Three Cheers for Five Years

Promise
I promise to write I promise
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There's no gift without a price
Remove from home
I promise to write
I promise

“So, I guess it’s goodbye now, isn’t it, Chaucer?” She asked, fingers reaching up to stroke his cheek one final time. He shrugged, taking her wrist softly in his hand and pulled it away from her cheek. “Oh, please don’t do that to me, I’m going to miss you so much. Let me touch you, once more, babe.” She whispered, yanking her wrist from his grasp. “I don’t think he’ll care much.”

“He’ll care.” He replied, looking down at his best friend sorrowfully. “Don’t take it personally, Shel.” He didn’t see the hurt look that flashed in her eyes and the way she seemed to recoil back from him. He always put his boyfriend first. Always.

“I’m probably not going to see you for months, Chauce. Can’t you let us be the way we were for once?” She asked, looking up into those blue eyes of his. Those gorgeous blue eyes that always twinkled, always sparkled, always smiled at her. Today they were dead though, dead to the world, dead to emotion. They weren’t like him; not like him at all. He smiled though, but then he glanced up, looking over his left shoulder, looking, searching for something.

“You know I’d love to, Shelby,” he said, but he pulled her into a hug. A hug that meant everything to her. He was so stony with that boy of his; there had to be something more, something beneath the surface. Why would he refuse to kiss her cheek, to let her touch him?

“But that’s not enough, Chaucer. You know that.” She said, resting her head against his chest. “You’re my best friend and you’re bi, right?. You’re allowed to touch me all you want.” She felt him shake his head, his shoulders moving slightly with the effort.

“You don’t understand.” He replied, tilting her head up with his fingers, using the soft spot under her chin. “I can’t.”

“Why?” she pressed, looking at him with brown eyes. He used to love teasing her about her eyes, because they’d go from brown to hazel and then back to brown. But now, he can’t. He promised.

“I can’t tell you.” He whispered, before deftly bending and placing a kiss on her forehead. “Go catch your flight, Shelby. Please.” She stepped away from him and as she lifted her carryon bag, she lifted her fingers in a wave. She’s suddenly aware of the people milling around, but he’s the only one she sees. He’s the only one she cares about.

“Promise me you’ll write?” she asked hopefully, biting her lip. He used to love writing to her. His letters were always long, four, five pages of events, all rambling into one. She used to be so excited to gather the thick envelopes from the mail and she’d know exactly who they were from.

“Yeah, Shelby, I will.” He said. “I promise. Five page letters about everything.” She finally smiles, showing her straight, white teeth to the world. “With stories, about any and everyone. I’ll send you porn and condoms and candy and coupons, pens, pencils and gift cards.” He listed, giving her that look. That look that caused her to be attracted to him in the first place.

“It’s a deal.” She replied and suddenly, as her flight is called, she dropped everything and bolted toward him, yanking her best friend of four and a half years into a hug. “I love you, Chaucer James. I love you so much. Don’t let him change you, please, don’t.” She whispered, attempting to dry her tears on his shoulder.

“I won’t. I promise.” He said and he finally leaned down and kissed her cheek, looking at her in the eye once his lips weren’t on her any more. “I promise, Shelby, I promise.”

She nodded, and once more gathered her bags. “I promise too, Chauce.” She whispered, wrapping her fingers around her carryon’s well worn handle. “I’ll see you again soon, right?” He looked unsure. She hated when he looked unsure. When he looked unsure he always messed up, always. From playing a song wrong on stage, to texting to the wrong person… “Please don’t look so upset.” She said.

“Go catch your flight, Shelby.” He stated, waving her off. “I never back down on my promises, you know that.”

She nodded and pretended that everything was all right.

But the moment she was seated in her cramped, economy priced seat, she began to cry.

a/n: I’m hoping this will be a short story. Keep your eyes open. Review:)