The Promise

Chapter 1

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"Will Sienna Montgomery please step up to the podium." The voice of the clerk reached my ears. Sighing, I forced myself off my seat. With arms folded across my chest in defiance, I slowly walked up to the podium. As I got there, I chewed the gum in my mouth and blew it into a big bubble. It popped, making a loud noise.

"Sienna? When will I stop seeing you here?" The judge asked, a hint of worry evident in her voice.

I blew my bubble again; not bothered to grace the judge with an answer. Staring ahead, I tried to put as much rebellion into my glare as possible.

"Look, Sienna I know you've had a rough couple of days." The judge looked at her sheets. My records. It showed just how many fights I got into. It showed just how good a fighter I was. A girl, at the age of seventeen. That had to be an achievement. That was my only achievement though.

"I understand your pain. I really do. You know that." Her voice cracked. Judge McClare was a good friend of our family. She knew everything about me. In reply to her statement, I simply shrugged my shoulders.

She sighed at my unresponsiveness. "Look Sienna, I have to be honest with you. It doesn't look good. You've been in a lot of fights, endangering yourself and others. Luckily, you didn't kill anyone in this recent one. But you did injure people." She looked at her papers once more. "As punishment, you have to commit to 100 hours of community service. Also, seeing as you were expelled from your last school, the court would like to suggest the Westford Academy for Delinquents."

I raised an eyebrow and stared at her incredulously. I was being forced to join a delinquent school? Unbelievable. "You want me to go to a delinquent school?"

"Yes, you have to Sienna. I'm really sorry, but it's that or jail time. Your birthday is in, what, 2 days. Your 18th birthday might I add. That's when you should be reporting to your new school. I'll let them know and will sort that out for you."

I nodded reluctantly and started to walk off. "Oh and Sienna." I turned to hear what else she had to say. "You better not mess this one up. I went through a lot of trouble just to reduce your punishment here."

Her words struck me odd. I never expected anyone to care about anything related to me. Except maybe my mother. I smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you Judge."

She smiled at me. "It's no problem. I know you're a good girl at heart Sienna." I nodded and turned to walk briskly out of the room.

As I passed the outside, I saw all the families and people waiting to be called up. One of those people stood out. It was a guy with jet black hair and piercing grey eyes. It wasn't his eyes that stood out most though. It was the pale ugly scar that ran from just below his right eye across his cheek. He was one of the guys I had last fought with. In the fight where I made a promise to fight no more. The man noticed me looking at him. Recognition flashed in his eyes. He wasted no time in sending me a self satisfied smirk. It took a lot of my self control to turn and walk away.

Just as I was halfway out, he spoke in a loud voice, "I know your name, Red." His words sent shivers running down my spine. He was indirectly threatening me; telling me that it wasn't over. Oh, what had I gotten myself into? And for what price?

*****

After a few minutes of walking through town, I reached home. After all those years, we were still in the same place.

I took a deep breath and walked up to the front door. I'd have to explain everything to my parents now. I couldn't stand to see the disappointment in their eyes. Especially my mother's. We had forged a tight bond after Luke left.