Broken Promises

Rylee.

MAXWELL'S P.O.V.

I went home after Rylee kicked me out, only to find my mom passed out in the living room with a needle in her arm. Noah poked his head around the corner before returning to his room. I wish I could ignore it all but I couldn't, I checked to see if she was still alive and when I felt a pulse I walked back to my room and closed the door. How could I be so f*****g stupid? I took my phone out and texted Rylee again, I sat waiting for a response before texting her again, and again. I couldn't stop, even if she didn't answer I knew she would read them eventually. After about 20 minutes I put my phone down, what was the point if she wasn't answering? She was probably with him anyway. f**k it. I pick up my phone once more and look at the time.

Text: Carol.

'You up?'

'Is this a booty call?'

'Yes'

'I'll be there in 10 minutes

If I can't get over Rylee, I'll just distract myself with other things. I walked out to the living room and covered mom with a blanket before checking in on Noah.

"You okay?" I asked.

"She alive?" He scoffed not taking his eyes off the tv screen.

"Yeah" I sighed.

"I guess" he answered as he put his mic back down and continued talking to Leo I'm guessing.

"Keep those on for a while, okay?" I said pulling out a headphone.

"Yep," He sighed and put it back on.

He knew what was going to happen, it's late at night mom passed out on the couch and it's not the first time I've told him to keep his headphones on. I got a shower quick and walked back to my room, checking to see if she saw them once more. Well, she saw them but didn't answer. The doorbell rang and I turned my phone over before heading to the door.

LUCAS'S P.O.V.

I laid in bed waiting for an answer, the moment my phone lit up I couldn't wait to read what she said,

Text: Jess

'Lucas I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have hit her but I just couldn't get the thought of you two out of my head. Tell me you just did it because of the bet and we can still be together.'

'Please answer me. I miss you'

What the f**k was wrong with her? I dumped her because she disrespected Rylee, did she really think I would want to be with her after she hit her? Even if Rylee decided she didn't want to be with me I wouldn't get back together with her.

Text: Jess

'Please Lucas'

'I'm sorry Jess but no. It wasn't just for the bet. Honestly, I forgot all about the bet when I slept with her. I didn't even care about it that much let alone think about it when Rylee was under me. I don't want to be with you, not when I broke up with you for disrespecting her and definitely not now that you hit her for no reason.'

'Please Lucas, I love you.'

'I'm sorry, I just don't love you.'

'Do you love her?'

'I think I do.'

'Why wasn't I enough?'

'You aren't her'

I lay in bed waiting and hoping for a reply from her, she's all I wanted to talk to. But every time my phone went off it was more people asking about the bet, or girls shunning me on social media about the bet. But I never even cared about it. I made it like six months ago, and I wasn't lying when I said I didn't even think about it. My whole thought was that I was finally with Rylee, that night and in the morning and nothing seemed more perfect than that. Everything felt right about it until she grabbed the wrong phone.

Yeah, I had texted the night before of the guys asking if I was going to hook up with Rylee but I shut it down and told them we were just friends and I invited her to the Gala with me because Jess just wouldn't fit in. It wasn't about the bet and I honestly didn't even think things would get that far but they did and now I can't stop thinking about it. I rolled over in bed and ignored all the texts and calls coming in, I had a special tone for Rylee.

LUKA'S P.O.V.

I laid on Jake's couch and talked to Rylee for a few hours until she fell asleep, I listened to her slight snore on the phone as I played video games with Jake.

"Are you going to stay on the phone with her all night?" Jake rolled his eyes.

"Typically, I do" I smirked.

"So, are you ever going to tell her?" he asked

"Tell her what?" I asked, I knew what he was referring to I was just hoping it was something else.

"That you like her?" Jake scoffed.

"I do not like Rylee, we are friends" I rolled my eyes.

"Dude everyone can see it. Most of us are team, Luka." Jake laughed.

"Wait there are teams?" I looked at him confused.

"Yeah" he chuckled and pulled out his phone, showing me a group chain from earlier today.

'So what team are you guys on?'

'Lucas'

'Max'

'Neither'

'Neither'

'You guys' suck'

'At least we didn't announce it aloud'

I chuckled to myself as I read it handing Jake his phone.

"There's more," he said before handing it back to me.

Text: Team Luka.

'Why'd you say Lucas?!'

'I didn't want her to think I didn't care enough to be on one! And Noah said Max!'

'I didn't want to influence her choice by giving her 2 Lucas's and neither for other answers.'

