The Promise Read online

  The

  Promise

  Book one in the Faith & Friendship series

  By S.L. Jayne

  Copyright © 2013 by S.L. Jayne

  This work is registered with the UK copyright service.

  All rights reserved. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each participant. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author does not own any rights to any music and film names used in this book.

  Cover Design by:

  Sommer Stein at Perfect Pear Creative Covers

  www.facebook.com/PPCCovers

  This book is intended for age 17+ due to sexual content, violence and strong language.

  Dedication

  To my daughter.

  Always have faith in friendship and believe in yourself.

  Prologue

  14 years ago- July 1999

  "Goodnight, Avaloo, I love you more than the stars."

  I giggled at the nickname she calls me when she is in a happy mood.

  "Goodnight, Mommy. I love you lots and lots too, more than the stars."

  After putting the story book down on my nightstand my mom tucked me into bed and kissed me on the forehead. It was the same routine every night. My bed time was 7:30pm, mom would dedicate thirty minutes to me so we could have our one on one time.

  The sound of crying jolted me from my sleep, I sat up in my bed and listened. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand, it read 9:35pm. Who could be crying? I thought to myself. We live on a quiet street and our houses are close together, so if I can hear it why can’t anybody else? I got up from my bed and walked across my room to the window. I couldn't see anybody out there. As I turned to make my way back to bed I saw her stand up, I rushed to open the window.

  "Rylee? What are you doing out here this late? Why are you crying? What's wrong? What has happened?" I said panicking, I couldn't stop the questions flying out.

  I had a feeling it was something to do with her step dad Nate, but I didn't want to mention him and upset her more. She looked at me with tears streaming down her face. She dropped her head, her voice was shaking.

  "I had to get out of there, Ava. I hate him. Can I come in? Please," she whispered.

  "Yes, get in here, what’s wrong, Rylee? We will have to be quiet so my mom doesn't hear us though."

  I helped her through the window and we settled on my bed. I have so many questions right now. I want to ask her what has happened but I know she just needs a friend to listen and not ask questions right now. Sitting with my back against my headboard Rylee lays her head in my lap facing the window and I stroke her hair.

  "Take deep breaths, Rylee. You don't have to tell me right now what has happened but this time is different, all the other times that you have been upset you haven't gone against the rules and left the house. Is it that bad?" I said in a hushed voice.

  She takes a deep breath and I hear her breathing even out and she nods her head.

  "He told me I spend too much time with my mom when I shouldn't because she loves him and Connor more than me," she said through a jagged breath.

  A mixture of feelings are rushing through me in this moment. Shock, sympathy, anger, hurt. All for my best friend, the one that is so sweet and funny and caring. How could somebody say something so cruel to her?

  "That isn't true, Rylee. He is lying. Your mom loves you and Conner the same, she loves spending time with you. You need to tell your mom what he has said, or we can tell my mom? We can do it together, you won't be alone."

  She really needs to tell an adult what is happening, she has told her mom things before but they were different things, things like when he bought Conner more candy than her or when they went shopping and Conner got a new toy but she didn't. Those things her mom overlooked and said it is because he is younger and doesn't understand the word no just yet. She looked up at me shaking her head.

  "No, Ava. I don't want to tell anyone. My mom will think I'm being silly and that will make him happy knowing my mom thinks that," she crinkled her nose, "and I don't want to do anything that will make him happy."

  I giggled at her looking mean and nodded.

  "Okay. We'll do whatever you want, whenever you're ready." I smiled. "Don't forget my birthday is in one week so you will get a night away from him. I can't wait, my sleepover is going to be so much fun."

  She got up off the bed and started walking towards the window, I followed her so I could close it when she left.

  Turning to face me, she said, "I know I can't wait, I hope Nate says I can come."

  “Thank you for letting me come in.” She smiled big, “I couldn't ask for a better best friend. Even if God sent me an angel I don't think she would be better than you. We'll be best friends forever and ever."

