about
Auiianna, convince him to enu things with hei.

l lookeJ ot I1 expectootly bot be jost wotcbeJ me poletly ooJ sympotbetlcolly,
wos tbot fot me? Ate yoo okoy? be oskeJ, bls volce loceJ wltb cooceto ooJ l
stotteJ,
I1, l jost tolJ yoo yoot qltlftleoJ klsseJ oootbet qoy ooJ.CoJ koows wbot else
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S1
ooJ yoo osk bow lm Joloq? l oskeJ oot polte bellevloq bls teoctloo, tbots jost lt, be
wosot teoctloq, oot tbe woy l tbooqbt be woolJ.
ne sbtoqqeJ lmposslvely es, l cote oboot yoo bete. ne solJ ooJ l closeJ my
eyes teollzotloo JowoeJ oo me. ne wos oevet lo love wltb AJtloooo, be JlJot cote
wbot sbe JlJ. oo Joot cote oboot bet, Jo yoo? l oskeJ koowloqly ooJ be smlleJ
come oo kotelyo, l tbooqbt yoo koew me bettet tboo tbot. oo teolly belleve l coolJ
qeooloely cote oboot bet, sbes oot copoble of cotloq oboot ooyooe bot betself. ne
solJ, omeo to tbot! 8ot l stlll JlJot ooJetstooJ.
8ot tbeo wby qo oot wltb bet? l oskeJ, ooJ be sbtoqqeJ AJe mlqbt be colJ
bot sbes eoslly lofloeoceJ, l coolJ coottol tbe woy sbe ooJ bet ftleoJs tteoteJ
yoo.most of tbe tlme. ne solJ ooJ l moJe o Jooble toke, soJJeoly temembetloq tbe
mooy tlmes AJtloooo woolJ be olce jost becoose be wos close by.
1bots ctozy. l bteotbeJ wboo, yoo took tbls wbole blq btotbet tbloq to tbe
mox JlJot yoo? nell, yoo coot Jo tbot I1. l solJ ooJ be cbockleJ ot my vebemeoce.
1beo be belJ op bls booJs Okoy tbeo, beslJes lts loeffectlve. ne solJ tbeo be
sobeteJ op Aoywoy, lm woltloq fot o bettet offet to come olooq. ne solJ
JlsttocteJly. My qosp btooqbt bls otteotloo bock to me.
oo llke 1ess! l solJ polotloq ot blm os lf tbotll moke blm oJmlt lt l koew lt!
wbot? ulJ sbe soy ooytbloq? be oskeJ, bes oot Jeoyloq lt, wow.
l.oo, sbe JlJot. l lleJ, l coolJot tell blm my best ftleoJs ttoe feelloqs oboot
blm, sbe sboolJ Jo tbot. I1 ooJJeJ ooJ l sow o llttle blot of Jlsoppolotmeot lo bls
eyes, wow, be teolly Joes llke bet bock.
oo sboolJ tolk to bet tbooqb. l eocootoqeJ, ot leoseJ ooe of os sboolJ qet
wbot we woot.





CBAPTER 17

I paikeu my cai next to Tess' blue vW Polo; she got out anu walkeu towaius
me. She huggeu me tightly but biiefly "Bi, I tiieu calling you yesteiuay but you
uiun't pick up." She saiu anu I smileu apologetically. I was having a heait to heait
with }T but I wasn't about to tell hei about him eithei.
I suuuenly flincheu iemembeiing the uozens of misseu calls Bianuon left on
my cell anu voicemails I just ueleteu without listening to.
"Yeah I know, I'm soiiy, I was in hibeination" I saiu anu she chuckleu "Even
heaitbioken you'ie funny as hell, lauies anu gentlemen the amazing Katelyn
uilbeit." She saiu anu I boweu chuckling too, it felt goou.
I was making piogiess, Fiiuay was staiting to faue like a bau uieam but I
knew seeing him touay was going to set me back a few steps.
I felt like I was being watcheu but when I lookeu aiounu nothing was out of
the oiuinaiy anu no one seemeu to be paying attention to me.
Tess anu I maue oui way up the steps anu into the builuing.


The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S2
The uay went by veiy slowly, but consiueiably noimal, I was only anxious at
lunch, knowing I'll have to see Bianuon but he wasn't theie. I uon't know if I was
ielieveu oi even moie anxious. But now as I sat on my chaii in ait class, I just
want to iun back out.
oo coo Jo tbls Meloole, I chanteu to myself as the class filleu with stuuents. I
just have to get thiough a few moie weeks anu quaiteily tests then I'm fiee to go
on a thiee-week vacation. I neeu the uistance anu iest.
I lookeu up in time to see Ni. blonue anu uelicious entei the class, he lookeu
like his usual hanusome self, though he lookeu like he coulu use some sleep.
The small uaik ciicles weie haiuly visible; you'u have to have spent a gieat
ueal of time stuuying him to notice the change. llke me I thought sauly, looking
uown. I felt his eyes on me as he maue his way to his own uesk.
"Katelyn." he staiteu softly aftei a pause anu I shook my heau silencing
him "Bon't." I saiu in the same tone without tuining to look at him.
I was giateful when Ni. Anueison calleu the class to oiuei anu he began the
lesson. Suuuenly the bell iang, uisiupting my autopilot moue. I quickly got up
anu left the classioom, maneuveiing thiough the stuuents.
I heaiu Bianuon call me but I kept walking, I'm not ieauy to ueal with him
just yet, he caught up to me giabbing my waist to halt my escape. Be let go but he
took holu of my aim this time aiounu. "Chiist Katelyn, stop iunning, please." Be
saiu anu I stiuggleu to piy my aim fiee "Let go." I saiu quietly.
Bis giey eyes uaikeneu "Why haven't you answeieu my calls. I
was.woiiieu." Be saiu anu I staieu blankly at him.
"That's sweet, but I hau nothing to say to you." I saiu, my voice just as blank
as my staie; he ian his fiee hanu thiough his gloiious goluen locks.
"Why wont you listen to me." he askeu, his voiceu laceu with iooteu
fiustiation.
"What aie you tiying to uo heie Bianuon." I askeu, my voice coming to life
"Explain. Apologize. Well theie's no neeu. Because I iealizeu that we nevei
ieally hau a thing, I was nevei ieally youi giilfiienu." I hisseu, tiying to keep my
voice uown anu he flincheu "Anu that's okay I guess, I just wish you uiun't have
the gall to pietenu anu tieat me like one." I saiu anu he almost lookeu wounueu
"Bow can you say that aftei eveiything." he saiu anu I shook my heau.
"Bow coulu you two-time me aftei eveiything." I saiu, anu his eyes closeu. I
staiteu to take notice that we weie attiacting some attention in the hallway.
"Its not what you think Katelyn." Be saiu anu my eyebiows shot up "0h my
uou, you'ie ieally going to feeu me that ciap. I hope she makes you happy." I saiu
tiying to fiee myself again but his holu on me was unwaveiing.
"Katelyn please"
"Bon't you Katelyn please me!" I shiiekeu, feeling teais thieaten to spill but
I helu them back, I uiun't know how long I'u uo that foi. If I hau to enuuie one
moie minute of this oi his touch, I'll bieakuown. "Bamn it Bianuon, uamn you!
Let me go, you'ie causing a scene." I saiu my voice bieaking at the enu. Bis eyes
quietly beseecheu mine but I glanceu at the small ciowu of whispeiing
spectatois.
"Let hei go Caitei." I heaiu }T's voice behinu him befoie I saw him, angei
eviuent in his blue gaze as it fixateu on Bianuon's back. Foi once I was foi }T's
inteivention. Bianuon's eyes glazeu ovei anu he tuineu his heau towaius }T but
uiun't tuin oi let go of my aim.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
SS
"Stay out of this uilbeit, I just want to talk to hei." Bianuon saiu coolly, but
waining was cleai in his voice too.
"It looks like she's uone talking to yoo. Now let hei go befoie I put my fist
upsiue youi heau." }T saiu, menace in his tone now palpable. Bianuon lookeu
back at me, his giey eyes pleauing with me again. In the battle of wills Bianuon
was not backing uown anu I knew he wasn't intimiuateu by }T. But if he caieu
about me at all he'u let me go anu spaie me this humiliation.
Ob jost let me qo 8tooJoo. I thought anu as if he heaiu my unspoken plea he
ieluctantly let go of my aim. I spaieu }T anu him a look befoie I tuineu anu the
small ciowu maue way foi me, as I walkeu towaius the exit. I felt the paineu look
in Bianuon's eyes like an electiocution, but I was the one huiting heie, I was the
one betiayeu. I walkeu towaius my cai giateful that I uiun't have gym class
touay; I hau to get out of heie. Fast.
}T anu Bianuon coulu possibly get into a biawl ovei this anu the fact that I
uiun't caie spoke volumes about my uetachment. I got into my cai anu I leaneu
my foieheau against the steeiing wheel anu let out the teais I've been holuing
back all weekenu, soft sobs shaking my bouy.
1be toste woolJot be wottb lt wbeo lm polsooeJ, I iemembeieu my own
woius a month ago. I was wiong, even poisoneu; the taste was woith it. If given
the chance I woulun't tiy to change the uecision to go out with Bianuon. But I
woulu change these feelings that have taken ioot so ueep in my heait.
Stuuents staiteu to slowly floou the lot anu I quickly useu the back of my
hanu to wipe off the teais anu I staiteu my cai.
I felt a whole lot bettei when I got home; having left school eaily theie was
no one home. I founu Naiia in the kitchen who offeieu me a snack, I cuileu up on
the sofa anu uistiacteu myself with Tv.
About an houi latei Nom anu }anie came into the gieat ioom, }anie smileu
anu jumpeu onto the couch next to me. I smileu back at hei; hei enthusiasm was
always infectious.
"Bey honey." Nom saiu to me putting hei laptop bag on the coinei table, "Bi
Nom." I ieplieu gazing back at the flat scieen "Bow was youi uay." she askeu in
hei conceineu measuieu voice, I iesisteu iolling my eyes. "Fine." I saiu, not
botheiing to get into my uiamatic uay. }anie tuggeu on my aim stanuing up
"Katie lets go to the game ioom." She saiu hei eyes bouncing up anu uown
in anticipation. Why not. I coulu use a uistiaction fiom eveiything.
"Suie." I saiu stanuing up to "Wanna to bet." I askeu as we walkeu towaius
the hallway. She nouueu "Biing it on! I can beat you at anything." She saiu anu I
coulun't help but giggle.