'Anyways who picks neither?!'

'She still would've been in the same choice if either one of us would have agreed with both of you'

'I still think it should be Luka'

'Do you think she likes Luka?'

'It seems like it, I think she's simply scared. I mean the way Max yelled at her last night made her invite Lucas over. He literally threw her back to a different wolf.'

'That bet is still getting under my skin.'

'Luka is obviously the better choice'

'The way he looks at her'

'I wish someone would look at me that way.'

'It's the way she looks at pizza'

'Speaking of which has anyone seen her eat since Friday?'

'No'

'No'

'No'

'So, she's not eating?'

'Apparently not, she's probably just stressed.'

'You don't think it's a cause of the bet?'

'Maybe'

I looked at Jake confused when I saw about her not eating, he quickly took the phone and ignored it.

"She's not eating?" I asked.

"She did eat part of a grilled cheese before she left for work but we haven't seen her eat much at all," Jake answered.

"Do you think it's because of the bet?" I ask.

"I don't know, you know her better than I do," he said raising a brow.

"I don't live with her" I scoffed.

"No, but you around a lot. I figured you would have made her eat at some point," he said defending himself.

"She kept telling me she ate before we hung out" I answered.

"Yeah, she's good at lying like that. Anyways are you going to tell her?" he asked completely changing the subject.

"Not right now, she has so much going on already I don't see the point" I answered.

"That's true, maybe wait until things die down" he suggested.

"Another round?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said quickly and returned to our game, as much as I like Rylee, she just has a lot going on right now and I don't want to add to that by confessing my feelings for her. As much as it should have been me, she called, me she should have stayed with that night but it wasn't. It was Lucas and I don't want to add more to her when she's just trying to move on from this whole bet thing.

I tried to ignore the thoughts in my head, I could just curl up next to her right now and she probably wouldn't even bat an eye but I just need to give her space. Take it day by day until she's ready to move on again, I guess. Although the thought of sleeping next to her, wrapping my arms around her perfect body sounds nice.

Sometimes I wish she could just see herself through my eyes and then maybe, just maybe; she would realize how perfect she is to me.

RYLEE'S P.O.V.

I woke up the next morning still on the phone with Luka, I heard some rustling around on the other end.

"Luka get up!" Jake yelled.

"Sleep!" Luka groaned.

"Get up and you can eat with Rylee." Jake teased

"I'm up shut up!" Luka scoffed.

"I doubt she's even awake," Jake said jokingly.

"Shut up." Luka sighed.

A couple seconds later I heard footsteps leading to my door, I laid my head down and pretended to be sleeping as I placed my phone a little away from me to look like I hadn't been awake yet.

"Rylee?" Luka said as he shook my shoulder.

"Huh?" I said in a sleepy voice.

"Come on." he groaned as he flopped on my legs.

"Ughhh." I groaned as I kicked him off.

I got up and got dressed while Luka made breakfast, doing my hair and make-up in the bathroom as Melissa made her way in behind me.

"Are you really team Lucas?" I asked without looking away from my hair.

"Not anymore." She scoffed.

"So, whose team are you on now?" I asked confused.

"No one, neither one of them deserves someone as amazing as you." she smiled kissing me on the cheek.

"I love you," I smirked.

"I love you too, now come on I'm hungry!" She said pulling me down the steps.

The morning was uneventful as Luka wrapped my ribs again after breakfast, he forced me to eat. We headed to school shortly after as Luka handed me a cigarette my phone went off.

Text: Lucas.

'I really miss you'

I locked my phone and ignored it once more, hopefully, he gets the f*****g hint soon because I can't stand dealing with this anymore. I wish he would go back to Jessica and ignore me like he used to.

"I hate him" I mumbled.

"Me too" Luka whispered.

I left out a small laugh before enjoying the silence that settled between us. I walked to class, no one really f****d with me much today, glares here and there but some girls told me how proud they were that I continued to come to school, some told me they were on my side, and what Lucas did was f****d up. Of course, some made comments about me being a w***e and I got dirty looks but I didn't really care. I walked to class and past Jessica, all she did was stare at me as she would kill me but her eyes were puffy and bloodshot like she had been crying, while mine looked like normal eyes because I refuse to cry over guys who don't really care. I sat down in my chair as Lucas talked to his 'friends' I looked forward and ignored them.

"Rylee," One of the guys said as he sat beside me, I ignored him.

"I was serious on my offer, help me win a bet." He smirked, I ignored him again.

