Promise?

Chapter 3

"Are you in or are you out?" Claire asked her friends, eyeing them. Her rose-gold eyes glimmered in the sunlight shining onto Roland’s bed.

"Out b***h. Because this is only going south," Roland said, scowling at his friends. There was no way this plan would actually work without it backfiring.

"I still don't understand how you found out where he lives," Max whispered. He looked around but no one paid him any attention.

“So, are you going to tell us where you found Lyric’s address?” Zeke asked, kicking his legs out in front of him, his fingers going through the dark fluffy rug he was sitting on.

"Long story," she replied and she shivered lightly.

Zeke frowned. "Are we sure this is a good idea?" He took a sip of the coffee he had made downstairs, before placing it back down in between him and Kaito.

Roland scowled, if that mug fell over he would kill him.

"Nope," Kaito said. "In fact, this is a very, very bad idea.” He was scowling at Claire, who simply gave him a smile.

"I just want to confirm something," Claire whined, as she looked around the room. “It’s not that difficult.”

"By breaking into his house?!" Roland asked, raising an eyebrow. What could possibly be at his house? And why did she need to break in? Sure, his parent was… Sure, he could see why she needed to break into his house, but he would not help her.

"Yes," she replied.

"Claire, I swear you're going to drag us to jail with you," Zeke muttered as he took another sip and sighed in bliss.

She grinned as she threw her hair over her shoulder. “I'll have Chris bail us out."

“He said that last time would be the only time he’d bail us out.”

All eyes landed on Max and he looked away.

Roland stared at him. Well, he should have felt guilty.

The group were lounging around in Roland’s room and Claire had been running on coffee since her talk with Lyric in the hospital on Thursday. The last two days she had been coming up with a plan and today, on a nice Saturday, she wanted their help to break into his house to see if her theory was correct.

"Honestly, if I get a drink I'll do it," Zeke said.

"Deal," Claire replied instantly.

"No, he will not do it." Kaito deadpanned, glaring at Zeke. “Don’t be a fool.”

“Kai,” he whined. “It’ll be fun. Loosen up a little.” Kaito eyed him, running his tongue on the inside of his cheek. He moved the coffee cup out of the way and burrowed himself in Kaito’s arms, placing his chin on his chest as he looked up at him. Kaito looked down at him and sighed, hugging him back.

Kaito was the oldest of the group. He would be nineteen soon, he had to do an extra year because of something that held him back a couple of years ago. But Claire was the youngest of the lot.

“No, Zeke,” Kaito said, looking down at the scowling boy.

"Why, Kai?" Zeke whined. He eyed the taller boy’s beanie before leaning up and taking Kaito’s favourite beanie and slipping it on.

See, if anybody else took Kaito’s beanie, they would have been strangled.

If anybody else called Kaito ‘Kai’, they would have been strangled.

Yet, there Zeke was, in Kaito’s arms, not being strangled.

The strange behaviour on Kaito’s part is what led the group into thinking that Kaito had feelings for the shorter boy. Roland felt bad for him, with Zeke being straight and having a girlfriend, but the obvious pining from the older was entertaining at times.

"Because this will one hundred per cent leave us in trouble and I promised Maki that I wouldn't get in trouble," Kaito said, scowling.

"And yet your friends with Roland," Max said, sighing as he tutted. "Poor decision, Kaito." All eyes in the room landed on Max, who turned red. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“I need something to cure the boredom,” Roland said, looking at his friend. She looked back at him, excitement twinkling in her eyes.

“Does this mean you're in?”

He sighed, nodding. He knew he would regret this, but they could all regret it together.

“Zeke?” Claire asked, looking at the boy sitting beside Kaito.

"I'm in, but remember Claire, you promised me my drink.”

"Max? Kaito? You in?"

"I'm in," Kaito grumbled. Roland let out a little huff, he was only in because Zeke was in and he didn’t want anything happening to him.

“Max, what about you?”

"I was in the moment you said 'bitches we're breaking into someone's house'," Max said, smiling a little. Claire grabbed one of Roland’s pillows from his bed and threw it at the boy. Roland scowled, now he would have to burn that pillow.

She groaned in frustration. "That was from the beginning!"

"Oh, then I was in from the beginning."

"Kaito, strangle him," Claire deadpanned and Kaito just scowled at her.

"Gladly."

“Kaito, no,” Zeke said.

"Yes! Okay, it's tonight. Lyric got discharged yesterday and I really hope my theory is wrong, because holy s**t, does it need to be wrong? Oh, my god! What if I'm right?! Row, what do I do if I'm right?!"

See, normal people would be happy if they were right, but no, Claire was panicking. Okay, it depended on the situation which she refused to tell them. So, all they knew was they were breaking into Lyric’s house with no reason as to why.

"It would be really f*****g helpful if you'd tell us what you suspect," Roland muttered and Claire rolled her eyes as she smacked Roland on the arm.

"I will not, but. You're coming, you can threaten the boyfriend. I don't like him." Roland rolled his eyes as he shifted, leaning against the wall as his legs dangled off of the bed.

