I Promise

Chapter One

Fang's POV

It was 6 o'clock exactly when Nudges voice thundered through the house.

"FAANNG!" My eyes popped open, just in time for me to be blinded by light. Nudge had pulled open my shutters way too fast.

"Ouch Nudge, that hurts!" I yelped. She just giggled. Nudge my younger sister was most certainly a morning bird. Up at the crack of dawn, every day. Even during the summer. Which was unusual for a budding teenager like Nudge. She was just barely 14. Another thing about Nudge, she just won't shut-up! My family called it the Nudge Channel. In spite of that I loved her, and I will always play the over-protective brother card where boys are involved.

"So, Fang! I know that it's like, super early and stuff, but Mom says that you need to get up now because otherwise, you don't get bacon. Don't you just love bacon? Once I heard of putting brown sugar on your bacon. I feel like that's uber weird, but maybe I should go ask mom about it. I think I will, okay Fang? You need to get up now, okay? Bye Fang!" Nudges rant went in one ear and out the other, like always. The only word that registered in my mind was bacon.

I got up in time to tug one of her brown curls before she whisked out of my bedroom door. I dragged myself back to my bed and kind of tossed my covers back on my bed. It looked like a mess but, oh well. Stumbling over to my dresser I pulled out some distressed black jeans, and a simple black tee with some white lettering on it that I've never bothered to read. I opened my door and breathed deeply. I could smell the bacon cooking, the sound of it popping in the pan made my stomach growl. Pounding down the stairs, I popped in to the kitchen and saw a plate set out for me. Smiling I sat down across from Nudge, who was chattering about some new color of lipstick. She looked at me seriously and said,

"Fang, when you're done we need to wait for mom. She said that she was taking us house hunting. You need to go upstairs and pack for a few days of being gone!" I choked. House hunting? Did that mean we were moving from Alabama? To where? And why? I finished my bacon without tasting it. Mom came in and saw my face which I'm sure was unattractive. She looked at me sadly.

"Go upstairs and pack for a few days. Then hop in the car kids, I'll be waiting for you. I'll explain all of this on the way to Florida." She said. I looked up startled that she said Florida.

Totally preoccupied, I walked upstairs to pack. I didn't really pay attention to what went into the duffel I'd pulled out of my closet. After the duffel was packed and ready to go, I pounded down the stairs and outside to the car. I went around to the trunk and went to toss my duffel in, Nudge's pink, sparkly suitcase was already in there. Rolling my eyes at her suitcase I slammed the trunk shut, and slid into the silver Toyota Camry. Immediately i flipped the seat heater on. Mom came out with Nudge and we pulled out to start the 9 hour drive to Florida.

As we pulled onto the freeway she said,

"I know that this is really sudden for the two of you," she started, "but we're moving to Naples, Florida. My job here isn't paying enough, so I've been doing some secretive job hunting. We're going to Naples, so that I can work at a place called Hollander Law Firm. I need this job. It'll pay enough that I can support you and hopefully in 3 years send you, Fang, off to college. And a year after Fang, Nudge you are going off too! I can't believe you are growing up so fast! Anyways, Montgomery is not the place for us any more. Naples is a nice town according to my research. Right by the beach. Do you two have any questions?" Mom finished her speech with a question.

"Yes." Started Nudge, "How long are we staying in Naples? When are you planning to move? Have you gotten us enrolled in a school already? Do they have an Honors Society? Is there a mall in Naples? Can we go house hunting tomorrow? Can we get something by the beach?" Her rant was surprisingly short... for Nudge.

"1 week. Next month. No. I'm not sure. Yes there is. Of course we can. It all depends on the price." Replied my mother, surprisingly keeping track of my sisters questions. "What about you Fang. Any questions?"

"Nope." I answered. I'm a man of few words. The rest of the trip went like normal with Nudge talking about 82% of the time, and sleeping the other 18%.

As we pulled into Naples, Florida, I sighed. It wasn't a small town but, considerably smaller than Montgomery, Alabama. As we pulled into the hotel at 4 it was humid, but not that bad. Mom checked us in, and immediately fell asleep. I sighed and turned on the TV. Florida had most of the same channels, but nothing caught my attention. So I sat and looked out of the one window in our hotel room.

The sea is a very fascinating thing, always changing, and yet always the same. Have you ever just sat and watched a sunset over the sea? I did that night. It reminded me that I hated the sea, but it also promised a new hope. A chance to get away from my old life, and my over protective girlfriend. Maybe meet someone new, Nudge would like that. She was always saying that I was too emo, and anti-social. It's not really my fault that I like black, and my hair is black, and my eyes are black. And I'm not anti-social, it's just I never have anything to say. Actually it is my fault I like black, but, think about it. Black is a really cool color!

I just totally got off track. Sighing I got up and ordered a pizza, one Hawaiian, one vegetarian. Nudge just won't eat meat. She says that she hates the idea of hurting the animals, and maybe taking away baby animals mothers. I just laugh, because seriously what is life without bacon?

"Nudge!" I whisper yelled. "I'm going to pick up our pizza. Back in 15."

"Kay" I heard her small reply.

Walking out to the parking lot I got in my moms Camry. Technically I'm not aloud to drive alone yet, at 15, but I can pull off the age required, with my 6' 2'' hight. The guy at the counter when I walked in was tall pale and had strawberry blonde hair. Something was wrong with his eyes, but that's personal info, so I didn't ask. He handed me the pizza and I paid.

"Geez!" I thought "Pizza in Florida is expensive." As I handed him $40 for 2 pizzas. He smiled the very fake smile that all store clerks are required to smile, and wished me a great day. I smirked back and walked out, the bell jingling merrily as I left.

When I walked back into the hotel room, Mom was up and smiling at Nudge. Both girls looked up as I walked in. Nudge's face cracked into and immediate grin, and she squealed.

"Back off Nudge." I laughed. She just smiled, opened the pizza box and took a piece. All before I had actually gotten through the door. We spent that night talking laughing and eating pizza. To be cheesy, it was a family bonding night. After a while the TV got turned back on, and we ended up on one bed, under a blanket. I don't have an amazing relationship with my mother, but this was nice. It was one of the truly happy times the family had shared since Dad died. I smiled and slowly let my eyes shut. The flicker of the tv shone through my eyelids and I heard Nudge giggle at whatever was on.

This move might actually be an upturn in my life. Mom kissed my forehead once, probably thinking that I was sleeping.