"Come on darling," he said, I ignored him again. You would think he would get the hint, but apparently, that's not happening with any guys lately.

"f**k off" I scoffed.

"Come on don't be like that," he said lifting my chin.

"I said, f**k off," I said sternly before slapping his hand away.

"Don't f*****g touch her" Lucas said walking in between us.

"I'm a big girl Lucas" I scoffed.

"Yeah, don't think because you guys f****d, she's in love with you or something." he laughed.

"Listen, Jackson, I suggest you walk away" I smirked. Walking around Lucas.

"Or what?" He scoffed.

I wrapped his arm behind his back quickly shoving his face down on the desk.

"I said walk away," I said sternly in his ear before letting him up.

"You are crazy," he said quickly while backing away.

"No, I just know how to defend myself" I scoffed sitting down.

"Why didn't you answer me?" Lucas asked.

"Take a f*****g hint" I mumbled as the teacher came in. I put in my headphone and ignored everyone else focusing on the lesson as she talked her eyes wandered to me, she gave me f*****g pity eyes. I don't need f*****g pity eyes. I scoffed to myself before ignoring it.

The day went by fast, Luka walked me to my locker and Lucas followed behind like a lost puppy. Max texted me a few times but nothing I couldn't handle by ignoring it. Maybe he was finally getting the hint I didn't want to be with him. Now if Lucas could also take that hint I would be back to normal.

After school I walked home, Jessica passed me in the corridor again but didn't say or do anything just put her head down. Maybe I finally got rid of her but I doubt it.

Soon I got notifications from random people tagging me in a post. I ignored it for a minute while I walked home and smoked with Luka until It started going off every second.

"What is that about?" Luka asked with a confused look.

"I don't know" I sighed as I opened my phone.

Comments:

@Rylee Banks, you really f****d him up.

@Rylee Banks seems like he's in love with you.

@Rylee banks, Bragging rights.

Hundreds of comments about Lucas and me before I finally scrolled up to look at the post. It was a screenshot, posted by Jessica. I quickly read through and noted how she begged him to answer her.

Text: Lucas

'Please answer me. I miss you.'

'Please Lucas'

'I'm sorry Jess but no. It wasn't just for the bet. Honestly, I forgot all about the bet when I slept with her. I didn't even care about it that much let alone think about it when Rylee was under me. Because to be honest she looked perfect under me. I don't want to be with you, not when I broke up with you for disrespecting her and definitely not now that you hit her for no reason.'

'Please Lucas, I love you'

'I'm sorry, I just don't love you.'

'Do you love her?'

'I think I do'

It cut off right after that, my head was spinning as Luka looked at me confused, I just passed him the phone before sitting on the steps outside of my house. Why does it make me think about that night again? It shouldn't matter what he says he hurt me in a way that he will never understand. I sighed to myself before taking a hit of my now-out cigarette.

"What the f**k?" Luka looked at me confused.

"f**k if I know" I scoffed digging the lighter out of his pocket.

"So, do you love him?" Luka broke the silence.

"No" I answered as the words left his mouth.

"No?" Lucas said from in front of me.

"No" I replied firmly not making eye contact. I loved him and he broke me, I won't open myself up to get hurt again. Especially not with him.

I heard shuffling of footsteps before I looked up, Luka looking at me confused before he followed Lucas. Luka is his brother and he needs to be there for him, I accept that in every way and would never expect anything different.

I finished my cigarette throwing it down before walking inside as everyone said goodbye to the kids. I hugged them all but Killian longer than the rest.

"You'll always be my girl Rylee" he smiled as I left a tear fall. Everyone got adopted into a new home, the camp was for foster kids looking for home's kind of like an animal shelter puts on to find homes for animals.

"You text me if you need anything Killian" I smiled wiping away a tear as his new family walked in the door.

"Of course, Rylee" He hugged me tighter once more before leaving. As much as it hurt to see him go, I am so thankful he got a family, some of us never get that much.

"Rylee" Amanda our caseworker walked over to me.

"Hi, Amanda" I smiled.

"I know this is always a tough time for you but it seems worse this time," she said putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Killian was my favorite" I smiled.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I know it's hard seeing the ones you bond with go." She smiled.

"I do however want to speak with you about your uncle Bruce," she said sweetly.

"What about him?" I asked furrowing my brow.

"He has applied for your adoption" She smiled.

"Oh," I answered.

"I wanted to let you know beforehand so you can make a choice." She answered.

