the book of promise

the book of promises

Ethan and Lily had been inseparable for years. Their bond, built on shared afternoons spent reading and quiet moments together, was something they both cherished. Lily, always the more sentimental of the two, had a particular attachment to an old, dog-eared book she carried with her everywhere. It wasn’t just any book—it was a piece of her soul, filled with stories that had comforted her during her loneliest moments.

One day, as a gesture of trust and affection, she handed the book to Ethan. “Keep it safe,” she said softly, looking into his eyes. Ethan smiled, taking the book into his hands. He promised he would. At the time, he meant it.

For a while, he treasured the book as a reminder of their connection, even though it wasn’t something he was naturally drawn to. He admired how much it meant to her, and in his heart, he wanted to protect it as he would protect her. But as time passed, life started to change for Ethan. He found himself busy with new experiences, different people, and growing ambitions. And then, one day, everything shifted when he saw her with someone else.

It was an ordinary afternoon when Ethan saw Lily laughing with another guy. They stood close, their heads bent together in a way that made Ethan’s heart clench with an unfamiliar, bitter ache. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the sight alone was enough to convince him that she had moved on. The guy was handsome, confident, and seemed to know her better than Ethan ever could.

He hadn’t realized it then, but a deep, aching sadness settled over him. He withdrew from her, convincing himself that she had found someone else to care for. The old book she had entrusted to him—the book he had promised to keep safe—became too painful to look at. It sat in the corner of his room, gathering dust, a symbol of the love and friendship he thought he had lost.

For Lily, however, nothing had changed. She didn’t understand why Ethan had started pulling away, why he no longer reached out to her, or why their once easy conversations felt strained. She hadn’t noticed him watching that day, nor did she know the man Ethan had seen with her was her brother, recently back from college for a short visit. To her, things were the same as they’d always been—or so she thought.

When she finally confronted him, her heart was heavy with confusion and sadness. She found the book in his room, forgotten and neglected, and she felt a pang of hurt. “Why, Ethan?” she asked, her voice soft and trembling. “You promised…”

Ethan looked up at her, the pain he had bottled up for months suddenly overwhelming him. “I saw you,” he murmured, unable to meet her gaze. “With him… I thought you were with someone else. I didn’t want to get in the way.”

For a moment, Lily was silent, and then her eyes widened in realization. “You mean my brother? Ethan, that was my brother! He was just visiting.”

The words hung in the air between them, and Ethan felt a surge of guilt wash over him. He had distanced himself from her, believing something that wasn’t even true. All the time they had lost, the misunderstandings—it was all for nothing. His chest tightened as he met her eyes, seeing the hurt he had caused.

“I didn’t know…” Ethan whispered, his voice raw with regret.

Lily shook her head, her expression softening as tears welled up in her eyes. “I didn’t realize either. I never wanted to lose you. Maybe… maybe we’ve been more than just friends all along, but we were too scared to see it.”

Ethan took a step closer to her, the space between them filled with unspoken words and years of friendship that had quietly transformed into something deeper. They stood there, staring at each other, both realizing that what they had wasn’t just a friendship—it was love. It had always been love.

(Ending)