Promises

If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

“Go away and don't come back here," a deep voice growled. 

I faintly heard a sigh from someone that wasn't me or Seeley. “I just want to talk to Scarlett. It's important," another deep voice spoke. 

“Go away Tomlinson," the first voice spat. Louis was here? I quietly slid out of my bed and tip toed to the shut door. It was closed so I gently pulled it open just a crack and tried to see the front door. Seeley still thought I was asleep so I had to be as quiet as possible. It was straight down the hall of my flat, but all I saw was Seeley's cross tattoo on his back that wasn't covered with a shirt. I'm surprised he had shorts on. He normally slept in his boxer briefs.

“I'm not leaving until I talk to Scarlett," Louis stated. “Can you just go get her so I can talk to her?"

When Louis took a step forward, Seeley stepped forward too. His shoulders were tense meaning he was pissed. “Get the fuck out of my fiancés flat before I make you." Oh yeah, he was pissed. Louis took a step back and glared at the taller man. They were both tensed up. 

“Don't think that just because you're engaged to her gives you the right to dictate her life and who she spends her time with," Louis spoke. “I had her first remember. She'll go back to what she knows." And with that said he walked away, leaving a fuming Seeley behind.

I had her first remember. Yeah he had me first but he screwed it up. He left me because he was auditioning for the X Factor. A stupid tv show. Now all of a sudden he wants to be back in my life. He only wants to be back in my life because he sees that I'm moving on and he doesn't like that. I hate to break it to him, but I moved on a long time ago. Two years ago to be exact. 

She'll go back to what she knows. Why would I go back to someone who hurt me so much? Why would I take the risk of being hurt like that again? I wouldn't and I won't. You only go back to something when you're desperate. Do I look like I'm desperate? I don't think so. 

He slammed the door making the pictures on the wall shake. One fell from the floor and hit the ground with a thud as the glass broke all over the floor. I took that as my chance to make my presence known. When I reached him he was pacing the living room floor mumbling to himself. Instead of bothering him I got the broom and dust pan, and started to clean up the broken glass. Seeley had trouble with his temper. Everyone who knows him knew that. This wasn't the worst thing he's done. He's punched holes in walls and broken a window with his fist before. That was when he was mad at someone other then me. He's never got that angry with me before. He controled his anger around me, but not anyone else. If he knew he was going to blow up he made me leave. 

“Mornin' love," I spoke softly. He stopped pacing and looked over at me. Anger was still blazing in his eyes, but he tried to hide it as he came over and bent down, kissing the corner of my mouth. “Morning amour. Sleep well?"

Nodding, I answered. “Slept great since you were next to me." He chuckled and took the broom and dustpan from me. “I'm like a big teddy bear, right?" 

I always called him that when we were laying in bed cuddling. He really was like a big teddy bear. His muscled arms wrapped around me and made me feel safe. When my head rested on his chest I could hear his heartbeat and it lulled me to sleep. He was my big teddy bear and I loved him.

“Yeah, you're my big teddy bear." I chuckled. Maybe now would be a good time to ask who was at the door. “Hey babe?"

“Hmm?" 

“Who, um...who was at the door?" At that his jaw clenched and the vein in his neck was bulging out. 

“No one important," he replied shortly. Okay then. If he wants to lie to me then so be it. I'll just have Rossy ask Louis what he wanted to talk to me about. I hated to have to put her in the middle of this, but she was the only one who I knew wouldn't go all karate kid on him if she saw him, so she was my only choice.


“Nevermind that, what did Louis want to talk to me about that was so important?" 

Rossy was getting distracted by the birds that were flying around and how pretty they looked. She was easily distracted if you couldn't tell. You could be having a conversation about the weather and she'd see a hair on her shirt and she'd start talking about that. I think she needs ADHD medicine or something. 

“Oh, yeah! He wanted to tell you that his mum heard about your engagement and wants to have tea with you and that his grandmum passed away, and he would like for you to come to her funeral since you were so close to his family," she explained. 