  My face broke into the biggest smile and I hugged her tight.

  "Aw, Rylee. You are the bestest friend anyone could ask for, we will definitely be best friends forever. Anyway, you know who my crush is so I have to be nice to you so you don't tell him," she burst out laughing.

  "Shhhh!" I reminded her that we needed to be quiet.

  "Oops, sorry!" She lowered her voice but it was still slightly high pitched. "You had to make me laugh, but I do feel better now that I have laughed. Thank you. Oh and don't worry, your secret crush on Ryan Sanders is safe with me."

  She giggled as she climbed out of the window and made her way across the grass to her house. I could throw a stone and it would land in her backyard, that's how close our houses are. I saw her stop half way.

  "I won't tell him that you always talk about him on our movie nights and how perfect you think his hair is." She said over her shoulder and ran the rest of the way before I could say anything.

  ***

  I woke up on my birthday morning to my mom walking into my bedroom singing happy birthday to me.

  "Happy birthday, Avaloo. Daddy is downstairs cooking your favorite breakfast," she handed me the small box that is wrapped in bright pink paper with a small bow on top. I sat up quickly in my excitement and smiled up at her.

  "Thank you, Mom. I'm going to love it, whatever it is!" I said as I ripped the paper off and opened the box.

  I gasped when I saw it, there were two silver necklaces with a love heart pendent hanging on each chain. It was one of those necklaces that Rylee and I had talked about on one of our movie nights, the kind that when the two halves were put together it said best friends, we wanted one so bad. I hope she is allowed to come tonight, it won't feel the same without her. I climbed out of bed and gave my mom a big hug.

  "WOW! Thank you, Mom. Thank you so much, I love it! I can't wait to show Rylee and to give her the other half," my face was hurting from smiling so big.

  "You're welcome, sweetie. I'm glad you like it and I'm sure Rylee will love to have the other half," she smiled back at me, "now let's go and eat pancakes and get the rest of your presents."

  The day went really fast, mom and I decorated my room with balloons and banners and now I am all ready for my friends. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Rylee comes. I hear the doorbell chime and I make my way to the door. Lillie- Mai and Hanna have arrived together. I was so happy to see them.

  "Hi! Come in. We have candy, soda, movies and make-up. It's going to be so much fun!" My words come out sooo fast, it always happens when I'm excited. I took them into the living room, we sat down while my mom got our drinks.

  "Rylee should be here soon," as soon as I finished my sentence there was a knock on the door.

  I jumped up and ran
to answer it, hoping it was Rylee. I opened the door and jumped up and down when I saw her standing there. "YES, you came! I'm so glad you're here. Come in, Lillie-Mai and Hanna are here too." She gave me a huge smile.

  "My mom said I could come, I'm so happy right now!"

  It was getting late and Lillie-Mai had already giggled herself to sleep. We had watched a movie, had makeovers, ate lots of chips and candy, and were hyper on soda. We laughed until our tummy’s hurt while we talked about boys, being famous, and our favorite boy bands. Hanna was the next to fall asleep leaving Rylee and I awake, we lay in my bed together talking about our future plans. Rylee was telling me her thoughts.

  “We should live in California and we can get famous boyfriends and have a double wedding!"

  I laughed. "Yeah, great idea, Ry. We can share an apartment and go to the beach and shopping trips and then eat all the ice cream we want while we watch movies."

  She turned and smiled at me. "Have you had a good birthday?"

  I nodded my head fast. "I've had a great birthday. I’ve had so much fun! Oh, wait. I have a surprise for you."

  She looked at me and frowned. "For me? But it's your birthday, Ava."

  I giggled. "Yes, for you. I know it's my birthday and this is part of my birthday. Close your eyes and hold out your hand," I took the necklace out of the box and placed it in her palm. "Open now!" Rylee opened her eyes and stared at the necklace.

