Midnight Promises

Prologue.

It was a cold December night when we made the promise. I remember it like it was yesterday.

I wore my woolly blue coat which I refused to wash. It could have been soaked in mud or have stains from spilt drinks and food; I would still wear it proudly.

He wore his scarlet scarf, the one he bought on the day we met.

December 31st is a day where everyone stays up late in order to greet the new year. It was also the day when we made out promise to each other.

When you're young, you believe you are untouchable- nothing can go wrong. What a lie.

It was a few minutes to midnight, and we both climbed into the treehouse in the back garden of the orphanage. He had scrambled in first, then held out his hand for me to hold onto whilst I climbed in.

The treehouse was small but big enough for the two of us, pictures drawn in crayon adorned the wooden walls, a large hole in the side of the small house had a perfect view of the building where we stayed.

We sat in the middle of the treehouse and just watched the sky. Most of the other orphans were either in the games room or the food hall, waiting eagerly for the big countdown.

It was peaceful.

"What will you wish for in the new year?" He asked me, the moonlight reflecting in his eyes.

"If I tell you it won't come true." I responded, sticking my tongue out at him. His smile lightened the dark night, shone like the sun.

"Good point, I can tell you mine though since I know it will happen. It must happen."

"What?"

"My wish is better than yours anyway."

At that I playfully hit his arm, causing him to laugh and do the same to me.

"I wish that we'll always be together, just like this." He said. The night went silent and all I could hear was his breathing as well as my own. "When we grow up, we'll still be together. Nothing is going to separate us."

I began to giggle, he looked at me with concern.

"What? What's so funny about that?"

"That was my wish too." I replied, beaming at him. He smiled and reached his hand out to hold a piece of my hair.

"I love your smile."

My cheeks burned slightly. We were at the age where those sort of comments would begin to get a reaction out of the recipient.

"Let's make a promise." He let go of my hair and held his hand out for me to take. "We shall always stay together, and if we are separated we shall search for the other until our dying breath."

"Just stay together?" I asked.

"And get married, and live together. Like that old couple on the telly."

I took his hand and nodded.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"How long will you stay with me then?"

Suddenly a firework exploded into a burst of colours above us, cheering ran out through the streets.

We both smiled and were in awe at the wonderful lights. He squeezed my hand and said,

"Forever."