"And what are my choices?" I asked.

"You can go live with him or continue to live here; the choice is yours as you are almost 16 but I advise you to take the opportunity." She answered before walking out.

What the actual f**k was happening? Uncle Bruce hasn't said a word to me about this and he knows how much I love my foster family. Not so much John but my brothers and my sisters. I've created a bond with them. More and more people are getting moved to a different home or adopted and I'm wondering if there isn't something more serious going on, with the drunk and John is trying to move everyone out while she dies so he's not left to deal with everything alone. I walked into the kitchen where everyone sat waiting for me, I couldn't believe it. I could leave them and be back to my normal life or I could stay and forget everything else. What is even my normal life? How am I supposed to know anymore?

"Rylee," Jake said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"You make whatever choice you want. We support you" Noah smiled softly.

"I really don't want to leave you guys" I smiled softly.

"It'll be so much better for you," Melissa said as her eyes got puffy.

"But you guys are my family!" I yelled through the tears.

"So is he" Jason smiled.

"You have a while to think about it so let's not beat ourselves up over it" Noah smiled.

"Why don't you go take a shower and I'll make food?" Jake smiled, I nodded my head and walked upstairs. Everything was flooding my thoughts. One thing after another and I swear this just doesn't ever stop!

I sat down in the shower as the thoughts replayed in my head. The sound of Lucas's voice breaking when he said no, the moment I realized I was all a bet when I told him I loved him. When Max came to my rescue, how hard it hit when I realized he was just like everyone else. More and more things happen and the more I think about them the more I think about the blade and how nice it would feel across my skin. Slicing its way through as the sting rises to the surface with blood soon following as I watch it flow beautifully out of me.

I turn on the shower and sit on the tile floor, removing the blade from my hiding place, I lock the door slowly putting the blade to my skin. It wasn't like my entire world was falling apart, more like I just felt alone? I have friends and I know I do but I just feel so f*****g alone.

I watched as I slide it across my skin, watching it turn red as the blood comes to the surface. It's like a high for me that no one understands, I raise the blade once more, gliding it with ease as a feeling of relief washes over me in waves.

I pull my phone out as it rings watching the blood spill onto the floor.

"Hello" I answer it quickly

"Hey, are you okay?" Luka's voice sends shivers down my spine.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked confused.

"I'm downstairs with everyone else, they just told me what happened" Luka responds as soon as I think I'm okay again I feel the need to continue. I slide the blade across the old cuts I made that have already started to heal.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just in the shower. I'll be down soon" I said quickly hanging up the phone as the blood came out faster than before.

'f**k' I mumble to myself watching the blood stain the tiles. I grab toilet paper and quickly put pressure on the cuts before cleaning off the floor, I jump in the shower pouring peroxide over the fresh cuts as the water drowns out my whimpers. I sit on the floor of the shower and watch the blood clot on my wrist as the water washes it away. I finish my shower before holding my towel tightly over my wrist as I walked to my room, I curled up in bed and pulled the covers over me forgetting the world behind me.

"Rylee?" Luka's deep voice says.

"I'm fine Luka" I smile at him as he walks in.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Really just want to be left alone" I smile.

"You are still in a towel Rylee," Luka says looking down at the towel peeking out from under the blanket.

"I know, I just don't feel like getting dressed" I replied.

"Jake ordered Pizza," he said as a glimmer of hope flashed through his eyes.

"I'm not hungry," I said lowly. I was starving but no one needed to know that.

Luka walked over to my dresser pulling out clothes before sitting them on my bed.

"Get dressed," he said in a demanding tone.

"Luka--" I started but was met with a finger over my mouth.

"I said get dressed," he said sternly before walking out. So, I did. Although I didn't want to I did. A few minutes later he came back upstairs with pizza boxes and everyone that was left in the home. Which in reality was just Jason, Jake, Noah, and Melissa.

"Eat" he demanded as he pulled out a piece of pizza.

"Sure" I smiled, fake it till you make it, right?

And it was just us again, as we sat in my room and talked about our first few days together, I realized that no matter where I went, I wanted them behind me every step of the way, every single day. They are truly my family through and through and I couldn't ask for a better one.

Text: Uncle. B

'I appreciate you wanting to adopt me, Uncle Bruce, I really do. But I cannot and will not walk away from the family I created when I had nothing. They have been with me every step of the way and no matter what happened always stood beside me. I can't just walk away like they don't matter, whatever happens, I know I'll be okay as long as I have them beside me.'

