One Month Headed In One Direction

Chapter 30: I Promise

[AN: So in order to make it into the sequel this will be the end of One Month! I know. I could drag it out longer, but I have a feeling that if I make another sad chapter you would all drown in a puddle of tears. So I am going to use this chapter to wrap things up. I’ll try to make it long to sate you until I start writing the sequel. Send me some title names as they come to you for the sequel!]

[A WEEK LATER]

[ANNIE’S POV]

“You are officially eighteen today!” Sam shouted into my ear. “We can leave if we want to! Well you can. I still have a little bit until my birthday, but you can let Liam know I’m coming.”

“Excuse me?” I asked turning to look at her.

“Look I know Nora said we have to play by her rules, but once we reach eighteen we can do what we want. She took my phone Annie! And my computer! I haven’t talked to Liam in a month!”

“It’s not like I suddenly get unlimited funds when I turn eighteen Samantha,” I said collapsing back on my bed. “Even if I wanted to I can’t go anywhere. I don’t have the money. Besides the boys are probably on their way back to London as we speak. And I can’t leave you and Nora. You’re my family.”

“What kind of family pulls you away from the people you love? She separated me from my sister Annie!”

“I’m your sister and so is Nora. Kate ran away from home! She was trying to get Kate to fix the problems there before she came back to you.”

“Why are you defending Nora? She tore you and Zayn apart. She took us away like we were four year olds.” I had no idea why I was defending Nora. I should be mad at her, and at first I was. I had made the adult decision to give myself to him, and she had reacted by treating me like a rule breaking child. As the month passed Nora had become more withdrawn just like she had been after David had passed away.

“I’m mad at her too Sam,” I sighed. “But more than that I’m worried about her. She didn’t just take us away from Liam and Zayn. She left Louis. Why would she leave him when she loved him so much?”

“Because I was keeping a promise,” Nora’s voice softly replied. I looked up to see her standing there in the doorway to our room with a small envelope clutched in her hand. “I let that promise outweigh any consideration for how either of you might have felt.” There was that word again. Promise. She had said the same thing as we had left the hotel. Something about promising him. Who had she promised and what had she promised him?

“I don’t care what promise you made,” Samantha shouted. “Annie is eighteen now and she can leave. And I will be eighteen in a few weeks and then I will leave. Don’t think I won’t.”

“I wouldn’t put it past either of you. If I was in your position I would have run away long ago,” Nora said sitting down on Sam’s bed across from me. “Happy Birthday Annie. I can’t believe you’re already eighteen.”

“Did you just come in here to wish her a happy birthday?” Sam asked perplexed. Nora was fidgeting which wasn’t like Nora at all. She was always in charge. Never one for nervous tapping or shifting. David always said it was her outer confidence that first drew him in.

“Nora, what’s wrong?” I asked softly. She seemed so fragile in that moment. I reached out to touch her, but then pulled back because I was afraid my touch would shake her more.

“I hurt you. I realize that now,” she shakily answered. “I think you need to learn why I did what I did. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but maybe you can understand.” She held out the small envelope she had been clutching. “Do you recognize it?”