  "Oh my gosh, Ava! Is this one of those necklaces?"

  I nodded at her, knowing exactly what kind she thought. I helped her put it on, "Now we really are the bestest of friends." When Rylee turned around to face me I could see her eyes filling up with tears.

  "What's wrong, Rylee?" She stepped towards me and hugged me.

  "I want to move away, Ava. As soon as we are old enough, I want to get away from him and all of his nastiness. Please say you will come with me? Please. We can move to California, as soon as we are done with college. Please, Ava." She was begging me to say yes.

  What could have been said to her that would make her hate Nate so bad? I wish she would tell me what's happened.

  ”Okay, I'll come with you. We'll move out of Boston and make a new life in California," I said as I nodded at her.

  She stared at me with her eyes wide open. “Really? No questions asked, you're really going to move away with me?"

  I nodded "Yeah, Rylee. No questions asked. I'm there."

  She looked at me with serious eyes. "Pinky promise?"

  I smiled back at her, knowing what this promise means to us both. We only pinky promise on things we will never break. I will make sure I get my best friend far away from here one day. I held out my pinky finger and she hooked hers around mine.

  "Pinky Promise."

  Chapter One

  "Ava, where are my straightening irons?" I hear Rylee calling through from the kitchen.

  Shaking my head, I shouted back. "I don't know, you packed them!” Laughing I added, "oh and here's an idea, try looking in the boxes labelled bedroom not kitchen."

  Sitting down on top of a box, looking around at our new apartment, the beginning of our adventure that we have had planned since we were eight years old. Most kids don't follow up on the crazy future plans that are thought up at sleep overs or movie nights, but Rylee and I knew we would, after all, it was a pinky promise and to us that is as good as signing something with blood.

  Rylee storms into the living room breaking me out of my thoughts, standing with one hand on her hip and the other pulling at her hair. She gawps at me. "Ava, I can't go out looking like a blow dried poodle!"

  I burst out laughing. "You don't look like a poodle, sweetie. I'd say that looks more like 'sex hair', but without the sex, because you haven't had that. Yet!"

  Giving me a sarcastic look, she starts to pout. I stand and walk over to her without saying a word, I grab her shoulders to turn her around, guiding her towards the bathroom.

  Shaking my head, I laugh. "Sit down, I'll do your hair. You don't need to look like a model, we're only going out for breakfast."

  She looked at me with a big ass grin. "Yeah, but there might be hot surfer guys to check out."

  I raised my eyebrows and smirked. "Really, Ry? You're going to check out guys on our first outing? You're impossible, girl!" I laughed.

  We moved to Vista, California, it was the one place we agreed on because it had everything we both wanted, great shops, good places to eat out and some prestige editing companies for us to apply at in our job hunting. I can't wait to start exploring more before we both start our new jobs in four weeks, four weeks! It's scary and exciting all at the same time, but that gives me four weeks to start bringing Rylee out of her shell around others. She is crazy, funny and feisty around me and a few others that she has known since forever, but none of those others are here with us. This is our new life, nobody knows us or our life back in Boston, it's exactly what Rylee wanted, and if it makes her happy then that's all that matters.

  Thirty minutes later we are finally ready to head out the door and find a place that sells a good breakfast. I have tamed Rylee’s blonde wavy hair and tied it in a low side ponytail for her. The sun is already blazing, so choosing to wear jean shorts and a tank top was a good idea.

  “What breakfast do you want?” I asked as we walked.

  She shrugged. “As long as they have coffee, I don’t mind what we have.”

  We continued down the street, passing some great shops that I have to come back and look in another day.

  “That one looks okay, let’s check it out,” Rylee said as she pointed over to a café on the corner.

  I nodded. “Let’s go, it looks cute.”

  She looked at me and raised her eyebrow. “Cute?”

  “Yeah, I like cute looking things.” I said in sweet tone.

