5 years ago.....
"Hey Brendan I need to talk to you", Elisha approached best friend. He was chilling by his car with two of his friends who shamelessly checked her out.
"What's up Lisha?" He asked, Lisha was her nickname from him since kindergarten.
"In private", she added looking at his friends who said bye and left.
"Do you want to go to my house or yours?" He opened the passenger side for her of his car.
"I can't be long my brother is picking me up soon, we're moving", she looked away.
"Text him, we'll drive around town while we talk", Brendan suggested.
"I only got five minutes", Elisha said.
"Okay, then start talking Lisha, you're worrying me", he frowned.
"When I move, I don't think I'm coming back here", she began.
"But we still will keep in contact right?" He asked.
"Yes of course", she nodded.
"Good because you know we're a team and this year we planned to run the school together", he joked.
"Not if Stephanie does it first", Elisha rolled her eyes.
"Nah you're irreplaceable", he assured her.
"At least Layla doesn't have to fight me for vice captain spot this year in softball", she shrugged.
"Oh yeah I was sure you would of been captain since I'm captain of the baseball team", Brendan boasted.
"Promise me one thing?" She asked.
"Anything", he replied.
"That if I am in any sort of trouble, you'll be there when I call for help?"
"I promise", he sworn.
"Good, but this is not goodbye Brendan, I'll be back." she assured him.
"And I'll be waiting for that call", he smiled.
_______
5 years later
"Jackie have you seen my brush?" Elisha asks her roommate as she searches her closet for it,"I swear it was in here earlier."
"Sorry Lily, I borrowed it", her other roommate Felicity answers and comes into her room.
"Next time ask before you take it okay, thanks", Elisha takes the brush and brushes her shoulder length brown blonde hair into a ponytail.
"Can't believe we'll be graduating from university in a couple of weeks, I'll miss you guys", Felicity sighs as Jackie makes breakfast.
"Hey we'll still chat everyday", Jackie says.
"That's not a promise, its a request", Elisha adds as she gets an apple from the counter that is in the middle of the kitchen island.
"So Lily excited to be heading back to Georgia? I mean you barely spoke to your family since you started university", Felicity turned to Elisha.
Elisha freezes, after what happened four years ago she doesn't want anything to do with those strangers.
"I'm not going back to Georgia, I'll go to Europe or something for the summer then I'll know what I want to do", she replies.
"What about that internship you been doing for two years during your summer? Your boss did offered you a permanent job after you graduated didn't she?" Jackie inquires.
"Yes but this summer I want to relax and explore, its been a while since I did that and if the offer still stands after I come back then I'll take it", she explains.
"Whoa living in Connecticut for the rest of your life, I don't think I'll survive. I miss Canada to much", Felicity states.
"Or the weather", Elisha mutters.
"Let's just finish our final exams, graduate, hit one last party then we'll stress about our future jobs, husbands etc", Jackie suggests.
"Speaking about husband, Jackie are you going to move in with you know who? Its been like two years you guys been dating", Elisha points out.
"I just said let us finish exams and graduate first, plus if I'm moving in with him we're not going to be living in Connecticut, he got exes we see a lot when we go out", she rolls her eyes.
"Where you plan to go?" Felicity smiles.
"Pennsylvania."
"What?! But that's half way across the state, how will we get to meet up?" She gasps.
"Video chat, there's technology nowadays", Jackie shrugs.
****
Elisha steps out of her favorite coffee shop a few days later with a cup of coffee and her books in her other arm
The temperature is getting warmer as summer is slowly approaching.
She dated a few guys during her university life, but nothing serious and the longest relationship was six months until the guy broke it off when he realized that she wasn't ready to go second base.
The internship she did was working in the finance department at a well known company not far from the university.
She wanted to become a lawyer, but after what she saw happened to her father's own she changed her course during junior year which was last minute.
As she walk down the block she bums into someone,"sorry", she says.
"Elisha?" The guy gasps and she rolls her eyes. It's her jerky ex boyfriend Carl, the one who dumped her.
"Stop stalking me Carl, we're over remember", she snaps.
"I'm not following you Elisha, if I wanted you back I would of done so long time", he shrugs.
A**hole.
"Then what you're doing here? Well this specific area?"
"For an ex you're very nosy", he runs his hand through his curly orange hair,"but I'll tell you, I'm going to meet someone we have a date."
To say that didn't sting a little would be a lie, but Elisha didn't let it affect her, "oh, what's her name?"
"Ella", he respond.
"Oh, good luck then", Elisha nods.
"Thanks and after all this tension between us is over, maybe we can be friends", he offers.
The nerve of this guy, Elisha sighs.
"We'll see."
__________________
"I got news", Felicity announces as the girls watch television.
"You're going to become a cat lady."
"You're not a virgin anymore."
"Lily!" She shrieks and Elisha chuckles,"no my news is that the guy who sits behind me in one of my classes since September asked me out on a date."
"Isn't it the same guy who was in one of your classes last year?" Jackie frowned.
"No, its a different guy and he's a little shy so that's why he took so long to ask me out", she explains.
"Better late than never", Elisha shrugs as she sips her wine.
"Lily its been like six months since you went on a date and I'm sure there's a lot of cute guys around campus want to ask you out", Felicity says,"just move on from that a hole already."
"Its hard when I see him almost everyday, it's like he knows where I'll be at a specific time", she rolls her eyes.
"A perfect opportunity to date a guy so he can see you move on because clearly he moved on long time", Jackie scoffs.
"More like rebounds and hook ups, I saw him with two different girls this week", Felicity adds.
"Can we stop talk about him please?" Elisha groans.
"Fine we'll stop, if you promise to go shopping with us this weekend for our graduation dresses and clothes for that club opening party the same night", Felicity grins.
"Fine, but I'm not getting drunk this time, last time was bad enough", she answers.
"Yeah tequila is definitely not for you, still can't believe you threw up on the guy's expensive looking shoes", the girls laugh.
"Not my fault he wanted to dance with a drunk me", Elisha grins.
***
Brendan Gunner, a well known name in Chicago, well at least in the gang category. He is 22 years of age and runs one of the strongest gangs in the city, The Shadows after his boss handed it to him three years ago.
He's a lady's man no doubt and broke a few hearts in the past, but doesn't sleep around like his best buddy and right hand man Zane King does.
He ended his longest relationship he had of two years last summer after his ex told him she was pregnant for another guy, but at least he got a reason to end things so his mother wouldn't have his head for breaking another girl's heart.
He couldn't stop think about his childhood friend and the promise he made five years ago, is she still even alive? Will she come back?
"I'm waiting for you Lisha, everyday."
___________________