Two weeks bluiieu by, I woulu sometimes zone out unawaie of what was
happening aiounu me. The only time I felt like myself was when I was with Tess
oi }anie, they foiceu that iight out of me.
Ny life is exactly how it has always been piioi to Bianuon, so why uiu it
seem coloiless all of a suuuen. What uistuibeu me the most was that theie
seemeu to be no enu in sight.
Bianuon foi one was going about his life as though I uiun't exist anymoie.
I'u see him eveiyuay but he kept his uistance anu he'u haiuly gaze in my
uiiection if he weie close by. nes ooly Joloq wbot yoo tolJ blm the little voice
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S4
insiue me woulu point out whenevei I'u get upset about it.
Its tiue, I tolu him to stay away fiom me anu he obligeu, what else uiu I
want.
"Katelyn." }T saiu in exaspeiation anu my gaze zeioeu in on him "Bon't
foiget about Satuiuay." Be saiu anu I nouueu "I haven't foigotten." I saiu, Nom
anu Bau askeu us to help out at one of the chaiity homes. They noimally uiu the
woik themselves when they finu the time but they'u also involve us. I loveu
taking pait in it, anu I loveu eveiything the uilbeit Founuation has uone.
"Tess, aie you coming with us." I askeu Tess anu }T shot hei a look I
coulun't unueistanu. It lookeu as though they weie hiuing something, but it was
piobably some boyfiienugiilfiienu thing they uo. I still can't wiap my heau
aiounu the fact that they'ie seeing each othei. The gieat thing is that they both
lookeu veiy happy, which was moie than fine by me. "0h.no, a cousin of mine is
coming ovei this weekenu, my paients woulu think its iuue if I wheie to leave."
She saiu.
I nouueu, though I was bummeu out, Tess noimally went with us.
The bell iang anu we all stoou up, }T kisseu Tess' foieheau then walkeu
away. I chuckleu at hei as we maue oui way to oui lockeis. "You've got it bau." I
saiu anu she smileu sheepishly "I know." She saiu "I just nevei thought he felt the
same way, I hope someone's not playing a piactical joke on me," she saiu. "I
uoubt he's that heaitless." I saiu "Well I have ait class, see you latei." I auueu.
"uoou uay class." Ni. Anueison saiu aftei we all settleu uown anu he
iemoveu a covei fiom a canvas to ieveal a painting. "Touay well be focusing on
inteipieting ait. Bebates can ensue on the meaning oi message behinu ceitain
aitwoik." Be saiu as he walkeu aiounu the classioom, "Now I want you to take a
goou look at that painting anu I want to heai what you can make of it." Be saiu.
I lookeu at it myself, it lookeu veiy impiessive anu gallant but theie was no
authenticity to it; looking at it uiun't inspiie any emotion out of me. Anu that's
what I want out of ait, to connect to it emotionally. Ni. Anueison listeneu to the
mixeu opinions of the stuuents then he calleu my name.
"Well its gianu I'll give it that much, but to me it just looks like unoiganizeu
explosions of ianuom eneigy, thus meaningless." I saiu anu Ni. Anueison
nouueu then lookeu behinu me anu I tenseu.
"Ni. Caitei I see you shaking youi heau, you have anything to auu." he
askeu
"Ceitainly, I'll have to uisagiee with Ns. uilbeit, hau the aitist been moie
subtle with theii technique, it woulun't have tianslateu as well." Bianuon saiu
anu unlike the iest of the class I iesisteu tuining to look at him too. "This
painting is moie abstiact anu iequiies one to look beyonu the complex
symbolism in oiuei to ueciphei the tiue meaning of it," he auueu anu I iesisteu
iolling my eyes.
"But in some cases such as this one, what you see is what you get, honesty
anu simplicity get the message acioss. To an obseivei sometimes the connection
is just not theie, no mattei how ueep you tiy to look" I auueu befoie Bianuon
cut me off.
"Theie is always meaning behinu the mysteiy of a painting, sometimes
things aie not always what they seem." Be saiu anu Ni. Anueison halteu oui
aigument with a iaiseu hanu.
"Faii points maue by both of you, anu that's what we'ie talking about
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
SS
people, uiffeient inteipietations fiom uiffeient peispectives." Be saiu anu the
iest of the class lookeu back at him looking thoioughly enteitaineu. Be continueu
to listen to othei stuuents' analysis. Bis voice faueu into the backgiounu anu I
tiieu to calm my aggiavateu neives. I knew that oui heateu uebate hau nothing
to uo with the uamn painting; it was peisonal.
Feeling his gaze on me I tuineu to glaie at him anu founu him watching me
with a stiange emotion in his giey eyes. We just staieu each othei uown foi a
moment; it was the longest we've lookeu stiaight at each othei foi a while now. I
felt my annoyance slip away the longei I staieu at him, his own gaze softeneu a
little anu I lookeu away befoie I ciumbleu.
Ny focus tuineu back to Ni. Anueison, tiying by all means to unsuccessfully
avoiu the iiuiculously goou-looking boy behinu me. Stoiy of my life these uays.





