Six years ago...

I sat, unmoving, yanking the blades of grass from the ground one by one. The ground was wet underneath me from an early spring rain, but I didn't care. 

I was too busy creating rain of my own.

In the distance, I could hear my name being called out, but I remained still; the only thing that I could focus on was the feel of the earth beneath me, grounding me. I desperately wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole. I was full of sugar from that evening's dessert bribe, surely, I would taste good.

"Maddie?" Liam's voice gently swayed around me, pulling me slowly from the reverie I was in.

I blinked, the action causing a tear to escape my eyelash and make its way down my face to join the rest. I felt the grass next to me shift, letting me know Liam had taken a seat beside me. I didn't peer over at him, I couldn't, because if I did, the tears would start to fall all over again.

I am not sure how long we sat together in that field, silence softly touching us like dew drops in the early morning. But I knew he'd wait beside me forever if he could, just for the chance to be near me.

That's what made this so hard.

Leaving Liam was like leaving a piece of myself behind.

"We could run away. Go somewhere no one would find us. I could take care of you, Maddie. We could camp outdoors and chase fireflies all night, and in the mornings, we could go on countless adventures. We wouldn't have to worry about dumb rules or school or curfew. We could do whatever we wanted. Just me and you."

"Just me and you?" I finally glanced over at him; his face lit with that magic he always seemed to have within himself. I never knew it was really just pain like mine, masqueraded by hope.

"Always." He smiled, scooting closer and gently placing his hand over mine.

I studied him a moment longer, finding the cracks in the foundation of his face; the truth in his words were revealed as only a dream we both couldn't truly live in, only visit instead.

I turned away from him to face out into the empty field again. The small smile I had managed to give him, now replaced with a quivering lip.

"Shh, Maddie." Liam reached out, touching my lip, a lip that only once felt the presence of his own pressed against them. Neither of us spoke of our first kiss in the treehouse that one night, but I had spent the last year wishing we had and scared all the same if we did. Liam was my best friend. I hadn't wanted that to change.

But I guess none of that mattered now.

"Please don't cry. I'd do anything just to see you smile." His forehead crinkled, as his lips formed their own frown. I hated to see his sadness just as much as he hated to see mine.

"It's not fair, Liam. I don't want to move. Why will my mom move a state over for a man she barely knows, but won't even walk down the hallway for her own daughter?"

Next to me, Liam shifted, shaking his head. "I don't know, Maddie. I'll never understand how someone could not notice you. You're impossible to ignore."

My heart hammered in my chest as I stared at those emerald eyes I had come to love. Long gone were the meanie head Liam years, quickly replaced with the Liam who would say things that made me feel he meant so much more.

"I got you something." He said, sitting slightly back and pulling a small box out of his pocket.

He handed it to me, and I turned it over in my hands. "What is it?"

He smiled, nodding towards it. "Open it, Little Dove."

I lifted the lid, my eyes widening as I ran my finger over the beautiful silver pendant. I looked up at him watching me, a small smile pulled on his lips as he took the chain out, putting the box back in his pocket. I turned around, moving my hair off my shoulders as he placed his arms around me, clasping the necklace around my neck.

He dropped his hands as I looked down at the tiny dove that was now laying on my chest. I held it between my fingers as I admired the beautiful crystals that made up the dove's eye and outlined the wings.

Turning around, I faced Liam who was carefully watching me. "It's so beautiful. Thank you."

"Just something to remember me by. And something to remind you of who you are, too."

"It's perfect." I smiled, looking down on it once more before dropping it from my grip. "You're the only person I have Liam. I don't want to leave."

"I don't want you to leave either." His whispered agreement left me on the verge of tears again, and I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I don't like Ben. Beside the fact my mom is willing to move for him after only three months of seeing each other, there's just something about him. I... I don't really feel comfortable around him."

I felt Liam stiffen underneath me, his breathing halted for a moment before speaking. "What do you mean? Maddie, how does he make you uncomfortable?" His voice was low and almost unrecognizable, and I lifted my head to see him peering down on me with an anger I had never seen from him.

"It's nothing, Liam. I just don't like him is all. He's nothing like John...I really miss him."

Liam's body slightly relaxed but his frown remained. "I know you do. I do too."

Raw emotions abruptly came bubbling to the surface like a volcano ready to erupt. I suddenly felt the need to shout, afraid I'd combust if not. "I let him in, just like you told me to. But he left! And now I'm leaving too. But you pinky promised me Liam! Things were supposed to stay the same!" I yelled with a shaky breath, tears making their way down my face for possibly the twentieth time that day.

He went to hold me, but I pushed him away and stood up, suddenly feeling very angry. I was angry at my mom and her poor excuse for parenting. How she always put her desire to be needed by men before anything and anyone else. I was angry at John, not for leaving my mother, but for leaving me. I was angry at myself for not being enough. And I was angry at Liam, for making me let someone in, making me let him in. Because it all hurt that much more.

And because I didn't know how on earth, I was going to do this life without him.

His stricken face was about all I could take. I cradled my face in my hands and sobbed, feeling my body being enveloped by arms that had become my safe place only seconds later. He held me as I cried, rubbing my back and resting his chin on top of my head as he patiently waited it out.

When I didn't think I had any tears left in me, I wiped my face, still buried in his chest, and turned my head to face the purple and pink tinted sky. His arms around me tightened, and I felt him let out a shaky breath.

"I'm so sorry, Maddie. It kills me to see you this hurt. It kills me even more to not be able to do a damn thing about it. I know I've promised things before, and it seems like I have broken those promises, but I'm telling you right now, me always being here for you isn't one of them. Look at me, Maddie." He pulled slightly back, reaching up to cup my face, tilting my chin up to look at him. "I can promise you; I don't care what the distance is, I will still be here."

"But--"

"No. No buts. I'll be sixteen soon, maybe not soon enough, but soon. Meaning I'll have my license, and I can come drive to you. And I will. And until then--," he blows out a breath, "since you don't have a phone, we'll write to each other. Every week, heck, every day. I don't care. Whatever I have to do to prove to you that I am not going anywhere. I will miss you every day you're gone. There's not a single chance I'll ever forget you, because I need you as much as you need me."

I searched his eyes and knew he never meant anything more. So, I gave a faint smile, choosing to still believe in the magic that always surrounded him. "You pinky promise?"

His mouth tilted up, showcasing his adorable dimple, reminding me of the time when I had called his dimple adorable out loud. Liam had placed me in a head locked position until I took it back. I smiled fondly at the memory, reaching out to touch the small indent in his cheek.

With his eyes locked on mine, he reached up, grabbed my hand and placed it on his lips instead, softly kissing it before slowly lowering it and hooking his pinky with mine.

"I pinky promise."

Both me and Maddie right now 😥

We're slowly unraveling what happened all those years ago, including "the" pinky promise, and it's got me all in the feels.

I hope you loved this chapter as much as I do! Thanks so much for being here❤

I'm sorry for the late update, with school starting back up and me being a first-year teacher, I have been super busy! I am hoping to be able to stay on top of these updates for you. As always, I appreciate your support!