“Max?” she said, looking over at the boy who was sitting alone in one of the corners. “Can you be bait?”

He hesitated, before nodding slowly, forcing a smile. “Sure, Claire. I’ll be the bait.”

Claire let out a small groan as she moved off of the bed, stretching as she let out a small smile. “I’ll see you all at my house at midnight. Wear all black.”

“Oh, and do tell me why we are all meeting at Claire’s house at midnight? And why do we have to wear black?” Creed asked as he walked into his brother’s room with a smile on his face.

Roland scowled at the older version of himself, why could Creed never knock before he came in?

“We're breaking into someone’s house,” Zeke said, grinning as he looked at the older man. “Do you want to join us?”

Creed blinked a couple of times, as he stared at his brother and friends. “Is this a joke?”

“No?” Claire said. “But, do you want to join us?”

“Are you idiots?”

Claire frowned. “It’s for a good cause.”

“Which is?”

“She won’t tell us,” Kaito grumbled.

“So,” Claire said, grinning. “Will you come?”

Creed sighed as he smacked his brother’s leg. Roland rolled his eyes as he moved closer to Claire so he could take a seat with them on his bed.

“Claire, your brother is my parole officer.”

She grinned and wagged her eyebrows. “Will you come?” she repeated.

They waited in silence before Creed looked around the room, ran a hand through his dark hair and nodded. “Sure, someone has to be the adult around you morons.”

"Nice, see you all then. Now, Creed, be a f*****g gentleman and escort the queen out,” Claire said as she stuck one of her arms out.

“As you wish, my lady,” Creed smirked, as he stood up, he stuck out his arm and Claire took it, and the two of them left.

A solid one minute passed before Roland’s father, Roger, walked in and stared at the four boys. He locked eyes with his son and Roland sighed internally. “Roland, a word.”

Roland gave Kaito and Zeke a little smile as he walked past them and followed his father to his own bedroom. The moment Roland shut the door, his father whirled around to glare at him. “What have I said about having boys in your room?”

Roland suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “No, boys, unless there’s a girl.”

“Go downstairs. I want to be able to keep an eye on you.”

“I don’t get it,” Roland snapped. “Creed can have his friends over without there being a woman over there.”

"That's because he's straight."

He was flirting with Lyric!

Roland’s eyebrows shot up. "And, are you saying I'm not straight?"

"Oh no, you're straight."

"Then what's the big deal?"

"Watch your tone, now all of you downstairs."

Roland scowled. Sometimes all he wanted to do was to kiss a boy just to rub it in his father’s face. He stormed back into his room and glared at his friends. “Get out. I’ll see you at Claire’s at midnight.”

He watched as his friends left and he slumped onto his bed and let out a groan of frustration. He didn’t understand the big deal. He was never allowed in his room with just his male friends, his father was sure there would be some ‘homosexual shenanigans’ happening. But he never batted an eye when Creed had Rio or Chris over.

Roland sighed as he stood up and went to the garage his father owned. Sure, he had a strong dislike for his father, but the one thing he liked about him was his garage. He could lose himself in fixing the cars. He walked in, smiling at Lisa, Caroline and Tony.

“Hey, Roland. Your dad isn’t here,” Tony said, smiling as he put a dirty rag over his shoulder. He had some oil grease on his dark skin and when Roland pointed it out, Tony made it worse. Roland snorted a little as he smiled.

“I know,” Roland said. “But do you want or need any help?”

Tony gave a smile and nodded as he led the boy to the back where the cars were.

~*~

"I feel so cool. Like a ninja," Zeke said, as he made some weird ninja moves.

"Of course, you wore plaid," Creed deadpanned.

"In my defence,” he replied, running a hand down his black and white shirt. “It's black and white. I mean Kai still has his beanie."

Kaito rolled his eyes as he pinched Zeke’s cheek. "A beanie is fine.”

“No,” Zeke snorted. “It’s distracting.”

Kaito elbowed Zeke, who pouted before giving Kaito the finger and moved so he was walking beside Roland instead.

"What I want to know is where the f**k Claire got a full body leather suit? Because damn, if I was straight I'd f*****g tap that," Creed said as he eyed her.

Roland scowled at his brother as he punched his arm. “Don’t sexualise my friend, you asshole.”

"But she's hot."

"And her brother is your parole officer," Claire added, and Creed glared at her.

"Never mind, your friend is the devil."

"It's about time someone recognised who I was."

Claire stopped walking abruptly, causing the others to bump into one another. Roland followed her line of sight, and she was focused on one house in particular. They were being lit by the orange glow of the lamps. Creed sighed as he moved them into one of the bushes.

“We look very questionable. Best not to be lit up like orange glow sticks.’

Claire nodded. "Last time. Max distracts the boyfriend and mother. You know what to do and what NOT to do. Zeke, see if you can find any inhalers. Creed and Kaito stay with him but let Max do all the talking. Roland with me."

The group nodded and Claire pointed out to one of the houses that had its lights on. “That’s the house.”

The quartet walked towards the front door. Roland was following them until Claire dragged him around the house.

“We’re going through the back,” she whispered.

"What the hell are we doing here?"