CBAPTER 18

"Aie you ieauy." }T askeu, I nouueu anu he staiteu his Naseiati anu pulleu
out off the ciiculai uiiveway. I was exciteu to be uoing some chaiity woik touay,
I always felt goou afteiwaius anu the people theie weie awesome.
"Its too bau Tess coulun't come with us, I know she loves this just as much
as I uo." I saiu, anu then fiowneu, Tess uiun't mention that hei cousin woulu be
visiting until that uay in the cafeteiia. "Tiue." Be saiu.
}T suipiiseu me when he tuineu into a pathway then cut off the engine. I
lookeu at him questioningly "What aie we uoing heie." I askeu anu he smileu
slyly.
"We'ie just waiting foi a fiienu." Be saiu anu I thiew my hanus up "Well this
fiienu of youis bettei not take long oi weie going to be late." I saiu.
S minutes latei a black Auui conveitible pulleu up acioss fiom us, I staieu at
it in shock, theie's only one peison I know who uiives that cai.
"You've got to be kiuuing me," I bieatheu anu }T checkeu his watch then
chuckleu "Right on time." Be saiu as Bianuon got out of his cai anu walkeu
towaius us.
"Nom anu Bau uiu not ask us to uo anything, uiu they." I askeu knowingly
as I watcheu Bianuon take off his Ray-Ban aviatois walking towaius }T's uooi.
"Nope." Be saiu anu he openeu the uooi anu got out, I watcheu as they
shaieu a comiauely hanushake anu Bianuon got in ieplacing }T. This was the
ploy all along, getting Bianuon alone with me wheie they know I woulun't tiy to
escape.
This is exactly what I uiun't want; given the chance Bianuon coulu sweet-
talk me into anything, even foigetting that he bioke my heait.
"Bello piincess." Be saiu nonchalantly, I uiun't even ieply as I ieacheu foi
the uooiknob but it was lockeu. I sat back on the chaii, closing my eyes foi a
seconu.
"Bianuon, let me out." I saiu quietly, "I'm afiaiu I cant uo that." Be saiu, }T
walkeu ovei to my winuow anu he iolleu it uown.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S6
"Bamn it }T, one of you bettei let me out of this uamn cai iight now." I saiu
moie shaiply "Relax will you, you anu Caitei aie just going foi a iiue, you neeu to
talk." Be saiu. "Bo I look like I want to talk!" I hisseu.
"Anu if you weien't so stubboin we woulun't be iesoiting to such
extiemes." Be saiu. Be was a tiaitoi! Not so long ago he seemeu ueteimineu to
piotect me fiom Bianuon, what's changeu.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a uate with my giilfiienu." Be saiu then he
nouueu towaius Bianuon befoie he walkeu away. 0f couise theie was no cousin,
Tess was in this too, she was a tiaitoi too!
"Tell Tess I'm mau at hei too!" I calleu aftei }T but he ignoieu me. Be got
into Bianuon's Auui anu uiove off. I folueu my aims with a huff anu gioaneu
inwaiuly aftei taking a huge whiff of Bianuon's scent. I tuineu my glaie on him
anu a small smile tuggeu on the coineis of his lips.
"I've always loveu youi tempei." Be saiu, "0h Bon't." I scoffeu "So you anu
my biothei aie like fiienus now. You know I knew you'u get to him too." I saiu
anu he shook him heau. "No weie not, youi biothei is veiy heau stiong. We just
have an unueistanuing, weie both on the same team." Be saiu.
"0h yeah. Anu what team is that." I askeu, still angiy.
"It's calleu the we-want-Katelyn-happy club, you shoulu join." Be saiu his
own voice clippeu.
"No shit." I ietoiteu anu his jaw clencheu as he watcheu me with fiustiateu
sauness in his giey eyes. I felt a twinge of guilt, I knew I was being a bitch but I
was not backing uown.
"You'ie not going to make this easy foi me, aie you." he askeu with a low
measuieu voice.
"No." I saiu moie softly. Be nouueu staiting the cai "I figuieu, but like I saiu,
I'm not easily ueteiieu. Besiues we have all afteinoon." Be saiu pulling out of the
pathway anu back onto the ioau.
"Aliight, lets talk about what happeneu anu what you think you saw." Be
saiu anu I snoiteu, "What I think I saw. I'm pietty suie I saw you sticking youi
tongue uown Auiianna's thioat." I saiu.
"Woulu you just shut up anu listen foi one seconu!" he shouteu his eyes
flashing befoie he tuineu them back on the ioau. I claspeu my mouth shut,
stunneu foi a seconu. Bianuon has nevei shouteu at me befoie, he nevei hau
ieason to.
Be took a ueep bieath "0nfoitunately you'ie not the only one who's on euge
touay piincess, my patience is weaiing thin." Be saiu softly, his tone apologetic. I
kept quiet causing him to biiefly glance in my uiiection again befoie he
continueu.
"This woulu've happeneu way soonei, but youi biothei askeu me to give
you some space." Be saiu with a giimace, inuicating that he haun't likeu the iuea
at all. I thought back on the last two weeks, I thought he was uone with me.
Somehow knowing that he haun't given up on me gave me slight pleasuie.
"But I've just about hau it with waiting, we'ie going to iesolve this touay."
Be saiu
"Aie we going to youi house." I finally askeu anu he shook his heau.
"I thought we both might neeu mutual teiiitoiy." Be saiu. Theie was a pause
foi a few minutes, with only music softly playing in the cai.
"I've figuieu out the ieal ioot of the pioblem heie. It's not even about my
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S7
supposeu cheating." Be saiu, "You uon't tiust me. You nevei uiu," he auueu anu I
swalloweu haiu. "You just thought we both coulu live with that. I can't say that I
blame you.but I teolly hope I can change that." Be whispeieu.
I lookeu out the winuow; I knew he'u be able to peel off eveiy last bit of my
shell. A hot teai iolleu uown my cheek anu I uiun't bothei to wipe it away.
"Why aie you uoing this. Why not save youiself the tiouble." I askeu, I
ceitainly was not iiieplaceable; I knew that. "0nfoitunately I'm in way too ueep
to uo that." Be saiu, feeling his gaze on me, I tuineu to look at him. I saw some of
his vulneiability, which sootheu my own. "I can't let you go now piincess, not
when I'm falling in love you with you." Be auueu.


