Promises He Made | ✔️

16. I Promised To Search

I'm writing this in class while the teacher is discussing. Don't worry he doesn't suspect a thing if you type his lecture on word and make sure to have fast fingers in changing the desktop immediately. I'm not encouraging you to do that by the way. I'm a bad student as usual but I try to study when I get home.

I'm still the stupid girl who deleted her instagram accidentally.

* * * * *

Ethan

It's two in the morning when I get a call from Mr. Mason. How he even got a hold of my phone number is unknown to me but I have a wild guess that it's either from Nick or he made someone find it because, well, he's Mr. Travis Mason.

"Hello?" I answer sleepily, still groggy in waking up in the fucking middle of the night. "Whoever this is, please call me when the sun is-"

"I can't do that, unfortunately," the voice on the other line sounds so familiar. "It's Travis Mason, Ethan. I need you to wake up and be alert. I need your help."

I immediately sit up. They only call me when it's about Buttercup. What's happened to her? I'm so stupid, I never even thought about stopping by at the Mason's to check up on her but because I'm just so angry at her for lying and getting to be angry at me when she had no right and I just didn't think something bad would happen to her.

I didn't even remember myself what Mr. Mason told me one time about buttercup.

Fuck!

"She's not fragile but she isn't strong to handle these things. She has been beaten up, wounded, and dislocated a body part by her father who couldn't stay sober and clean for even half a day. I've always made sure that she always stays here at our home because to Sammy and I, we treat her like another daughter," he informs me, a sad smile on his face. "and so seeing her coming here bleeding and hurt and having flashbacks again, it fucks everyone up.

"I want her to stay here and be treated like our own daughter but I know that she has her mother and although she was abandoned by the one person who was supposed to save her, I can't help but still be hesitant in taking care of her because she might want to be with her when she sees her. Anyway, that's besides the point. I'm talking to you right now because I want you to protect her no matter what. I know it sounds kind of dumb making you do this when we can protect her but I know Reese like my own daughter - she's still missing and she needs help."

That day, I promised to be with her side.

"She's gone," he whispers silently. "She ran out of the door and we have no idea where to look."

Oh, how I wish that for one time, they invite me to their house for a nice dinner not to have a bad news about Buttercup.

Where have you gone, Buttercup?

"Wait, wait, you're telling me," I point at Garry, the asshole who's bruised up in front of me. "that you, the one who would beat her up physically and emotionally like a fucking punching bag, is her stepbrother?"

He shakes his head, his eyes glaring at me. "It's not like I had any choice. I had to do it or Jay might kill me. Literally."

"Jay?" What's that gotta do with him? Besides, being flirty with Buttercup. "He's been close with Buttercup. I told him to protect her. He's not going to hurt her. We know him longer than I know you. For all I know you're fucking framing him."

He sighs in frustration. Garry has no reason for me to believe that he's Buttercup's stepbrother. He could be a part of all of this. I don't even know anymore. All of it is being kept a secret. Buttercup has a lot of secrets. She's never been like this before I even left. I can't help but feel stupid at how I'm still grasping to the old Reese when she's not there anymore.

Buttercup isn't Buttercup anymore.

Mrs. Mason steps up in the middle of us, her palms in front of us. "Stop! Look, we treat Reese like our own daughter - "

" - and our own sister," Tracie interrupts, coming closer to the both of us.

"We don't have enough time to-" but she gets cut off by a ringtone.

We search to whoever's phone it is and then Garry just pulls out his phone, his eyebrows furrowing, and then answering it. "Who is thi - Reese?"

I push Tracie and Mrs. Mason away lightly, coming closer to him. He must've known what I was about to do because he walks away from me, raising his hand to warn me not to get closer. "Yeah, yeah. Look, don't." He pauses for a second, his eyes roaming around the ground. "No! Listen to me for fucking once, please... Reese?" He gazes at his phone. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"What did she say?" Trent asks, his hand on his shoulder. When Garry didn't answer, Trent pulls him back, anger just written on his face. "Dude, didn't you hear what mom and Tracie said? We're her family. Where the fuck is she?"

He rolls his eyes. "I don't need this. I need to find my sister alone."

I scoff. "Just because you two are both step-siblings, gives you the right to fucking treat us like shit when we're the one doing all the protecting when you were fucking beating her up. Tell me what the hell she said so you can get there fast. It's not like you can handle Jay alone."

"So you believe me?'

Mr. Mason pulls me back, stepping forward in front of me. "I'm a powerful man, Garry. I can point where the cops should be in a second. Tell us where she is."

"Wait."

Mrs. Mason catches all out attention, running to the door with a man following her. The man's in a suit, his brown hair pushed back, and his eyes glowing in anger.

Hold on a second, who is he?

He doesn't look like Mrs. Mason or Mr. Mason at all. I mean, he looks a little bit like Mrs. Mason but not quite.

I'm confused.

"He's my son," Mrs. Mason interrupts me from staring at the guy. "Gabriel, this is Ethan. He's Reese's ex. That's enough introduction. I already know where Reese is."

She's right.

We all follow her, Mr. Mason running beside her, and then the rest of their kids following them. Garry's behind me, his hand gripping his phone. I can hear him whispering to himself but I couldn't make out the words. All I can hear is "Reese" and "Mom" over and over again.

I hope to God I find you, Reese.