Broken Promises//ng.cd

Part 1

//I just wanted to say thank you for choosing this book! It means a lot to me☺️//

Prolouge

Lily's POV

My life isn't perfect. Not even close.

Wondering why it was so bad? I thought you might:

When I was 4 I was abandoned by my parents. My father drove our car, a small green one with leather seats, and my mom sat as the passenger. They kept bickering, saying foul words that I had never understood but I knew well enough that they sure weren't good. I covered my ears, not knowing what was going on. I remember trying to tune them out by listening to the pitter patter of the rain against the window, of the crash of thunder, and try to focus on the shapes of the dark grey clouds.

I remember my father stopped the car, and the next thing I remember I'm sitting in the wet grass on the side of the road. I watch as they drive away, and At such a young age, I didn't know what to do; I wasn't fully aware of the seriousness of the situation. I just remember feeling lonely.

That lonely feeling never went away. I grew up in an orphanage called The House, which was just the same, lonely, as it always was before. Mrs. Horphis, the director of the orphanage, found me on the side of the road and took me in. It's a very simple place, as the name implies. They treat me well, they always have. And I'm so grateful for everything they've done... After all they did introduce me to my best friend. But it's never been ideal.

So that's the background of my "amazing" life in a nutshell.

And now I'm here:

Lily's POV

I walk through downtown L.A to get to my babysitting job a little early. It's 6:00, 72 degrees,windy and cloudy. Although it's a beautiful place and a beautiful day, my mind can't stop swirling with thoughts about how my life could be better.

It happens so fast. A strong arm wraps around me and I'm forced into an dark alleyway. I scream, but a hand covers my mouth.

How is no one seeing this?!?! I wonder.

My back is pressed up against a wall and I'm forced into a sitting position, with no chance of escaping.My eyes look up to see a man wearing a black jacket and hat.

"Give me everything you have." The man whispers violently. "Now!"

I feel a tear trickle down my cheek as I take out what little money I possess and hand it to him.

"15 dollars?! That's it?!" The man exclaims with a fury in his low, demonic voice.

"It's all I have, I promise!" I respond nervously.

The man sees my phone in my pocket and grabs it. "Nice phone." He says. "Mine now, though." He laughs, and starts to turn away, but soon returns to beat me, punching me in the eye and then the gut; kicking me all over until I go limp.

The man walks away chuckling, leaving me laying in the alleyway bloody and bruised; unable to move.

I begin to sob. My head rests on my arms and I scrunch my body up into a ball. I cry for a long time, I feel as though I might pass out, and then I feel a hand on my knee. I look up.

"Are you okay?" he asks. His blue eyes glisten and his long, floppy brown hair falls just right on his face.

I shake my head, still crying. The boy takes his thumb and wipes the blood from under my eye.

" I'm Nash. Let me help you."

NASH'S POV

It's a regular day. Cam and I walk down the streets of downtown L.A, talking about stupid things smelling the color nine and how peanut butter is made and the fact that we're out of Arizona tea- which in my opinion isn't stupid.

That tea is essential to my survival.

Cam lightly hits me in the shoulder. "Oh, come on! You'll live without the Ari-"

I put my arm in his way. "Shh." I tell him.

"Well that's rude." Cam replies in a weird voice.
"No dude," I say. "Shhh. Listen."

To our left, there's a sound coming an alleyway. It sounds like crying. "Do you hear that?
Someone's in there," I say. "They're sobbing."

"Okay..."Cam replies. "What can we do?"

I tell Cam to stay where he is, and I then slowly walk toward the alleyway and peek my head in.

Another sob.

Collapsed in the shadows, is a girl,her brown hair covering her face. I walk right up to her and crouch down next to her. I place my hand on her knee. "Are you okay?" I ask her.

The girl lifts her head, revealing her tear stricken cheeks and puffy hazel eyes. I notice she has a black eye and a bleeding cut right under it. She shakes her head no.

I take my thumb and wipe the blood away from the cut under her eye."I'm Nash." I say. "Let me help you."

I extend my hand and she takes it. I pull her up from the ground and she begins to fall, so I wrap my arm around her, letting her use me as a human crutch.

We walk- well I walk, the girl just kind of let's me drag her- out of the alleyway and as soon as Cam sees her he comes running to help her walk too. I hear her breathing and it sounds like she has to put a lot of effort into making her lungs work.

I can imagine she is pretty weak right now, because she's unable to carry her own weight, relying on Cam and I to keep her upright.

"Nash, we've gotta get her to Urgent Care, or the hospital, or-" Cam suggests.

"No," the girl says weakly." I don't need to go to the hospital."

"Are you sure?" I ask her. "You can barely even-"

" I'm fine. I promise." She replies.

"Okay." I say. " But your staying with us for now. Is there anything you need?"

"I'm a little hungry, I guess. But I don't have any money."

"That's okay," Cam says. "I'll pay."

She looks at him and smiles. "Thanks."

The girl insists on letting her try to walk, so we let go of her and she limps along, eventually grabbing Cam's arm for support. We continue walking like this until we get to the car. "I'll drive." I announce, getting into the driver's side.

The girl gets in the back, and Cam sits in the passenger seat. I start driving. "McDonald' s okay?" I ask.

"That's fine," the girl replies.

"So... What's your name?" I ask her.

"Lily." she replies. An innocent, sweet name. I like it.