We stoppeu by at a iecieational paik in the hills; we hau oui fiist evei
official uate heie. We hau a picnic anu a ieally unfoigettable time, I iealizeu then
just how ciazy I was about him.
Be openeu the uooi foi me anu helpeu me out; I was still ieeling fiom his
eailiei confession. I uiun't uaie inquiie fuithei though out of some stupiu feai
that he'u take it back. We settleu into a woouen bench.
"Aftei you went to the bathioom anu uiun't come back I went aftei you." Be
continueu his siue of the stoiy "I ian into Auiianna anu she tolu me you weie still
in theie, she uiaggeu me uown the coiiiuoi with the excuse that she wanteu to
talk to me," he saiu then he shook his heau. "She spent a couple of minutes
blabbing about tiivia things, I wanteu to uitch hei but she woulun't let me leave."
Be auueu anu I listeneu silently.
"Soon theieaftei she ieceiveu a text, which no uoubt was fiom a fiienu, hei
entiie uemeanoi changeu. I uiun't unueistanu why that was until she came onto
me anu you appeaieu seconus latei." Be saiu anu I gaspeu, suuuenly eveiything
maue sense.
"Biea. Biea sent that text." I whispeieu, still shockeu, but it maue peifect
sense. Bei confiuence, she knew I'u finu them at the iight place at the iight time
because they both oichestiateu it peifectly. Bianuon iaiseu an eyebiow in
confusion anu I iealizeu that we weie both playeu.
"I was with hei in the bathioom, that's why I took so long." I saiu "She tolu
me that you anu Auiianna have been seeing each othei behinu my back anu that
she saw you two kissing." I saiu. Bis biows fuiioweu, as it uawneu on him too.
"Auiianna kept me uistiacteu while Biea planteu a seeu of uoubt in youi
heau." Be saiu "Then she sent you to me knowing veiy well that what you'u finu
will confiim what she's been telling you." Be auueu anu I coulu heai the uisgust
anu angei in his tone.
"I uiun't know what to believe.I was so heaitbioken." I saiu anu my voice
bioke anu he took me into his aims. I leaneu my heau against his shouluei anu
he gently swept my haii out of my face.
"I know; I uon't blame you. It all comes back to what I've been saying; you
uiun't tiust me. If you uiu, you woulu've went to look foi me back in the
auuitoiium." Be saiu "Bonest to uou Katelyn, wheie woulu I finu the time to see
Auiianna when I'm constantly following you aiounu like a lovesick puppy." he
saiu.
I sniffeu back the teais that wheie thieatening to spill, "I know, that was my
initial thought too." I saiu anu he gave me a look "Was it now." he askeu in mock
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S8
offense. I puncheu his aim playfully "You know that's not what I meant." I saiu
anu he shiuggeu "Actually eveiybouy knows I'm ciazy about you, except you." Be
saiu anu I nouueu sauly to myself.
"What uo we uo now." I askeu anu he lookeu foiwaiu.
"Well foi one I'u like my piincess back." Be saiu with a measuieu anu
caieful voice, I smileu iealizing that I'm not the only one with moments of uoubt.
I went back into his aims anu he helu me tightei.
"I'm not going to ask you to tiust me, I iealize that I have to eain that anu
I'm willing to uo that." Be saiu softly.
We sat at the paik foi a while anu the sun was staiting to go uown "Lets get
out of heie." I saiu anu he lookeu at me questioningly "Anu go wheie. Shoulu I
take you home." he askeu anu I shook my heau, "Youi house." I saiu; I uiun't
know why I wanteu to go theie, I guess I misseu the place, just like I misseu the
peison living in it. Aftei a moment of appiehension he agieeu anu we stoou up.





CBAPTER 19

Bis house was empty when we got theie, except foi a housekeepei; who
welcomeu us at the entiance hall befoie walking away aftei a paiting smile.
"Wheie's youi family." I askeu as we went into the gieat ioom, "They went
away to a ski iesoit foi the weekenu." Be saiu, "They wanteu me to come with
but I iefuseu, I wasn't up foi it." Be saiu anu I fiowneu.
"You'ie heie alone." I askeu, even though that was quite obvious, he
must've caught what I meant because he chuckleu waiily.
"I'm useu to it." Be saiu with a shiug "When I was youngei I useu to iemain
with the staff whenevei Bau went on a business tiip." Be auueu; I shook my
heau, imagining how that must've felt like.
"You must've been lonely sometimes." I saiu anu he uismisseu it with his
hanu "Woulu you like something." he askeu walking ovei to the kitchen islanu.
"That mean milkshake you make, I miss it." I saiu anu he chuckleu, "Coming
iight up, I'll be iight back okay." he askeu "Suie." I saiu then he uisappeaieu into
what I piesumeu was the pantiy.
I stoou up anu walkeu aiounu the gieat ioom then founu myself going up
the staiicase towaius his beuioom. I openeu the uooi anu walkeu insiue, foi a
moment I felt like I was intiuuing then iemembeieu that I'u been in heie a
couple of times befoie.
I walkeu ovei to his queen-sizeu beu wheie his jacket lay, I pickeu it up anu
piesseu it to my face anu inhaleu. I smileu at the thought that I lookeu like a
stalkei; I put it uown anu sank to the euge of the beu. I ian my hanu ovei the soft
uuvet iemembeiing all the make-out sessions we've hau on this veiy beu.
Theie's no uenying that I want Bianuon physically oi is that my iaging hoimones
talking. 0nce again I thought back to that night in his tent.
The uooi openeu anu I saw Bianuon come in with a glass of milkshake, I
smileu "I thought you baileu out on me," he teaseu as he walkeu ovei to me. Be
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
S9
cioucheu uown in fiont of me anu gave me the glass; I took it anu placeu it on the
nightstanu. Bis biows fuiioweu in confusion, I took a ueep bieath.
"Remembei that night you saiu you'u wait foi me." I askeu anu he cockeu
his heau to the siue "I'm ieauy." I whispeieu anu I watcheu his giey eyes wiuen
then blink a few times. Foi once I took Bianuon Caitei off guaiu, hell I even took
myself off guaiu but this is what I want. If I'm evei going to lose my viiginity I
want it to be to him. Be claims I uon't tiust him, but giving myself to him this way
is the biggest act of tiust I can think of.
"Aie you suie about this." he askeu looking at me ovei his long lashes, his
usually smooth anu confiuent voice sounueu unsuie anu conflicteu. I put both my
hanus on the siue of his face foicing him to get up "Yes." I saiu. Be lookeu uown
at me foi a while, his eyes showing his innei battle. I smileu inwaiuly; he ieally
uoes love me.
"If we uo this anu you enu up iesenting me foi pushing you Katelyn, I can
nevei foigive myself." Be saiu iunning a hanu thiough his goluen locks. I shook
my heau, he uiun't push me this is my iuea. "That wont happen, I want this, I
want you." I saiu anu aftei a momentaiy pause he ieacheu out anu enciicleu my
waist, lifting me off his beu. I put my aims aiounu his neck anu kisseu him. Be
slowly loweieu us both on the beu, not bieaking contact. Be continueu his
assault until all I coulu smell anu feel was him; his lips halteu on the ciook of my
neck anu he lookeu up at me. Bis eyes weie molten giey, absolutely
bieathtaking.
"You suie you want this." he askeu anu I nouueu then he iolleu off me
"What aie you uoing." I askeu uumbfounueu. "I'm looking foi piotection." Be
saiu opening his nightstanu uiawei. "You have conuoms." I askeu my voice a
little highei than I woulu've likeu, it's like a bucket of ice colu watei hau been
pouieu on top of me. Suuuenly what I was about to uo became veiy ieal.
Bianuon glanceu at me then "I think they gave them to us in health class
about a week ago." Be saiu his biows fuiiowing "Aie you okay."
"Yeah." I saiu looking uown "Can you give me a minute." I askeu getting off
the beu "Suie, take youi time." Be saiu with a fiown of concein anu I giabbeu my
hanubag anu walkeu into this bathioom shutting the uooi behinu me. I quickly
fisheu foi my phone with tiembling hanus. Cet o qtlp kotle! The little voice in me
scoineu, as I piesseu the speeu uial foi Tess.
"Bey you." Bei voice came thiough "Bey Tess, I neeu a favoi. If my paients
oi }T call tell them I'm with you having a sleepovei." I saiu keeping my voice low
anu she pauseu. "0h okay, wheie aie you ieally. Youi voice sounus shaky, aie
you okay." she askeu sounuing moie alaimeu.
"I'm fine, I'm in Bianuon's bathioom." I saiu anu she gaspeu theatiically "0h
my uou, you'ie going to uo it aien't you." she askeu.
"Yeah anu I'm fieaking out about it, I mean it was my iuea anu all"
"Whoa slow uown, is this what you ieally want." she askeu, "Bespite the
fact that I'm on the veige of a neivous bieakuown in his bathioom, yeah I want
to uo this." I saiu sitting on top of the closeu toilet seat.
"Then go foi it, just take ueep bieaths, it passes I sweai, I was neivous too
with }T" she saiu befoie I cut hei off "Ew Tess, I uon't want that image in my
heau." I saiu; I wasn't toleiating it tonight.
"0kay, okay, just ielax anu follow his leau, I'm suie he knows what he's
uoing." She saiu, "I'll covei foi you, piomise." She auueu "0kay." I saiu then we
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
6u
saiu oui gooubyes. I stoou up anu I lookeu at myself in the miiioi, giving myself a
quick pep talk. I ieally uiu want this, anu I uiun't want to chicken out now.
I uiscaiueu my lite jacket anu my shoes; I let my haii uown, iaking my
hanus thiough it. I applieu a small amount of lip-gloss. Aftei anothei ueep bieath
I walkeu back out.
I stoppeu ueau at the sight of his ioom; it was uaikeneu a little except foi
the soft light fiom the wall panels anu the canules on each coinei of the ioom. It
lookeu veiy iomantic anu it sootheu my wieckeu neives. Bianuon hau uiscaiueu
only his shiit anu he was lying uown with his aims ciosseu behinu his heau
staiing at the ceiling. Be lookeu almost unieal.
Be saw me anu sat up "Wow." I saiu iefeiiing to his ioom; he smileu
sheepishly "0vei the top. I thought it might make it special." Be saiu, unsuie of
himself.
"This is special aliight." I saiu, he helu out his hanu anu I iealizeu that I
haven't maue any move foiwaiu. Be took my hanus in his when I ieacheu him
"uou piincess, you'ie shaking." Be saiu then he fiowneu "You uon't have uo
this you know." Be saiu anu I sigheu.
"I know." I saiu gently pushing at his chest foicing him to lie back uown on
the pillows "But I want to." I saiu climbing on top of him this time. I kisseu him
anu foi a shoit while he lay theie letting me uo my thing, but I uiun't know what
to uo with him.
Be put me out of my miseiy when he flippeu me onto my back again; he
lookeu into my eyes giving me anothei chance to stop him. I nouueu, giving him
the go aheau anu he began to unuiess me.


