The Promise

"Mom."

"Yes sweetie?"

"Do you smoke?" Her mother chocked as she was drinking her tea after hearing that.

"Wh-what are talking about Ash?!"

"Well mom...I saw you make that lighter more shining after cleaning it everyday.... as it's silver. But why would you have a lighter if you never made use of it. Dad also..." She stopped as she looked down.

"Hm? Dad what? Oh...you stopped because you thought that may hurt me? Oh my...look at how much thoughtful my daughter is only at the age of Ten. But what do you take your mother as? I'm very strong!! So go on with what you're saying."

She looked at her mother once just to find her as cheerful as ever but she looked down immediately knowing she was lying.

"Well I guess I can't hide anything from my little Ash..." She sighed.

"No, I don't smoke. I never did. You know what, before I was with your Dad....there was someone whom...I loved."

"Mom...what happened then? Don't you say to me that we should be always with the person whom we love?" Ash said those being a little confused by her mother.

"I'm glad you reminded those words very well. But you will understand about what kind of situation when you grow up. You know what , that person used to smoke a lot. I told him not to but he kept on. So to prevent that I took away his lighter with me and now keeping it in that secret place of mine. But you're a bad girl as you sneaked there. Hmph!! But you know what was the funny part? He never brought a new one." Her mother started to giggle. By seeing her mother smile she also started to laugh. Though she didn't understand anything properly what her mother said.

"...well at least when I was with him." She mumbled while looking at the smiling face of her daughter. She knew her daughter could be emotionless many times, just to create less trouble for her.

"Well mom...why that person isn't my father then?" She looked up at her mother with that same emotionless face. It made her mother flinch by hearing those.

"Ash! Don't meddle too much with those matters!!"

"Oh..." Ash looked down by hearing her mother shout.

"...I know if I'm not there....there'll be still someone or you'll be the one to help someone to understand what kind of matters those are. Ash?" Her mother smiled at her.

"If you ever love someone truly or you can understand the hidden self of that person, who'll intend to change themself for you....Don't ever let them go. Ok?"

"...Those are really confusing things."

"You love me right? you'll also understand when you fall in love with someone. Promise me one thing, when you understand that you'll only listen to yourself...!" Her mother smiled at her.

"Yes!! I'll do as you say mom!! Mom... my name is Ashley because we both have-"

"HEY YOU SLEEPY HEAD IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP THIS TIME THEN-" Ash opened her eyes as Linda screamed loudly while standing in front of her. She looked at her while she breathed softly.

"Finally!! Now come on get up!!" Linda left the room. Ash suddenly sit up as she smiled at herself.

"...I think it's her 1 year anniversary today. After...." She stopped while mumbling. She frowned.

"LINDA!!!" she screamed to let the whole house know that she's awake.

"What is it?! You nearly...what's it ?" She glared as she found Ash acting like a child by rolling over the whole bed.

"I want to change~" She whined.

"Huh?! Why are you acting like that man?!"

"Nooo~ I'm not! I wanna change this shit! I wanna brush my teeth look!!" She showed Linda her teeth.

"Agh...gross!! Yeah yeah I'll get you right away. But I can't guarantee you if that'll fit ya!"

"Just don't bring anything that'll be short for me!!" Ash shouted back.

"A-ash?! You up?!"

"Yeah yeah Howth what's up..?" She lazily replied him as she was laying again after Linda left.

"Well...y-you usually sleep until this late?" He leaned forward.

"Huh? what do you mean?" She stood up suddenly which made Howth flinch.

"Uh...it's around 10:00 am y-you see..." He looked away.

"Oh...I see. Wait...WHAT?! WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?!"

"It's Saturday you dumb and Howth....with whom are you talking about waking up late? You also woke up around 9:30 am." Ray said when he entered the room.

"Oh...Oh! Howth you woke up that late?~ Were you tired Howth?~" Ash mocked him.

"Gross...I'm leaving." Ray left while Howth became red.

"Oh my look at that...By the way this is not the same room where I was sleeping-" She stopped as she remembered something from the night.

"Huh? Oh this room i-is Raven's. By the way Wh-what were you saying?" Howth sat at the edge of the bed.

"...nothing..." Ash leaned back. "Oh Howth why we all are staying here?"

"I d-don't know either. Raven just told us to.

....the sun came out really well today."

"Yeah...but..I'm hating it because...HERE I'M SITTING WHERE IT'S ON FULL BLAST!!"

"Uh...A-ash cool down..."

"Ashley, Linda told me to get you...this..."

Raven stopped on her way when she saw Ash, sitting on her bed.

"...Howth can you pass what she's holding. She went to another world while just standing there." Ash closed her eyes as she leaned back again.

"B-but Ash..." He looked flustered. Though that's the first time he saw someone talking that carelessly about Raven.

"Get. Me. Those."

Without speaking anything more he did as he was told.

"Are you gonna stay here while I will change?"

Howth rushed to get out being a little flushed.

"Hm...Are they yours? Huh? You lost again?" She waved her hand in front of Raven.

"Oh...Yeah! IT'S!"

"I see...that's why it's big. Then.." She leaned towards her. "Are you going to stay while I do so?" Ash said with a straight face.

Raven looked at Ash with her usual calm tone once before leaving the room.

It didn't took her long to jump on the bed as she started to laugh vigorously.

"Hahahahah...that's rear sight to see." She smiled softly.

"....let's get going."

•••••••••••••

"Hey, Linda! That's my toast give me back!!" Jimmy was running behind Linda.

"Idiot just leave me already it's mine!! Go make yourself one!!" Linda said while taking the bread in her mouth.

"Agh...when will they grow up?" James said while scratching his back of head.

*Ding dong*

"Oh. Someone's is at the door." Simon said while he turned back.

"I'll go get it." Raven went on her way to the door.

"Who's it-"

"Huh? Mom? Why... are you here..?" Ray said as soon he saw who was standing at the door.

"Oh my...look at this. That's how you're suppose to greet your mother?" She peeked from the side of Raven as she smiled to them.

"Ray! T-That's your mom?!" Howth whispered to Ray.

"Mom...Oh! Come in at first." Raven made space for her to come in.

"Aunty how are you?!" Linda and Jimmy said at the same time.

"Hey! I told that first!"

"You give me my Toast!!" They started to run again.

"They're still the same..."

"Aunty how are you?" Simon came from behind. She smiled at him.

"I'm good. How are you guys?" They went in while Raven's thinking something.

"...I'm forgetting something." She mumbled to herself.

"...shoot!" She rushed over to get her mom.

That's the time when the door of her room opened up just to reveal Ash with her bed hair and a tooth brush in her mouth.

"Linda! Have you seen my phone..?" She looked still sleepy as her eyes were close. She locked the door behind her and looked forward.

"Oh Good morning...guys...." She stopped on her way after she saw everyone was standing while staring at her while there's a middle aged lady standing among them.

"Uh-oh..."

"...Eveley?" Raven's mother said with the most shocked face while looking at Ash.

"Huh? Who? me?"

To be continued...