Promises

• Judy Chung, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2022

As rigid as a stone and as stiff as a board, they were as cold as their heart that dropped dead in their chest. They called his name, over and over again as tears swelled down their cheeks. They had a million things to say, a million things to do, and a million regrets that fell silently against the ear-splitting flat-line of the heartbeat on the monitor.

They couldn’t breathe; their chest was filled with cotton that slowly suffocated them inside, painfully enough for them to drop onto their pale knees.

“...Don’t,” They pleaded under their breath, “Don’t leave me.” Their broken words trembled like their figure as they hugged the limp body on the bed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” They repeated it like a mantra, like a dysfunctional music disc. “I don’t- I don’t hate you. Please, please come back,” they paused to catch their breath, “You promised me.”

He had promised them so many times.

“Hey, hey. Aren’t we a bit too old for that?” They asked their friend, Alexander. The boy only rolled his eyes and chuckled, “Oh come on. You’re never too old for this, now hop on.” They bit their lips nervously and hopped onto his back.
“You’re gonna drop me, and I’m gonna break my leg.”
Alexander chuckled softly; his brown eyes like a warm mug of hot chocolate.
“Such a drama king. I won’t break your leg, your Majesty. I promise. I’m strong enough to carry you. Trust me.” At his words, they laughed.
“Okay.”

He had always kept his word.

Nervously, his heart thumped against his chest like thunder booming across tenebrous skies. His brown eyes were afraid to meet the person in front of him and he fiddled his fingers, clutching the hem of his shirt.
“You… what did you want to talk about?” They could see the way Alexander fidgeted around them, and how his curly mop of brown hair covered his face.
“I...” Alexander stopped. Now they felt nervous, nearly as much as the boy in front of them.
“I- uhm, I like you. A lot. I promise, I’ll be a good boyfriend. I’ll make you the happiest person alive. I’ll always be here for you,” he confessed, drooping his head even lower. At this moment, they felt their heart jump and they excitedly pulled Alexander into a tight embrace. They pinched his red cheeks as their green eyes bent into a gentle smile, “I like you too.”

“-I’ll always be here for you.” echoed in their head. So why couldn’t he keep that promise?

They wanted to puke, yet they couldn’t throw up anything; not even the guilt and remorse that tightly coiled around them like a repulsive snake when they recalled those words from that night they said so spitefully, “I hate you.” — when those were the last words Alexander heard before he was hit by a car. When those were their last words to him.

He, Alexander, would never get to know how much they had truly loved him.