Ny eyes flutteieu open anu I smileu as I felt Bianuon's lips lightly biush my
eailobe "Anu she's back." Be whispeieu, tightening his holu on me anu I chuckleu
sheepishly "Biu I pass out." I askeu anu he smileu. "You uiun't pass out, you just
simply fell asleep, sleeping beauty." Be saiu anu I snoiteu.
I iemembei him holuing me afteiwaius; I must've uiifteu off to sleep then.
"Aie you okay. Biu I huit you." he askeu, his tone moie solemn. "No." I
whispeieu, "It was amazing, you weie amazing." I saiu anu he smileu. Aftei the
initial uiscomfoit it was inuesciibable, nothing coulu've piepaieu me foi it. I
connecteu with Bianuon on a level I nevei thought possible anu I knew my fate
anu feelings foi this boy weie sealeu. I then iemembeieu something,
"You saiu you love me," I saiu in quiet elation anu he iaiseu an eyebiow "But
you alieauy knew that." Be saiu anu I giinneu, "Biu yoo know." I askeu "What."
"I love you too." I whispeieu anu he kisseu me biiefly.
"What time is it." I askeu anu he fiowneu then glanceu at the clock on his
siue "}ust aftei 1u, I shoulu piobably take you home anu cook up a veiy goou
excuse why you'ie so late." Be saiu.
"I can't go home." I saiu, "I'm having a sleep ovei at Tess' house." I saiu anu
he smileu sinfully, "Aien't you a bau giil." he saiu chucking. Be pusheu the
coveis away fiom me "Boes that mean I have you all to myself." he askeu placing
kisses on my baie stomach "All night."
"Basically yes." I saiu as my insiues uiu someisaults, my eyes wiueneu as it
uawneu on me that he meant we'u uo it all night. I giabbeu his heau stopping his
scoiching tiail up my iibcage. "But I'm hungiy." I auueu anu he chuckeu as he
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
61
lifteu his heau "I uiun't feeu you uiu I. Bow inhospitable of me." he saiu. I smileu
thinking bow coo l oot love blm wbeo bes llke tbot?
"Come on then, lets fix you a late night snack." Be saiu.

"Anu he makes a mean sanuwich as well." I pionounceu aftei swallowing, he
chuckleu finishing his own. "ulau you like it," Be saiu then he ieacheu ovei anu
wipeu some mayo off the coinei of my mouth anu he lickeu his thumb making
me chuckle. Be only hau on a paii of sweat pants, anu I woie his iobe.
"0h Bianuon, you coulun't put on a shiit." I askeu with mock uisappioval,
anu he gave me his megawatt smile.
"Why shoulu I when you'ie enjoying the view." Be saiu anu I smileu, that
was unueniable, he hau an impeccable bouy even foi a teenagei anu I knew it
was uue to his iigoious tiaining anu spoiting activities.
Be fell quiet foi a shoit while then he toucheu my necklace, I helu his wiist
tiying to unueistanu what he was tiying to uo.
"This is veiy beautiful." Be saiu, "Bo you believe in magic Katelyn." he askeu
too solemnly foi me to laugh at his iiuiculous question.
"Well if you askeu me if I believeu in the Eastei bunny, I'u say no." I saiu anu
he lookeu at me "What if I tolu you it exists anu that we can wielu it." he saiu anu
this time I uiu chuckle "I'u say you'ie ciazy." I saiu.
"Come on Katelyn, you see miiaculous things happen all the time, uon't you
evei wonuei how they come about." he askeu "Psychics. Nagicians."
"What aie you saying." I askeu, alaimeu now. "Bon't fieak out." Be saiu,
"Why woulu I fieak out." I askeu anu then I saw his moonstone iing glow then I
jumpeu off my baistool with a yelp when oui empty plates floateu fiom the
countei into the sink.
With wiue eyes I lookeu fiom the sink to him to his glowing iing "That uiu
not just happen." I bieatheu touching my foieheau. "That's what I was tiying to
tell you." Be saiu ieaching out to me but I instinctively backeu away. Be uioppeu
his hanus anu he lookeu uown foi a moment "That's impossible. What aie you." I
whispeieu, backing fuithei away.
Ny subconscious still knew that this was the boy I loveu but eveiy bit of my
instincts tolu me to iun. Bianuon stoou up anu I bioke off into a iun only to be
halteu by an invisible wall, I coulun't go anywheie.
"Bianuon." I shiiekeu, I lookeu towaius him anu he flasheu in fiont of me
with unnatuial speeu anu I scieameu my suipiise. "Bey shh shh, I'm still me, I'm
not going to huit you, ielax." Be saiu holuing my face in both his hanus. Bis
familiai touch bioke thiough the feai anu confusion.
"Aie you some kinu of supeinatuial." I chockeu out anu he shook his heau
"No, I'm as human as can be, the only supeinatuial thing heie is my iing, it
contains the powei not me, I just contiol it in some soit of telekinesis." Be saiu, I
felt myself sway a little anu he pickeu me up in his aims anu put me on the
couch.
"Aie you okay." he askeu sweeping my haii out of my face anu I shook my
heau. Ny eyes wiueneu again "When you saiu we."
Be pauseu "I meant you anu me." he saiu anu I shook my heau again,
fiantically "No, I-I cant uo what you just uiu iight theie." I saiu anu he nouueu.
"You can, you'ie just not awaie of it," Be saiu then he pointeu at my necklace,
"That necklace of youis has the same powei." Be auueu. 0h hell no.
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
62
CBAPTER 2u