I sat there for a second after I typed out my message, I smiled and sent it locking my phone and tossing it off to the side. I went back to our conversations about the early days and couldn't help but smile. Everything seems like so long ago but it wasn't and seriously couldn't ask for a better way to spend time with them.

Nothing really happened the next few days. Uncle Benny didn't text me back so I figured he understood what I meant and dropped it completely, I rarely saw Max around school and when I did, he would walk right past me without a second glance. Lucas finally started leaving me alone though everyone was still very much hung up on the bet, I didn't mind though now that they weren't abusing me anymore. Ever since Jessica leaked the texts between her and Lucas all the attention was on the fact that Lucas loved me. Guys didn't harass me anymore and I caught Lucas looking at me a few times but looked away as soon as I saw him. He knows how I felt many times, Luka has been hanging around more, and we've gone back to our nightly phone calls even though he's always with me now. Everything has been normal even work; Collin and I have hung out during lunch breaks but other than those things are pretty much back to normal.

LUCAS'S P.O.V.

I stood in the doorway and watched as everyone ran around the house, laughing and having fun, and yet I felt so far away from any of that.

"Come on Lucas" Ellie pulled me closer to the living room.

"Fine" I laughed lightly.

It was Ellis's birthday party, cause it's her birthday and while I love celebrating her it reminds me that Rylee's is tomorrow. I caught glimpses of her during school and even on her walk home, always by Luka or Jake. I've seen Max a few times but we usually just walk past each other and ignore each other, I haven't seen Max with Rylee though so that makes me feel better since I know she didn't choose him either. I watch her as she writes stupid little notes in her notebook, or when she pulls out her phone to text someone and I wonder if maybe she hurts as much as I do right now? Am I even allowed to be sad? I mean after everything am I allowed to feel my heartbreak when she laughs at someone else jokes? I pull out my phone to check the time before sitting it down on the table, ever since Jessica posted the screenshots of our conversation everyone pity's me but they didn't when it was about the bet with Rylee. Everyone thought I was amazing for winning the bet I forgot about, everyone treated her like s**t but as soon as I say I think I love her everyone changes up, pretending that it didn't matter about the bet and she should love me back. I've texted her a million times already apologizing but I stopped a few days ago per Luka's request, something about her having a lot on her mind.

I asked him if she was eating and he said yes, I asked her if there were new cuts and he said no. Maybe she's just not showing him? Or maybe it just doesn't hurt her as it hurts me? Maybe I waited too long to tell her how I felt or flashed Jessica in her face too much and she finally broke at the bet? Everything leading up to that I would have never thought she would walk away; we were friends even if it didn't feel like that to her.

I tried to push it all out of my head, focusing on Ellie, that has been her nickname for years though she hates when we call her it sometimes, her real name is Ellis but only close family get to call her Ellie.

LUKA'S P.O.V.

I stayed with Rylee for most of the week and only went home at night when she was asleep, I had to make sure she ate, make sure she was okay. She was going through a lot but most of the guys said they were scared of her because of how easily she took down Jackson, he had it coming but Rylee has always been very poised and kept her strength to herself, she never really wanted to do anything but I kept training her as we grew up. Everything I learned she learned, I pushed her to her limits and past them. In case I wasn't around to help her out she needed to know how to defend herself.

I finally headed home for Ellie's party, when I walked in, she ran up to me and gave me a hug while Lucas walked out of the room. I knew he was mad at me, I told him to stop texting her but she already has so much going on she couldn't stand to read the messages he sent her. She doesn't care if he's sorry, she's hurting and sometimes you just have to let her hurt and hold her while she cries, I've done that plenty of times now.

All of Ellie's friends crowded around me as I walked through the party, I played with them a lot but Lucas usually just stuck up to his room.

"I'll be right back, okay?" I smiled as I walked towards Lucas.

"Still mad at me?" I asked standing beside him.

"No" he replied.

"I'm sorry," I said without moving.

"She eating?" he asked.

"Yeah, I make sure of it," I answered.

"Any new cuts?" he asked.

"I haven't seen any, but I don't ask her to look" I answered.

"Why not?" he scoffed.

"Because Lucas, I don't want her to push me away to" I scoffed and walked back out to the party.

He made his bed and now he needs to lie in it, I update him every day but I don't tell Rylee to show me her wrists. She does what she feels she needs to and if she wants to show me, she can but I don't expect her to in any way.