Bad Reputation(Rewriting)

The Wait

Four months, she could break it down into weeks, days and hours if she wanted but it never seemed to go any faster. The thought of being free from adults that couldn't take care of themselves, let alone kids was the only thing keeping her going. Loneliness came easily to Milla before he came into her life.

Milla chewed on her bottom lip, two weeks and she had not heard from Jett. He was the only person in her life that she wished wouldn't leave her, but everyone had a knack for ditching her for a better life.

Fourteen days of unanswered texts and calls.

She laughed, since when did she become so dependent on anyone? Foster homes chewed her up and spat her out, then a dark-haired boy with a leather jacket walked into the room. Jett changed everything. He didn't interact with any of the other kids at the Wellerson's, but he stayed on the porch outside with Milla in silence as she cried. That day nothing had been the same, there was an unsaid agreement that they looked out for each other.

"Shit," she mumbled touching her lips.

Fifty-two Shernham way, her seventh foster home and hopefully her last. It was by far the cleanest house she'd stayed in, the perk of choosing a family on the outskirts of London. The only problem being, Luke Morley the criminal investigator who not long ago kicked down the Deimos Riders doors in search for firearms.

The floorboards leading to the front door creaked, pristine white trainers tapped down the stairs and came to a stop beside Milla. Nell Morley, stay at home wife had a habit of hovering around. She wrapped the belt around her brown cardigan and pointed to the step. Milla glanced up at her and nodded for her to join.

Nell drummed her manicured nails against her thigh. "You always seem to wait for something here," she said staring at down the street with Milla. Her voice was soothing and calm, the exact opposite of the blunt, clipped tone her husband used on Milla.

Milla seemed to be waiting for life, in general, to start for her.

"Someone," Milla said her gaze wandering down the cobbled stones of the driveway. He wasn't just someone, Jett was everything to her.

"Ah, I see," Nell hummed. She pursed her lips preventing the teenage smile spreading across her face at young romance. "You know all you have to do is ask when you want your friends to visit. Just remember there are rules in this house, Milla," she said rising from her spot. She scraped her dirty blonde hair into a bun, the tight hairstyle giving her a facelift.

The wood behind Milla creaked, she slumped forwards and rested her elbow on her knee. She knew Nell meant well, but rules were one thing she tested. Besides Jett wasn't a friend. The echoes of a motorbike crept into the back of her mind, a sound she couldn't shake off when it became quiet.

She closed her eyes trying to silence the noise, but as it disappeared she began to miss it and the boy in the leather jacket. The thought of him snapped her attention back to the street. Milla gasped at the sight of him, he removed his helmet and raked his fingers through his raven hair. The skull tattoo on the back of his neck peaked out of the layers of his black hoody and patched jacket.

"Milla," Jett whispered as she hugged him, his fingers snaking around her waist to pull her closer. The muscles in his back shifted as he relaxed his tense body, his mood instantly changing in her embrace.

Breathing in his familiar scent, she pressed her cheek into his chest. "I thought you weren't..." she said not daring to finish the sentence. Slipping away from him, she looked up and studied the split in his bottom lip.

Jett smiled down at her, dimples settling in his cheeks as he leant down to press his lips to hers. He pulled away and traced his thumb over her chin. "I missed you."

Milla couldn't fight the scowl turning into a smile at his words, though she was still mad about all the missed calls she couldn't bring herself to shout at him. "So, how is this going to work?" She eyed the police car sitting on the driveway and glanced back to Jett.

"I'm not going to lie it's problematic," he said pausing as he looked over her shoulder. "We've dealt with worse than him."

Heavy boots stomped down the stairs, Milla's back straightened as a rush of air whooshed past her. Luke Morely nudged her behind him, muscles shifting under his crisp white shirt as he folded his arms over his chest. "Not today boy, leave," he barked.

Jett held his hands up in surrender, a smirk tugging on his lips as he started to walk backwards. He winked at Milla before he turned to his bike and climbed on. She bit the smile back, her eyes following Jett's figure disappearing down the street.

Luke remained outside until he was satisfied with Jett's departure. He rolled his tense shoulders and guided Milla inside. The drab and dreary hallway matched her mood as she followed Luke into the living room and sunk into the sofa.

"Why did you do that?" she asked holding her head in her hands, "he's the only one that's stuck around."

"I'm doing you a favour, how do think he's going to feel when he knows who you are?" Luke said crouching in front of her and taking her hands in his. She didn't dare look at him, her hands trembling and lips quivering at his words.

"He loves me," she whispered escaping his grip.

"That boy's a biker," Luke said pushing his hands against her knees to stand up. "He ain't ever going to love a girl like you." He brushed her hair out of her face touching the small tattoo on her neck.

She fell back into the soft cushions, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as she released a deep breath. "What do you want from me, Luke?" She groaned as the sofa dipped under his weight.

He leant his elbow on the back of the sofa, his eyes darting to the kitchen door where his wife was cooking the dinner. "You know what I want," he whispered edging closer to her. "If you want answers, I can give you them. all you need to do is agree to the terms and go to this foster home, it's the only way we both get the answers we want."

Milla pushed herself up and called over her shoulder, "I'll think about it." She didn't hesitate as she walked out of the front door, her arms wrapping around her body in the cold evening.

The walk to the Rayners street gave her time to think, her mind was screaming with all types of possibilities of the answers she wanted so badly. Was it all worth it? Would Jett understand that she would have to be the one to leave him behind? She stopped in her tracks as she came face to face with the same dark-haired boy perched on his bike.

It was like a dream, helmet dangling from his handlebars and his gloves resting on the gleaming gas tank. Thick strands of his ebony hair tumbled over his forehead as he tilted his head to escape the glare of sunlight in his face.

"You didn't think I'd leave you behind, did you, Smalls?"