His grandmum died? She was like my own grandmother. After my grandmum died, I spent a lot of time with his. She gave me some of her family recipes that she said she only let very important people in her family have. I asked her why she gave them to me and she said I was already a part of her family and I always would be. That made me so happy that she considered me family. 

"His grandmum died?" I asked quietly. I stared at the Starbucks coffee cup in my hands as the sounds of the park we were at met my ears. “When did she die?"

"Yesterday morning I think," she replied. Yesterday. She died yesterday. How come my mum didn't call me? They had went home two days and she hasn't spoken to me since, but you would think with how close we all were she would at least call and tell me. I had no clue what was going on with the Tomlinson clan. I never did. Two years ago I quit worrying about them. They were no longer a part of my new life. My new life was a way for me to start over meaning nothing from the past. 

Nodding, I stood up and tossed my cup in the trash bin. I no longer had a craving for my hot chocolate. “I, uh...I gotta go. I have things to do. Bye Rossy." I managed to get that out before I walked away. 

His grandmum was always there. I don't ever remember her not being there. She was a strong woman. She never let anything get her down. Anything or anyone. Louis loved being around her. Her presence alone could make anyone happy. I remember when she babysat Louis and me and we played dress up. She was the robber and we were cops. She went all out for the part too; black beanie, black sweater, black trousers, and whatever shoes she was wearing at the time. When I moved to Paris to live with my dad it was hard not talking to her. She was the person I missed the most from Louis's family. Sure his mum was like my second mum, but his grandmum was more. I don't know why, but she just was. Louis no doubt was torn up about it. And that was why I decided to buck up and push our differences aside, and go see how he was doing. 

As soon as I got back home instead of going to my flat I went Harry and Louis's. Knocking on the door, I stood there with my hands in the pockets of my coat. A minute later the door swung open to reveal Harry with nothing but a towel wrapped around him and his usually curly hair laying on his head looking like a wet, stringy mess. 

“Oh hey Scar. What're you doing here?" He asked, acting like he wasn't just in a towel. That was hanging dangerously low on his hips might I add. But I didn't let that bother me, I have a fiancé who's right fit so Harry doesn't faze me. “I came to talk to Louis," I answered. “Is he here?" 

When those words left my mouth he looked shocked. I know, me actually wanting to talk to Louis was far from normal. He mutely nodded as his mouth hung up. I stepped in the flat and glanced around with my hands still in my coat pockets. “He uh...he just got in the shower, but you can go wait in his room if you want. It's the last door on the left down the hall." 

I thanked him and made my way down there. When I reached his room, his scent hit me like a freight train. It was in it's usual mess. Clothes strewn everywhere. Shoes much the same. His walls were a boring grey color but there were pictures hanging up. Most of them were of him and the boys, some with his family, and a few of him and a very pretty brunette girl. Wonder who that is? On his dresser were a few more pictures. They all happened to be pictures of me and him. One was on his twelfth birthday with both of our faces covered in cake from our mini food fight, another was of us acting like our normal crazy selves, and the one that made me stop moving was of us after we started dating. He was kissing my cheek and my face was all scrunched up as our arms were around each other. My dark red hair stuck out from all the white snow in the background. 

I remember that day. His mum had taken that picture when we were out playing in the snow with his sisters. She had a knack for taking pictures like that out of the blue. I'm sure she had many more like that at her house. Smiling at the memory, I sat down on the edge of his bed and waited patiently. I probably shouldn't have been in his room, but I didn't want to have this conversation in front of Harry. They may have been like brothers but I still didn't want Harry to hear this. I heard Louis's voice getting closer to the door. He was singing a song by The Fray.