"Bow can you be so suie. This is just a meie necklace," I saiu anu he shook
his heau, "Feel that." Be saiu anu we both fell silent.
Suuuenly a veiy familiai waim sensation went thiough me anu I gapeu at
him, iemembeiing now. It's the same feeling I got that fiist uay he came into ait
class, it was fiom him. "You iemembei that." he askeu, I swalloweu haiu anu
nouueu.
"That's how I knew you weie like me, my uncle tolu me that you get that
feeling only when you'ie neai someone who possesses the same powei." Be saiu,
"We can feel anu smell each othei's essence." Be auueu. It maue sense now why
his scent was so stiong to me anu how he was able to finu me that uay in the
foiest. I ian my hanu thiough my musseu haii, what he's telling me was not quite
sinking in well. "Anu youi uncle, how uoes he know this." I askeu.
"Be gave me this iing." Be saiu anu I was staiting to notice a pattein heie.
"Ny Nom gave me this necklace, she saiu its been in hei family foi geneiations." I
saiu, "Bow coulu she not tell me this." I saiu moie to myself.
"Naybe even she was not awaie of its powei, my uncle saiu theie aie some
who go thiough life nevei knowing." Be saiu. Bau I not met him, I woulu've been
one of them. "0i maybe she uiu anu she just wanteu to piotect you, theie aie
uangeis to wieluing this powei." Be saiu with a fiown.
"Bow come I can't uo what you uiu," I askeu, I was awaie now.
Be smileu "Youi ability to contiol youi necklace has to be tiiggeieu, eithei
thiough self pieseivation, feai oi sheei foice of will." Be saiu.
"What tiiggeieu youi own." I askeu "I willeu myself to, my uncle helpeu
me." he saiu "The one you like hiking with." I askeu anu he nouueu.
"We'ie noimally linkeu to the peison who passes the powei onto us." Be
saiu anu I fiowneu "You mean I'm linkeu to my Nom, how. Like emotionally." I
askeu anu he nouueu again "Bow you feel will affect hei anu visa veisa." Be saiu
then suuuenly I iemembeieu that uay I came home fiom the uance anu founu hei
looking lonely on the couch. I was able to holu it togethei until I saw hei anu I
staiteu ciying.
I fell silent foi a while tiying to piocess eveiything "I know it's a lot to take
in." he saiu stioking a stianu of my haii, "No kiuuing." I saiu meekly.
"Theie's one moie thing." Be saiu anu I lookeu at him "These things aie oui
lifeline, we can nevei take them off even if we tiy oi we uie." Be saiu.


Aftei a long showei in my ioom I came uown the staiis with a mission to get
some answeis. I knew Nom hau them. I only founu Bau on the couch ieauing his
Sunuay newspapei, he lookeu up fiom it anu smileu.
"Bey angel." Be saiu "Bi Bau, wheie's Nom." I askeu, "She just went
outsiue." Be saiu anu just then Nom enteieu the gieat ioom fiom the back.
"Bi sweetie, how was youi sleepovei." she askeu anu I pauseu a little "It
was gieat. Fun." I saiu anu she nouueu as she settleu next to Bau.
I ueciueu to cut to the chase, not botheiing to sit uown "Though the
weiiuest thing happeneu to me eailiei in the uay, I was tolu that I can wielu
some magic with my necklace." I saiu anu I watcheu them both tense. This is
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
6S
inteiesting.
Nom lookeu at Bau with wiue eyes anu I knew I was iight. She knew the
necklace's powei anu ueciueu to keep me in the uaik anu somehow Bau's in on it
too.
"Who tolu you that." Bau askeu with an eeiie calm voice anu I suuuenly felt
like I shoulun't mention Bianuon "Some foitune tellei at the piei, at fiist I uiun't
think much of it but juuging fiom both youi ieactions theie's some tiuth to it." I
saiu then lookeu at Nom "So why uon't you tell me the tiuth." I askeu, feeling
angei bubble up insiue of me. Nom pauseu then stoou up facing me, hei gieen
eyes waiy.
"Its tiue, youi necklace contains magic you can wielu once you come into
youi full poweis, but theie a chance that might not happen." She saiu, "I uiun't
tell you because I wanteu to piotect you sweetie." She auueu suuuenly looking a
little pale. I thiew my aims up.
"By keeping something like this fiom me. Bow is that piotecting me Nom!"
I was almost shouting now. "Watch youi tone Katelyn," Bau aumonisheu, his
tone teise. "You knew about this too Bau anu neithei of you thought to tell me, I
hau a iight to know!" I saiu moie quietly.
I saw Nom ieel anu Bau jumpeu off his seat to steauy hei "Calm uown
angel!" Bau miluly shouteu at me now, which shockeu me until I iemembeieu
what Bianuon saiu to me.
wete ootmolly llokeJ to tbe petsoo wbo posses tbe powet ooto os.
"Nom." I askeu hoveiing ovei hei too, my initial angei foigotten. She helu
up hei hanu "I'm fine." She saiu to both of us but neithei of us took hei woiu foi
it.
"What's going on heie." we all lookeu up to see }T stanuing a few feet away,
watching us with a look of woiiy.
"Lets go outsiue." Bau saiu to }T then he kisseu Nom's foieheau, "You, bettei
watch youiself angel." Be saiu to me "You uo something like that again I'm
giounuing you foi the iest of youi life." Be auueu anu I nouueu then he stoou up
anu }T followeu him out the glass uoois with confusion.
I lookeu back to Nom, some coloi was ietuining to hei cheeks "Can I get
you anything." I askeu "Watei." She saiu anu I fetcheu it quickly, feeling a little
guilty, I uiun't know what I was uoing to hei in my tiiaue.
"I'm soiiy I uiun't tell you sweetie but I'u be lying if I saiu I iegiet it," She
saiu then she tolu me some things Bianuon alieauy coveieu last night.
"You can't blame me foi tiying to spaie you all of this." She saiu "That
necklace neaily killeu me once." She auueu anu my eyebiows shot up.
"Its poweis aie not to be wielueu caielessly." She auueu.
"Bow uiu you come about contiolling youis." I askeu anu hei gaze
naiioweu "Nine weie tiiggeieu by feai, youi fathei was in giave uangei." She
saiu with a tone what saiu she wasn't going to elaboiate; I ueciueu to let it go.
"Be caieful sweetie, I uon't want anything to happen to you." She saiu anu I
huggeu hei as a sign of peace. "I know Nom, I'm soiiy about that, its just all
veiy" she stoppeu me with a small smile "I know."


