Amber Liu was now 8 years old. It’s been a little over 2 years since her “mother” had left her and her father to fend for themselves. Since then, her father had been working harder than ever at the construction site to make ends meet, barely able to spend time with her.

She walked down the street around her neighborhood after school had let them out. As she passed the park, a small smile tugged on her lips as she watched the other kids playing with their mothers. Her heart ached as her eyes locked onto a scene, a mother/daughter pair. The mom was her daughter’s long, silky hair and untangling the mess, brushing it gently with a brush while the daughter complained and whined to her mother, but a bright smile was plastered on her face all the while. Amber unconsciously raised a hand and brushed through her once long hair, now cut short like a boy’s. Shortly after her mother had left she had cut her hair, not wanting to bother with untangling or grooming it, or having it get in her way of her taekwondo lessons which, after much pleading, her father finally relented and signed her up.

Her “mother”, the one she had once upon a time looked up to and loved more than anything in this world, was now just a stranger, someone whom she hated with all her might. Months after their abandonment she had saw the news of an uprising company when flipping through the channels. Jung Corp. it was called, and saw the CEO, who looked strangely similar to the man her mother had left with, walking hand-in-hand with her mother. Her mother had abandoned them for money. Money! An ugly snarl appeared on the girl’s face as she remembered that news.

Turning away, she continued walking down the street to her and her father’s apartment. However, before she could leave the park premises, two boys whom were her classmates, trotted up to her, blocking her path.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here, the gay girl with no mother.” One of the boys poked her shoulder with a finger before turning back and high-fiving his buddy. Most of the boys in her class thought she was gay because she had cut her hair, looking more like a boy than some of the boys. Due to Amber’s haircut, making her look extremely cute, and 180 personality change, the girls were all over her, making the rumor that she was gay even more sound.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here, tweedle dee and tweedle dum.” Amber smirked as the boys’ face contorted in rage.

Seeing the gay girl smirk at them, one of the boys threw a fist, aiming for the girl’s head only to hit nothing but air. Trying his luck again he swings his other arm and grinned when it connected. His grin fell off immediately however when it was actually caught by Amber.

“Wow, and you call yourself a boy. You have no power whatsoever behind that punch.” Amber tightened her grip on his fist, making the boy yelp in pain.

“Why you…” the second boy threw out his fist, wanting to defend his friend when Amber was distracted. However, it never connected and the next thing he knew he was flying into the air then a sudden pain came as he landed hard on the cemented ground.

Amber had released the first boy’s hand and pushed him away when the second boy winded back for a punch. She ducked and swept the boy off his feet before throwing him down harshly. Whirling around when she felt a breeze of air coming at her, she leapt back. Seeing a wide open area the boy had left unguarded, she winded back and hit with as much force and power as she could, sending the boy tumbling to the ground in pain.

“See you boys tomorrow in class.” Brushing her hand like there was dust there, she stepped over the two fallen boys and continued her way home at a slow pace. Amber didn’t need to hurry, seeing as to there will be no one waiting to greet her back anyways. Her father would still be at work and probably won’t be home anytime soon.

Plotting her bag on the small couch, she entered the kitchen and took out a frying pan, readying to cook dinner. She pulled out some vegetables and a large piece of chicken from the refrigerator before walking over to the sink to wash them. “Note to self: Remind dad to go grocery shopping,” Amber said quietly. Cutting the meat and vegetables at an amazing rate that no child her age could possible beat, she tossed them into the sizzling frying pan. Soon, she had finished cooking her dinner and set aside a dish for her father to eat when he returns.

Now sitting at the table, she felt the loneliness creeping up on her before she pushed it back down. Attacking the food hurriedly, almost choking, she finished and brought the dishes over to the sink to be washed. For the rest of the night Amber was in her room completing her homework.

Chen was returning home later than usual. He had stopped at the park after work and cried softly to himself before heading home. His time was nearing and he can feel it. For a year he had hid the fact that he was sick from his daughter, not wanting to see her cry and worry over him but his health was deteriorating fast and she will soon find out. He wouldn’t be able to keep his promise with her.

“Please don’t leave me too, daddy. I…I..promise to be…a good girl f-from now on. I won’t b-bother you…a-and I’ll eat my vegetables…I’ll even pick up my toys. So…p-please don’t leave me.” Amber’s tears rolled down her face as she held onto her father’s hand for dear life.

“I promise. I will NEVER, EVER leave you.” Chen promised her as he her hair.

This was why he had worked so hard. Instead for paying for hospital care he was saving the money for her when he finally passes on. He wanted to make sure that his daughter will be able to fend for herself when he’s not there anymore.

“I’m sorry, Am,” Chen whispered quietly as he watched his daughter sleep. “I’m sorry that I won’t be able to keep my promise.” He gently leaned over to pull up the covers that Amber had thrown when she twisted and turned in bed. Quietly as possible he left her room with tears in his eyes, waiting to spill over.

Months passed and Amber was clearly seeing the changes in her father. He had lost a lot of weight, his once bright healthy skin was now paler than snow, her father got tired extremely fast causing him to quit his work, and many unexplained issues. She had started to worry greatly for him. Although she didn’t know what exactly her father was suffering from, she had a nagging feeling that it wasn’t good, a feeling that she’ll soon lose her father too, making her hesitate to even leave his side for a second. With a promise to still be there when she comes back, Amber relented and began to attend school again.

Making her way home as fast as her little feet could go, she entered their apartment, stopping only for a few seconds to catch her breath before darting to her father’s room. Opening the door slowly to not spook her father, she walked up to his bedside.

“I’m home, daddy. How are you feeling?” She reached and grabbed onto his hand before slipping her tiny hand into his larger ones. “Are you hungry? Hmm?” She shook his arm gently, trying to wake him up from his sleep. But when she didn’t receive a response she tried again. “Daddy? I’m home now. You can wake up….please…you promised.” Tears slowly trickled down her face as her father lay in bed, unresponsive. She finally took noticed his colder than usual hand. All in one night, he had broken two promises.

It was a small funeral that her father’s ex-co-workers had helped to pitch in money to pay for. Amber sat motionlessly in her black suite, the one that her father had bought for her as a joke when he saw her boyish haircut, giving a slight bow every now and then to the few attendees. Since the night of her father’s passing she hadn’t shed a single tear. She’s pretty sure she had used them all up when her mother abandoned her and the night her father broke his promises to never leave her.