“We're on an open bed truck on the highway
The rain is coming down and we're on the run
Think I can feel the breath in your body
We gotta keep on running 'til we see the--OH MY GOD!" He stopped singing and in turn blew out my ear drums with his scream. I jumped at his outburst, almost falling off his bed. I immediately stood up off of his bed and adverted my eyes from his bare chest. There was still water running down his chest going under the top of the towel that was loosely hanging from his hips. His hair was sticking up in all directions like he had just shaken it like a dog. 

“What're you doing here Scarlett?" He asked, after he calmed down. I licked my lips and pushed some flyaway hairs behind my ears. “Um...I, uh, heard about your grandmum," I spoke softly. “And I wanted to say I'm sorry." 

At the mention of his grandmum a sad look appeared on his face. He quit sifting through his dresser drawer and looked over at me. “I am too."

“When's her funeral?" 

He slid on a pair of boxer briefs with his towel still around his waist. He then took it off and slid on a pair of sweats. He grew into his body. Looks like he worked out too. His pecks and abs--STOP SCARLETT! You're an engaged woman. You can't look at other men that way. I'm awful. 

“This Friday. My mum and sisters really want you to come," he replied. “Me too." 

“I'll be there." As soon as those words left my mouth a small smile played on his lips. “Well I better be going. I, um...have to pack a bag." 

I was almost to his door when his hand clasped around my wrist. My heart sped up, but I did my best to ignore it. Looking over my shoulder, I met his gaze. 

“You don't know how much it means to me that you're going," he murmured. The next thing he did shocked me. He pulled me into a hug. After a few seconds of standing there like an idiot I wrapped my arms around him. My head was buried in the crook of his neck without me even realizing. “Thank you for forgetting about everything that happened and coming to see me."

“Don't thank me," I murmured into his neck. “I'm doing this for your grandmum."


Do you ever have those days where every bad thing that could happen, happens to you? That's how my whole day has been. First, Seeley threw a fit about me going to Louis's grandmums funeral. Second, he wouldn't let me leave when I was supposed to and when I snuck out he chased after me. Third, he got so pissed in the parking garage of my building that he punched a handicapped sign hanging on the cement wall and left in his car. Fourth, my damn car wouldn't start. So here I was sitting on the drivers side of my car, on the ground with my head in my knees. 

Footsteps echoed in the cement garage making me look up. There to my left was Louis putting his bag in the trunk of his Porsche Boxster. He shut the trunk and looked over at my car, doing a double take. “Scarlett? What're you doing on the ground?"

“My car won't start," I mumbled. “And I don't have any other way to get to Doncaster."

"I'll take you," he replied quickly. I nodded, knowing he was my only choice. Violet was in Paris visiting dad, and Seeley...well he was throwing a fit and probably on his way to back to Paris for some time away from me. He hurried over and held out his hand for me. I looked at it for a minute before grasping it with my own hand, allowing him to pull me up. With my duffle bag in hand I went to the front of his car and opened the trunk. For those of you that don't know, on Porsche Boxsters the trunk is where the engine should be and where the trunk should be is where the engine is. It's confusing to some people. “Here, I'll take it. You get in the car."

Louis took my duffle bag out of my hands so I went to the passenger side and got in. I had always liked Porsche Boxsters. They were so fancy looking. Those and Audi R8's were two cars I dreamed of having. Maybe Harry will take me for a ride in his Audi or even let me drive it. I could use my puppy dog eyes that no one can resist. Louis got in the car and started it, pulling out of the parking garage.

“Thanks for offering to give me a ride," I spoke up. He nodded and messed with the radio for a few minutes, finally settling on a cd. It was a Robbie Williams cd. Not my favorite, so I tuned it out. “Least I could do after everything that's happened," he responded. 

The least he could do was say he's sorry and mean it. Not one of those half assed sorry's you hear all the time. A legitimate apology. It may be too late to apologize in some ways, but it's still the fact that he had the guts to apologize and realize he was in the wrong. Don't you think? I kept my mouth shut and stared out the tinted window watching the scenery fly by. For the next three hours we would be in the same small enclosed space. Give me strength, lord. Give me strength.