Yeah, I know…. It's been ages since I last updated the story and I'm sorry but school just started and there are too many things going on now. Anyway I have up to the fifth chapter written, I think and they'll be posted in stages.

Again, tell me what you think about it, I'll be forever grateful!

Thanks to pokebunny, for that short but very satisfactory review xD!

Nes

The Promise - III Chapter

I had been waiting the whole morning to see that stupid clock strike two, and it seemed that time could only go slower every time I looked.

Since Catlin's phone call I hadn't been able to think of nothing else. What could she have to show me?

After saying goodbye to my mother, which was still cleaning some obscure part of the house, I left in the most hurried manner possible. And running the whole way till Catlin's house, I was finally there.

Still catching my breath I knocked and was welcomed by Gina, Catlin's maid, that had became also our friend since she started working here, four years ago. I still remembered the first time I met her, her and those fantastic pancakes of hers. Only thinking of it made me hungry. Who would have guessed that I had just eaten?

I was taken of my thoughts by Catlin entering the hall with a big smile on her face and saying.

"You're fast, I would say that your mother left you out earlier, but since I know your mother cleaning moods I guess you ran all the way till here."

"You guessed right. But let's not waste time! What did you want to show me?"

Catlin started going toward the living room and I followed, still waiting for my answer. The same thought, that always caught me while entering Catlin's living room, struck me again. It was so well decorated and maintained that I was always afraid to break or misplace something. The room all in tons of deep red, that was the latest fashion, and beige was very cute. The big, fluffy sofas, also of a deep red, were placed in the middle of the room making an L, with the wide screen TV facing the bigger one. A little wood table was between the two sofas and a half of Catlin's mother little glass figurines collection was displayed there, the other half could be seen in shelves, with the same type of wood as the table, that were placed in the wall facing the door that we had just entered.

Seating and telling to me to do the same, Catlin's answer was still waited.

"Do you think that you can stay for dinner?" She knew I would, so there was very little use of asking. I just smiled and nodded, hoping that she got the hint and started to show me what she was supposed to.

She continued silent and I knew that she only wanted to hear me beg to start speaking, so I decided that she could wait a little longer to show me whatever it was.

Still wanting to make her wait I grabbed the TV's remote and switched it on, putting MTV on, we both started to watch Sweet Sixteen, were the most stupid, spoilt and arrogant girls got everything they want. Maybe this was not so good idea, not being able to bear it any longer and having news to tell her myself I finally begged and the effect was instantaneous.

"Okay, stay here that I'll bring it to you." Saying this she left the living room and left me to wonder, what could it be? I was almost sure by now that she had done a tattoo. She couldn't possibly bring a tattoo to me so I was left to think what else it could be.

When she entered the living room with a doll in hand I was speechless. She had brought me here running, because of a doll?

Catlin seeing my face must have read my thoughts, as we often do to each other, and quickly said.

"Don't worry, this isn't just a doll, you have heard about Angelic Layer, right? This is Mayu, my Angel. I decided to become a Deus."

"You did what? Uau! That's so… Well I'm not sure, I've always heard that those things are amazing, let me see her."

Catlin gave me Mayu and I was already in love, the Angel was so cute! The black hair that passed the shoulders only by a millimetre, the yellow eyes and the curious outfit were great.

"You did this? Or did you bought it? This seems something made by you." Catlin grinned.

"Your right, I did it, do you like it? The big flower on the sleeve was Gina's idea. Do you know that I had no idea Mayu eyes were yellow before I bought the fabrics? Am I lucky or what?"

I agreed the yellow eyes were a strike of luck, Catlin was really lucky, that was for sure.

"Have you played with her yet?"

"No, I'll tomorrow. I can't wait."

I thought it was about time to tell her my news. She would be ecstatic, not more than I, but a great deal too.

"You know I have news myself…" She had made me run to show Mayu, I would make her wait a little longer too.

"You do?"

"Oh, yes. I have very big news." I smiled and she questioned me again.

"You've big news, huh? And do you want to share them or not?" She knew what I was doing so I decided to stop. I really wanted to tell her.

"Do you know John, right?" Catlin face as I mentioned his name passed from eager-to-know-the-news to an I-know-where-you-are-going-with-this in a instance.

"Yes, he's in my German class, he's a big guy with blond hair and blue eyes? I think he plays soccer."

"Yeah, that's him. Well he's also in my math class, you know. And we have been friends for a whi-" Before I could continue Catlin started.

"Ann, where are you going with this? Weren't you interested in him? Don't tell me that h-" This time it was I that didn't let her continue and almost screaming said.

"Yes!"

"Oh, my god! When?" Both Catlin and I were now up hugging each other and jumping around. We seemed two little girls of twelve talking about their first boyfriend, well we kind of were that way sometimes and it was fun, why not exaggerate?

"Next Saturday, he was so sweet! I need to tell you all about it!"

"Ok, ok, let's go to my room and you'll tell me all about this new date of yours!"

I was so eager to tell her everything that this time I led the way. Half walking, half running we got there in a couple of minutes.