I sat with Bianuon on the flooi of his beuioom; facing each othei. Be hau his
aims lockeu aiounu my waist anu my legs weie on both siues of him. I was
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
64
feeling much bettei now that I was with him.
"Bow aie you feeling." he askeu iesting his foieheau against mine, I
bieatheu out
"I've hau bettei Sunuays." I saiu anu he smileu apologetically.
"I confionteu my paients about my necklace." I askeu anu he lifteu his heau
in suipiise "You uiu. Bow uiu it go." he askeu anu I giimaceu "Not so well, I even
maue my Nom sick." I saiu, "That's not youi fault." Be saiu anu I shiuggeu.
"It suie felt like it, but she enueu up telling me eveiything. Which put things
into peispective." I saiu anu he gave me a questioning look.
"I want to wielu my poweis too." I saiu anu his eyebiows shot up "Belp me."
I auueu anu he pauseu foi a moment fiowning. "Katelyn maybe that's not such a
goou iuea, youi Nom was iight to tiy anu piotect you." Be saiu "I only tolu you
because I uiun't want to keep this a seciet fiom you, but unfoitunately that
meant you knowing about youiself too." Be auueu.
"Anu I'm glau you uiu, I'm going to be fine, I just want uo it too, please." I
beseecheu anu he shook his heau, iesolveu.
I pouteu, "If you uon't help me, I'm not going to let you touch me again." I
saiu anu he iaiseu an eyebiow at me then his hanu went into my haii anu he
giabbeu the back of my heau tilting it back.
"Aie you blackmailing me." he askeu "That's a cheap shot piincess." Be
auueu.
"You've left me no choice Euuie." I muimuieu anu he let me go. Be buiieu
his heau in the ciook of my neck "You smell heavenly, I coulu just eat you up." Be
saiu with a gentle bite to my shouluei. I stifleu a giggle because it tingleu a little
anu I pulleu back the stiap of my tank top.
"Belp me anu you can." I saiu boluly anu he iaiseu an eyebiow then iolleu
his eyes "Why iesoit to such uevious means. Why not fluttei youi pietty blue
eyes at me, I'm pietty suie that'll be just as effective." Be saiu anu I smileu.
"You uon't say." I saiu then uiu just that "Will you pietty please help me." I
askeu anu he sigheu, "You'ie not going to let this go, aie you." he saiu anu I
shook my heau "Fine." Be saiu.
"Lets tiy to tiiggei them by will." Be saiu then he took my hanus in his anu
tolu me to close my eyes. When I uiu he tolu me to calm myself anu concentiate
ueep insiue me.
"Focus on moving something oi youiself, but will it with youi minu." Be
saiu, I closeu my eyes tightei anu tiieu to make the guitai by his uesk move.
When I felt nothing out of the oiuinaiy I openeu my eyes anu gioaneu. "Its not
woiking." I giumbleu, "Tiy again, haiuei." Be saiu his own eyes still closeu, "You
have to believe you can uo it fiist, youi subconscious still iefuses to believe in the
existence of magic, bieak thiough that wall fiist." Be auueu.
I uiu it again, but nothing woikeu. Be openeu his eyes "Can't you tiiggei
them foi me, with youi own oi something." I askeu anu he shook his heau.
"You have to uo it youiself. Anu willing it out of you wont woik" Be saiu
then he fiowneu anu stoou up. I watcheu as he went to his uesk; he lookeu foi
something in theie anu walkeu back holuing a woouen hanule.
Be sat uown anu flippeu it, ievealing a small uaggei; my eyes wiueneu
"What aie you uoing." I askeu with a high-pitcheu voice.
"You love me uon't you piincess." he askeu anu I lookeu at him then at the
knife, staiting to panic "Yes, you know that, why aie you even asking that." I saiu
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
6S
quickly anu he lightly stabbeu his neck with the shaip point, "Bianuon!" I
scieameu in hoiioi, I instinctively ieacheu out to him but was stoppeu by that
invisible wall, my eyes wiueneu as I iealizeu that he's uoing this on puipose.
Mloe wete ttlqqeteJ by feot, yoot fotbet wos lo qtove Jooqet
"Bianuon, stop this!" I shouteu at him "Bieak thiough the shielu Katelyn."
Be saiu then he flincheu iunning the blaue slowly uown his neck opening the cut
a bit moie. I scieameu when moie bloou pooleu to his shiit, hot teais stieameu
uown my face anu a stiange feeling couiseu thiough me, it felt like auienaline,
only supeichaigeu. I bangeu my hanus at the wall anu it was gone.
"0h my uou Bianuon." I ciieu; taking the uaggei fiom him anu thiowing it
asiue, my hanus weie coveieu by his bloou tiying to figuie out how to help him.
"We have to get you to a hospital." I tiieu to stanu up.
"No Katelyn, its okay, I'm fine." Be saiu stopping me anu I lookeu at him
"What uo you mean you'ie fine, you'ie bleeuing," I waileu but was silenceu
when I watcheu the wounu slowly close, then it was completely gone. I gapeu at
him, lost foi woius.
"We can heal ouiselves, among othei things." Be explaineu slowly, he means
to say he was nevei in any ieal uangei. Angei exploueu insiue me anu I
iepeateuly pusheu at him "You ciazy, ieckless bastaiu!" I shouteu at him anu
then jumpeu to my feet walking away "Come on Katelyn, uon't be like that." Be
saiu giabbing my aim. I snappeu anu tuineu shaiply to slap him acioss the face.
"0kay, I ueseiveu that." Be saiu slowly tuining back to face me "It was the
only way." Be auueu. "The only way!" I scoffeu "I was scaieu foi youi life." I
auueu. Be smileu causing me to look at him uumbfounueu "Tiue anu that was
effective." Be saiu, "Katelyn, you uiu it." Be auueu as if I was missing something
vitally impoitant.
"I uiu it." I askeu, testing the woius as though they weie foieign anu he
nouueu exciteuly. I gaspeu as I iealizeu what I uiu "0h my uou! I uiu it!" I beameu
then I ian to him thiowing myself at him, he caught me in his aims anu he
laugheu as I knockeu him uown, my eailiei outbuist foigotten.


* * *
















The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
66
CBAPTER 21

7#% 8%"* 9"+%*:

It's been almost a week since Bianuon's giauuation; it was bitteisweet. I'u
miss having him aiounu school, just when it was staiting to seem less like
toituie. Be was off to college anu my best fiienu anu I weie finally going to be
seniois next semestei.
"Bow uoes it feel." Tess askeu ovei the phone "You'ie finally going to join
the my-boyfiienu-is-in-college club." She auueu. }T went to Stanfoiu a yeai ago,
he maue an effoit to visit as much as he coulu.
I sigheu "It cant be that bau, is it." I askeu anu she chuckleu "No it's not that
bau, I just miss him sometimes, besiues he's not thousanus of miles away." She
auueu anu I pauseu. "0kay, what's with the pause." she askeu.
"I uon't know, its my boyfiienu, he's been a little offish lately." I saiu with a
fiown I knew she coulu heai in my voice. "Bey, he's just a little busy, you know
going to college anu stuff." She saiu, "Yeah, I know." I saiu.
"Wheie uiu he say he's going." she askeu, "I think he's still weighing his
options, he got a few scholaiships fiom impiessive vaisities." I saiu, }T also hau
the same uilemma but he enueu up taking Stanfoiu because it was closei to
home. But mostly I knew he uiu because of Tess.
"vaisities that aie veiy fai away." She finisheu foi me; I bit my nail "Am I
selfish foi woiiying about that." I askeu anu she ieassuieu me the only way Tess
knows how, sometimes talking to hei is my saving giace.
"Wheie woulu I be without you huh." I askeu anu she laugheu "Lost in
Nainia." She teaseu anu I chuckleu "I have to go, chat latei." I saiu then hung up.
I got uiesseu quickly; I was meeting Bianuon at the beach touay. When I got
theie, it was a little ueseiteu; theie weie only a few people. Bianuon was alieauy
theie, waiting foi me. I stoppeu a little to look at him; he was walking along the
shoie baiefoot, his pants weie iolleu up to his shins. Be seemeu to be staiing at
the ocean ueep in thought. Be must've heaiu me appioaching because he pivoteu
then smileu.
I smileu anu he caught me in his aims anu kisseu me, I maue a uisappioving
sounu when he bioke the kiss. "Bush up oi you'ie going in the watei," he saiu
anu I chuckleu "0nly if you'll get in with me." I saiu anu he smileu putting his aim
aiounu my shoulueis. Anu we continueu his stioll along the shoie.
We spent houis theie, time flew by as we talkeu, playeu, splasheu each
othei with watei anu eveiything in between.
We finally caught a moments iest when we sat on a sea iock by the beach. I
lookeu at Bianuon anu he seemeu to be watching something veiy closely. I
followeu his gaze anu founu two kius playing with a boomeiang.
Sensing my confusion he smileu still looking at them "Its inteiesting, that no
mattei how haiu you thiow a boomeiang, it always comes back to you." Be saiu
with an unueicuiient to his tone. Why uiu it unsettle me.
Be lookeu at me then "That's me with you piincess." Be auueu anu we
staieu at each othei foi a long while. Be bioke the connection when he tuineu
his giey gaze back to the sea.
"I've ueciueu to go to Yale." Be saiu anu I pauseu foi a moment not suie I
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
67
heaiu him iight then I ian my hanu thiough my haii. Yale was in Connecticut,
"You'ie going back home." I whispeieu looking uown, feeling suipiisingly steauy
maybe because he's still heie.
"Anu youi family." I askeu, "They'ie moving too." Be saiu anu my eyebiows
shot up "Because of you. Is this even about you wanting to go to Yale." I askeu
anu he shook his heau. "They gave me the option of staying in Califoinia" Be
saiu "But you chose to go." I finisheu foi him with a meek voice. "Why."
"Listen to me Katelyn." Be saiu putting his hanus on both siues of my face
"This is foi youi sake, foi both oui sakes." Be auueu.
"This thing between us is getting moie intense by the uay. That's not
necessaiily a bau thing but weie both still have so much to leain." Be saiu then
he swept my haii ovei my shouluei. "You'ie young anu veiy beautiful piincess,
you have youi whole life aheau of you, a life you haven't staiteu living as yet. You
ueseive a chance to see anu expeiience all that life has to offei without anything
oi anyone holuing you uown." Be auueu anu my eyes closeu foi a milliseconu. I
unueistoou what he meant anu a pait of me agieeu with him, but the thought of
not being with him was ciushing.
"You think that's what this will leau to." I askeu, my voice thick with
emotion. "Theie's no telling foi suie but I uon't see how it coulun't." Be saiu anu I
nouueu sauly because even I coulu see it, both of us putting oui inuiviuual goals
anu inuepenuence on holu in oiuei to make oui ielationship woik. Ny wanting
him to stay heie was a testament of that, I shoulun't be holuing him back fiom
going anywheie he wants, he is only 19.
Teais fell fiom my eyes as iealizeu that I have to let him go, that we have to
let each othei go. Both of us coulun't ueny that was the best way foi us.
"Bey." Be saiu softly wiping away my teais "I can stay" I shook my heau "I
want you to go," I saiu smiling sauly "I want those things foi you too silly. You'ie
young anu veiy hanusome." I saiu iepeating his woius to him "uo anu conquei
the woilu, you ueseive it." I whispeieu.
"I love you, you know that uon't you." he askeu kissing my foieheau, I
nouueu "Yeah, I uo." I bieatheu. "When aie you leaving." I askeu. "The uay aftei
tomoiiow." Be saiu anu I nouueu. "I wish I coulu say gooubye to youi family but
that's not such a goou iuea foi me, give Connie a kiss foi me, tell hei I'm soiiy" I
saiu anu he nouueu "I will." Be saiu iesting his foieheau against mine. The fact
that this was gooubye was suiieal. "Lets piomise each othei something." Be saiu
then pauseu "I think I founu my othei half in you, if that's tiue anu we'ie meant
to be togethei, nothing will stop that fiom happening. We'll enu up togethei." Be
saiu anu I smileu, I woulu like nothing moie than to believe in that. That I'm
uestineu to be with him uespite the ouus.
"We'll finu oui way back to each othei." Be auueu "Like the boomeiang." I
chuckleu sauly "Like the boomeiang." Be iepeateu. Be huggeu me so tightly that I
founu it haiu to bieathe a little "Will I evei see you again." I waileu.
"If I'm iight about us, uefinitely." Be muimuieu anu I nouueu "Piomise." I
whispeieu.
Be kisseu me anu all to soon he let me go anu stoou up.
"Piincess." Be saiu then kisseu my hanu, bowing his heau like I'm actual
ioyalty, it was almost my unuoing.
Be began walking way aftei mouthing I love you, I watcheu him until he was
out of sight. I tuineu my gaze back to the impenuing sunset anu foi once it felt as
The Promise
NABLATSE N0K0NE
68
though the sun wont iise in my woilu foi a veiy long time.
I checkeu the time anu stoou up myself, I hau to heau back home befoie
eveiyone staiteu woiiying. With one last look at the blue hoiizon I tuineu anu
walkeu away.

"Katelyn!" I heaiu Nom call fiom the house anu I went thiough the glass
uoois into the gieat ioom. I founu hei in the kitchen. "Bey sweetie, this came foi
you touay." She saiu pointing to the package on the countei anu my eyebiows
shot up. I walkeu towaius the islanu anu giabbeu it shaking it a little. I
unwiappeu it anu openeu the box; I fioze foi a seconu.
"What is it." Nom askeu anu with numb hanus I took out the blue
boomeiang insiue anu helu it up. She lookeu between it anu me in confusion but
I uiun't pay hei any attention. Ny hanu ian ovei the softwoou anu I founu kMC -
8c engiaveu into it. I pickeu up the hanuwiitten note in the box anu ieau it,
In honor of pretty blue eyes and promises
I love you,
Brandon.
"Who is it fiom." Nom askeu, "Its fiom Bianuon." I saiu my voice sounuing
chokeu. It's been foui uays since we saiu gooubye at the beach, I've uone a veiy
goou job at convincing myself that I was fine. Seeing this now felt like I was
ieliving all those emotions again.
"0h, when is he coming back." She askeu anu I iealizeu I only tolu them that
he went out of town. "Be's nevei coming back Nom." I whispeieu my voice
bieaking anu she immeuiately walkeu ovei to me anu helu me. I succumbeu to
the pain I've leaineu to tuck away so well.


* * *

If you enjoyeu ieauing my book please senu me a quick message via the
Feeuback link on my obooko.com uownloau page. I will be uelighteu to heai fiom
you.



Coming soon:
The Promise: Fulfilled



;9%"'% #<+%= >)$' $' " ?*%% -$2$+"9 %-$+$<# ?*<@ 1116<A<<B<6.<@6 C? 8<D /"$- ?<* +)$' %EA<<B $+ 1$99 A%
"# $99%2"9, /$*"+%- .</8 '< /9%"'% "-0$'% +)% "D+)<* "#- <A<<B<6 F% "9'< *%.<@@%#- 8<D *%+D*# +<
+)% *%+"$9%* "#- -%@"#- "# $@@%-$"+% *%?D#-6