Alone with Broken Promises

Author's Note: My first fic on FictionPress! Yay! Well I hope you enjoy and constructive criticism is welcome!

Warnings: Depressing

She sat alone as she ate her lunch. No, knew her and she had no intention of making any new friends. I have perfectly good friends. I don't need any other friends. Yet, as she sat there she longed for anyone to talk to, but no one approached her. They didn't know her. They didn't understand her. They didn't care about her. Sighing, she threw away her trash and stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets.

Walking outside in the warm weather with a jacket on seemed stupid yet at her old school, everyone wore jackets 24/7. She looked around the "playground" as she called it and looked around for some secluded spot to just sit and get away from it all. Everywhere she looked though, there seemed to be somebody. She looked off past the picnic where all the groups of friends sat and out beyond the bleachers where the girls watched the guys play sports, that's when she saw it.

She sprinted for it and she didn't care that people looked at her funny or that she could hear whispers as she ran past. All that mattered was getting to that spot. She ran through the maze of picnic tables and past the basketball court. She didn't even fear that she would get hit with a ball like usual because she was focused on that spot. Running past the court, music finally filled her ears. Silence. That's all she asked for. Past the picnic area and beyond the court lay a meadow that was too hilly for sports and too far away for groups to sit at. And in the middle of that perfect meadow, stood a tall oak that provided a great amount of shade from the sun.

She was amazed by the tall oak and slowly approached it, scared of looking at it. It seemed like some secret treasure that no one, but herself knew about and she didn't want to ruin that. Almost sneakily, she tip toed underneath its shade and plopped herself down in front of it, sitting with her legs crossed and her hands in her lap. For a second she closed her eyes and listened. Silence. It comforted her and felt like a blanket surrounding her that made her feel wonderful. She drunk it in and finally she opened her eyes and exhaled the breath she had been holding. Something still felt off though. She stared up at the gigantic tree with its leaves that blew in the wind. The rustling seemed to be making noises and if she listened close enough she swore she heard it whisper,

"Child, why are you here? No one visits me anymore."

She sat there a bit afraid and a bit relaxed. Something about its voice soothed her. Maybe the tone or maybe the words itself, she wasn't sure. She went to respond, but thought to herself, "Won't I look ill, talking to a tree?" The thought stayed in her mind before she pushed it away. No one was here to hear her talk to the tree so, why bother. An inhale of breath then, silence once more. An exhale of breath and the meadow was filled with her voice.

"I don't like the other kids. I want my old friends back. These kids are too loud and they don't understand me at all. So, I fled to your meadow that is very beautiful indeed."

Silence then, the wind picked up and the rustling came back.

"My meadow is beautiful, thank you. It used to be filled with children much like yourself, running around and having a ball. However, now it lies with no one around. I haven't talked to anyone in years."

An inhale and an exhale.

"It seems we have something in common, then. We're both terribly lonely so, why don't we become friends ourselves?"

Silence. Suddenly, movement was heard on the ground. Blinking, she looked down to see the root of the tree moving towards her like a snake. She didn't draw back in fear though because it fascinated her instead of frightening her. Slowly, it slithered its way over to her knee where it then rose to where it was eye level with her. It wiggled in her face a bit before the wind started again and the rustling echoed throughout the meadow.

"I would like that very much, Child."

The branch left her face and went down to her hand. It slipped inside her grasp and began moving up and down. Realization struck her and she held it firmly and shook the branch. An inhale and an exhale.

"The shake of friendship eh? That means we'll be together forever right?" she asked, hope laced in her voice.

The branch wiggled out of her hand and returned to its spot. The wind flew through her hair and the leaves rustled.

"Together forever? That sounds nice, Child, but can you keep your promise?"

She looked down at her hands in her lap and sighed. No, she thought, I broke my promise to my old friends to never leave them. I can't be trusted. Tears gently and silently rolled down her face. A hum of leave moving sounded before she felt something rough yet gentle touch her cheek. Looking through blurry eyes she saw the branch and watched as it wiped away her tears before receding back to its original spot. The wind felt cold against her cheek as the rustling came again.

"Do not fret, Child. Everyone breaks promises now and then. You make promises you simply cannot keep. That doesn't make you a bad person, you just need to start making promises you can keep."

She let the tree's wise words sink in before a small smile graced her lips. An inhale and an exhale.

"Then, I promise to stay with you for as long as I possibly can, but I may leave someday."

Silence. She swore everything in the meadow stood absolutely still as the tree thought about her offer. Not a single insect flew, not a leave crinkled, not a soul screamed from afar, and not a bird dare sing. Then, the light breeze turned to a gust and the leaves rustled once more.

"That is a promise I am willing to accept. Now, Child, cure my loneliness and in the process yours as well."

Cure our loneliness? She thought long and hard on how to accomplish such a feat, when it came to her. She snapped her fingers and a grin appeared on her features. An inhale and an exhale.

"Do you know the Memory Tree? He was a good friend of mine back at my old school. If you plucked one of his leaves, closed your eyes, and held it close to your ear; you could see any of your memories."

She waited in anticipation for the wind. The Memory Tree used to comfort her when none of her friends were there. It showed her happy times and always made her feel better. The wind flowed through the air and hit the leaves which caused them to rustle.

"Why, yes. I do know the Memory Tree. He was a good friend of mine when we were just saplings, but I haven't seen him since. Is he okay, Child?"

She bit her bottom lip at the question. The Memory Tree had been struck with lightning one day and one of its few branches had snapped off. For days she stayed inside, not wanting to hear him wail out in pain. She sighed before an inhale and then an exhale.

"He was struck by lightning recently. One of his branches snapped off, but he's fine now."

There was a very long pause before the wind whipped up and the leaves rustled again.

"That is sad to hear, but I'm sure he's fine, Child. Now tell a bit about you."

That she did. She sat there for the rest of recess talking to the tree about anything and everything. They talked about her old friends, her life at home, the tree's life, and even about pollution. She had a great time sitting there and wished it would never end, but soon she heard the bell ring and she grimaced. The leaves rustled as the wind blew fierce and strong.

"Child, it is time to take your leave."

She continued to frown. An inhale and an exhale.

"I don't want to leave. She understand me more than anyone at this school ever will."

The root moved towards her and grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her to her feet. Then, it carefully pushed her up the hill towards the school. The wind still swirled around the leaves continuing their rustling.

"Child, you can always come back tomorrow. It can be something for you to look forward to everyday. Now go."

With a heavy sigh she turned to walk away before she had an idea. She ran back over to the oak and placed her hand in the center of the bark. An inhale and an exhale.

"Before I leave, do you promise to be here for me every day that you possibly can, even though you have no clue when you won't be able to?"

The wind seemed to whistle as it flew by the leaves letting them rustle.

"I promise."

Author's Note: There it is! I hope you enjoyed and if not tell me why. How was it? Great, Good, Okay, Bad, or Terrible? Leave a review!