Catlin's room was in a strange mess, half opened boxes and bags were on top of her desk and on the floor. The bed that was against the wall was still unmade and her orange and yellow sheets were almost all in the ground. The big yellow sofa, next to the bathroom door, had also some bags on top of it. The wardrobe was still opened and I could still see her pink pyjama hanging there.

I faced Catlin. It was so strange to see her room in this mess, she was always the first to ask me how I could live in a room so much like the one I had just seen.

Catlin understanding what I was silently asking just shrugged the shoulders and said.

"I had more important matters to attend than remember to clean it. I'll ask Gina to make something about it later."

I understood her, but not completely, because the idea of something able to take Catlin's head out of her idea of perfection was something completely new to me.

But there were more important matters to be discussed, I needed her help.

I took a place in a chair next to her desk and she, after quickly making the bed, made herself comfortable there facing me.

"So, don't waste anymore time, I want details." She was grinning and I loved the sudden change of disposition. Now it was my turn to know all and for her to wait and listen.

"Remember I told you that if I took you home yesterday, after we went to the mall, we had to stop at school because I had forgotten my Math and French books? That I needed them for the homework Miss Lee and Mrs. Knight gave us?"

"Yes, so you went back there after leaving me?"

"I really didn't want to. It's kind of creepy to see the school almost empty, and to be there alone is scary. But I need a good grade in French and Mrs. Knight is already on my toes. So when I was almost reaching my locker, guess who comes and starts talking to me?"

Catlin grinned and nodded to make me go on, there was no need to tell her that I had found John there.

"When I saw him I was so surprised I didn't even said 'hello', the only thing I could ask was why he was there. It seems that they had a soccer game today and the coach wanted an extra practice so they had to meet after school. He had just left practice and was grabbing some books too, we made casual chat for a couple of minutes and after a moment there was this horrible silence." I smiled as I remembered his face completely serious and his eyes not meeting mine and how my eyes were also almost glued to the floor. I had wanted to start to say something, which till now I still don't know what it was when he finally asked.

"And then he just faced me and asked if I wanted to go out with him, he was so nervous that he even started to ramble, things like if I didn't he wouldn't be mad, that we didn't knew each other for that long and that he could wait. I just smiled and accepted so we agreed that this Saturday was too soon, because we both had plans already and we're going out next Sunday."

"That's great! John seems like a great guy and at least he isn't so full of himself like the majority of the guys at our school, I wish I had your luck."

"You wish what? Do you remember how many guys asked you out? Even Mike Riley asked you out! I can believe you didn't accept."

"Ann I didn't accepted because you had a thing for the guy then, remember?"

"Oh, that's right that was why I stopped liking him, now I remember. But and what about Tom? He must have asked you out three times already. I never liked Tom."

"No you didn't, but the guy is exactly one of those so full of himself that changes girls like socks, the only reason he is still interested in me is because I turned him down and he likes the chase."

"You may be right, but you can never think that I'm luckier than you. Never, for god's sake girl, have you look at yourself in the mirror?" As I said this I looked at Catlin again, her straight blond hair, the complete opposite of my curly brown one, and her green eyes also so opposite to my brown ones, she was everything guys wanted. I'm not jealous of her, she is my friend and that's impossible, but I couldn't but help to wish to have a little more of her in me.

"But let's forget this for an instance, I want to know more about Angelic Layer, do you think I can access the Internet from here?"

"Of course, the man finally came last week and the internet is working again. But while you do it, tell me something. Have you chosen your outfit? And where are you going?"

"I'm not sure, I think that we still have to decide that, or he'll do me a surprise who knows? I was thinking we could go shopping this week, what do you think?"

Catlin agreed and while we were silent I went on looking for more information about Angelic Layer, I entered one featuring the one of the most famous Angelic Layer Deus, that many called the Darkness Deus, because of his Angel Alma. The first part talked about all that he had already accomplished and many of the tittles he had conquered. Then there was a picture of his Angel and I was able to understand why people called him the Darkness Deus. The Angle dressed in an amazing black gown, with long black hair and these amazing white eyes, giving Alma the look of a ghost. The site even explained that Alma was soul in Portuguese.

I scrolled down the page and found this huge picture of the so called Darkness Deus. He had a black mask that covered his face only till his nose and that gave even more effect to his brilliant green eyes, his blond hair was spiked with gel and he had the smile of the gods. I still thought that John was better, but there was no mistake, The Darkness Deus was a hunk.

"Hey, Catlin?"

"Yes?" Catlin averted the eyes of the book she was reading and looked at me.

"Do you think you'll ever meet this guy?" I said pointing to the screen. "He's cute!"

Catlin looked pass me to the screen and her eyes got really huge really fast even her mouth was open.

"He's cute, right?" But she didn't answer her eyes where still glued to the screen. And her face had become serious.

After a moment she seemed to compose herself and after another to be able to speak.

"No, I don't know, maybe, just shut the page off and let's see if it's something on the TV."

I decided to press no longer and followed her out of the room. The rest of the afternoon was passed between making plans to go to the mall, this time to really choose something and talking about Mayu.