"I came here with Lyric. He asked me to distract the boyfriend and he broke into his house, but he came out empty-handed."

"He broke into his own house?" Roland repeated, eyebrows furrowed.

"See my concern?"

Roland flexed his knuckles a little as he stared at how they were beginning to heal again.

“Don’t start any fights.”

“Might fight the dude for shits and giggles,” Roland replied as Claire tried the door handle. Roland eyed her, there was no way they had left the door - Okay, so maybe they left their backdoor unblocked in the middle of the night.

"Anthony?" Claire whispered.

"No,” Roland replied. “I was thinking Lyric-”

She turned around, the door slightly ajar as she stared at him. “Do not go after Lyric, Roland.”

“Then Max?” he said. “I mean, he is the reason Creed was in jail.”

“Listen to me, Roland. Creed has forgiven him and you need to as well.”

Roland glared at her. No, he wouldn’t forgive him. “Do you know how pissed our father was, he beat Creed so badly he had to stay in bed for two whole weeks!” he hissed, looking around the house. “He still has the scars.”

Neither the mother or the boyfriend had appeared, so he wasn't being as loud as he thought he was.

“He what!?” Claire hissed and Roland winced. s**t, he wasn’t supposed to mention that.

“Just, don’t tell your brother,” Roland said, running a hand through his hair. “And you say that, but be honest with me, none of us has forgiven him.”

“He’s trying! Can’t you see that he’s trying!?” she hissed.

“That doesn’t change the fact that he did what he did!”

She sighed as she looked around. “Just don’t hurt them. Lyric or Max. You hurt either of them and I’ll find a way to hurt you. I mean it.”

So there was no Anthony, no Lyric and no Max. Maybe Wendell?

"Follow me," Claire whispered.

The duo snuck in after their little argument and Roland crunched his nose in distaste. The house reeked of smoke. Jesus Christ and Lyric lived here? No wonder his asthma was so f****d up. They crept past a naked lady on the couch.

Oh gross. That was his mother.

Roland eyed his friend. "Claire, he lives here?"

"That's what we're about to find out," she muttered.

They snuck past the two boys, whose eyes widened as they spotted them. Roland placed a finger over his mouth as he followed Claire up the stairs. They entered a small unlit hallway, she opened all of the doors and froze at the sight of one room in particular.

"See! I f*****g knew it! Oh, my god! We need to go now!" she hissed.

Roland frowned as she ran past him, not caring about being quiet. Roland bolted after her, as they ran past the boyfriend. The two boys followed as they darted off in a run. While they were still running, it began to rain. They stopped a few blocks down from the house they had just broken into.

Claire stopped as she groaned in frustration. “This makes things so much worse!”

“Claire?” Zeke asked, shielding his face from the rain. “What’s happening?”

“How much money do you have on you? All of you?” she asked, as she stuck her hand in her shirt and pulled her phone out.

She peeled her phone case off and pulled a note out.

“Zeke,” she said, sticking her phone back in her bra. “Did you find his inhalers?”

They all searched for their pockets as they broke off towards the supermarket and once inside Claire collected the money from her friends. “Kaito, Zeke. Take this and find some warm clothes. Roland, find food. You two,” she said, looking at Max and Creed. “Here. Get some painkillers. Now, go. I need to think.”

Roland frowned, but went to the aisle with the food and picked up some food. He only had a set amount and it was difficult keeping it within his budget. What if whoever needed this was allergic? He picked up some food, shrugged and went to pay.

He found Claire ten minutes later, still standing where he had left her, her head glued to her phone.

Kaito and Zeke came back with a small bag of clothes. “We only had enough to get us this.”

Claire took the bag, looking inside and giving them a small smile. "Think! You morons, think! Where could a kid with severe asthma stay, especially in this cold?"

"At his f*****g house," Kaito replied, dryly. He was right but the glare Claire shot him kept him quiet.

"Expect, he's not at his house! All his things were torn to shreds, his room was a tip. And there was dust gathering, meaning he hadn't been in there for a while. I should've known something was up. He came to school wearing the same outfit all week. Like exactly the same."

A loud roar of thunder and the quartet looked out of the windows to see the rain had picked up. Claire let out another noise in frustration as she raked a hand through her wet hair.

Roland frowned when he realised where he had exactly met the odd boy. “The roof?” he asked.

Now that he thought about it, Lyric had been on the roof. But he hadn’t seen him go up there. If they went at the same time or even before, they would have bumped into one another on the stairs as they were the main point of access.

Zeke clicked his fingers as Creed and Kaito appeared and handed Claire the medicine. “Isn’t there a shed on the roof?”

“Pain killers. I got paracetamol,” Creed said.

She frowned as she turned to look at the older boy. “Why not ibuprofen?”

“Makes asthma worse.”

“The shed on the roof,” Zeke said, speaking a little louder as he grabbed Claire by the shoulders, shaking her a little. “What if he’s up there?”

Kaito frowned. “Why would he be up there in this shitty weather?”

“Oh, god,” Claire said, as she visibly paled. “What if he is up there? In this weather? Alone, cold and not being able to breathe?”

~*~