  She burst out laughing. “Puppies are cute, Ava, not café’s.”

  I cocked my head to the side and pouted. “Don’t make fun of cute, bitch,” I burst out laughing after I said it, I couldn’t hold it in.

  Walking into the café we sat in a corner booth, looking at the menu. Less than a few minutes later the waitress came over.

  “Morning girls, my name is Linda, what can I get you today?” She asked smiling brightly.

  I smiled back at her wondering what happy pills she had taken to make her this smiley in the mornings.

  “I think I’m going to have strawberry and banana pancakes and a fresh-squeezed orange juice please.”

  She looked at Rylee waiting for her order.

  “I’ll have the same, but with coffee instead please,” She smiled up at Linda.

  She nodded as she wrote down the order on her pad. “Thanks girls, won’t be long!”

  I almost expected her skip back to the counter.

  I looked at Rylee and arched my brow. “Wow, I need some of what she has for breakfast!”

  Rylee threw her head back and laughed. “You’re so funny, Ava. I need some, too… to get through all the unpacking later.”

  “Well you did insist on bringing everything you own!” I said laughing.

  She looked at me with her lame ass attempt at looking mean I thought she would have mastered that look by now.

  “I still can’t believe you even suggested that I leave some stuff behind!”

  She’s right, I did suggest that, I still remember her reaction, we were in her bedroom back in Boston.

  “You don’t need to bring it all Ry, you can leave some stuff here and pick it up another time.” She turned to me with wide eyes and her mouth open. “Are you crazy?! That’s not going to happen, I’m taking it all- I’m not coming back here, Ava. Ever.”

  Rylee started speaking again, breaking me out of my daydream, “Anyway, enough about that. What’s the plan for tonight?”

  I thought for a moment. “Um, we could have a movie night with lots of ice-cream? We haven’t had one in ages, you must be getting 'Zac in military uniform' withdrawals by now!” Her eyes light up at me.


  “Good point, I could do with watching that shower scene again,” She smirks at me and throws in a wink.

  I rolled my eyes. “You need help, girl” Giving her a cheesy smile I continued. “Or just some of your own shower action!” and gave her a wink back. Miss-rainbows-and-sunshine returned with our food and drinks.

  “Here you go girls, Enjoy!” We both smiled and said thank you at the same time.

  Wow, these pancakes are good! “I think we may have found our regular breakfast stop, this is so yummy.”

  Rylee nodded. “I totally agree, this is like food porn!”

  I laughed so hard I almost spat my orange juice out. “You crack me up, Ry.”

  After our breakfast we went and looked in a few shops. On our way back to the apartment, I saw a gorgeous tank top that would look great with my black skinny jeans and red heels, I don’t wear heels to give me the height; being 5”7 I’ve never needed that. I’m more of a jean shorts/skinny jeans paired with a tank top kind of girl, Rylee on the other hand is more for dresses and skirts. She is shorter than me, only by a few inches but she still swears by heels to make her that bit taller.

  I was flicking through a magazine while I waited for Rylee to get into her pajamas and bring in the snacks. My phone beeps in my pocket, alerting me that I have a text message. I pull it out and look at the screen, it’s from my mom.

  Mom: Hi sweetie, how are you? Have you unpacked? Have you and Rylee eaten yet? I know you’re adults and I know I don’t need to worry but I still do. Your dad and I love you both. Xxx

  I shake my head and smile, we’re twenty two years old and she worries too much, but I can’t blame her, she knows some of what Rylee is running from and like she’s made of glass my mom was expecting her to crack.

  Me: Hey, Mom, Rylee and I are fine. We got a lot of unpacking done, most of what is left is the stuff Ry doesn’t need out so can be stored. We went out to eat breakfast, found this cute little café down the street. We love you both too. Xxx

  The unpacking was tiring. We started in the bedroom and ended back in the bedroom. Rylee had packed stuff in boxes that didn’t even belong in the same room!