A Childhood Promise

Prologue

A sweet and beautiful girl with luscious brown locks tied with a single bow was sitting on the swing, waiting. She prepared for this day. She wore her prettiest dress, a powder blue dress that is cut just below her knees, accentuated by a white belt and laces. It was simple, yet it looked absolutely very pretty on her. She kicked lightly at the dirt under the swing, slightly getting bored, but still she waited. It was their usual spot. They met there almost every afternoon; to play, to talk, to just spend time with a special friend.

Yes, they were just 7 years old, but they enjoyed every single moment they spent together. And that's what made it special.

She felt a light tap on her shoulder. When she turned to look who it was, she was greeted by a sweet smiling boy with a neatly combed dark blonde hair and a pair of gleaming green eyes. It seems he too had prepared for the day. He even wore a fancy tie with his shirt.

"Hello, Angel." No one really calls her that, by her second name, but she really likes it when he does. He always made it sound perfect.

"Hi, Chris. I told you to call me, Christina." And since he had always refused to call her by her first name, she also decided to not use his preferred name.

"Not gonna happen. You're my angel, so I'm calling you Angel. You just want our names to sound alike, Christina and Christopher." He teased with a adoringly boyish grin.

"I do not! Ace!" She said pouting.

"I like it when you call me, Chris. You're the only one who does that. So, can you please?"

Christina finally noticed the hand Ace was holding behind his back. "What do you have there, Christopher?"

Ace looked down at his feet and blushed. He then offered the single pink rose he was holding behind his back to Christina. "This is for you."

Christina took the rose and smelled it. She too was blushing. She then leaped from the swing to wrap Ace in an embrace, and kissed him on the cheek. It wasn't the first time he had given her flowers, but this one is different, more special, since it would be the last for the time being.

Ace would be leaving for Italy to live with his grandparents. He's their favorite grandchild, and Ace absolutely adore them. He's been looking forward to spend more time with his grandparents since they're more fun. The thing he dislikes most about leaving was that Christina cannot come with him. He would love to see and discover new things there with her. He would love to share it all with her. She would to, but she can't.

Her mother had worked as Ace's tutor since he was 5. His father preferred him being home schooled. And there were times that Christina's mother would bring her to their house and there they started a bond. His grandparents also adores her, and her parents trusts and respects them, but they would never impose for them to take care of their daughter or even bring them all, so they could just be together. And they would miss Christina. They just can't let their daughter go. And they both understood that. That's why they prepared so much for that day. They didn't plan to do anything, they just wanted it to be special on their own.

They both sat on the swing side by side. They sat in silence, letting the moment sink in. Ace looking at the dirt at his feet, while Christina was looking up at the stars.

"I'm gonna miss you." Christina finally said breaking the silence.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Angel." Ace looked up at Christina and he saw the moonlight shining on her face and the stars glinting in her eyes. The sight of her was breathtaking. Then he found more resolve with what he planned to do.

"Christina."

She met his eyes. She was surprised that he called her by her first name, and by how soft he said it. She just gazed at his deep green eyes without saying a word.

"I don't think I'd ever meet another girl as amazing as you."

"Yeah, you will." Christina tried to say encouragingly, but of course she was hoping that he wouldn't. She knew it was selfish, but it was how she felt.

"Even if I do, they would never be as special to me as you."

To that, Christina no longer knew what to say.

"I will be back here. I will come back for you. I promise that. Will you wait for me?"

Christina just nodded her head.

"Even if it takes a long time? Will you wait? I know I'll be gone a long time, but I will come back and look for you. I still plan to marry you, Christina."

Christina couldn't believe what she heard him say. Did he just say that? Marry her?

"Christopher, we're just seven."

"I know, but I'm still going to marry you." He then took out something from his pocket. What he did next, Christina never thought would happen. He knelt down in front of her, holding a ring on a matching silver chain to her. It was simple yet beautiful.

"I got this ring from my grandma." He smiled as he tried to delay himself. "So... Christina Angeline Michaelson, you're the most amazing girl I have ever met. I may meet a lot of other girls in the future, but they won't matter to me, because they're not you. You may think this is silly, but it's how I feel. You're the most special person to me in the world. You're my best friend, Angel. I would love to spend the rest of my life with you. So, will you wait for me? Wait for me until I could marry you?"

"You've really decided on that, huh?"

And now it was Ace who didn't have anything more to say.

"Okay. I will wait for you. And I promise to marry you, Alexander Christopher Eros Giovinazzo."

Ace half smiled and half cringed hearing his full name said out loud, but he loved how it was used.

"So how many kids would you like?" He asked jokingly finally settling his nerves down.

"Woah, slow down there, buster. You still haven't even given me that ring yet."

Ace had forgotten that he was still clutching it in his hands. He then carefully clasped the chain around Christina's neck with the ring just over where her heart beats.

Christina's cheeks reddened with heat. She loved that ring and the promise it entails. A promise of a life that she would spend with someone so dear to her, her best friend, her first love.