A blurry figure runs up to me. I can barely distinguish the smile on the figure’s face. The figure holds up its pinky to me. The figure’s mouth is moving but the words aren’t audible to me. I focus more into the figure’s mouth, trying to understand what he was saying. “…each year..letter..promi-.”

    “MISS!” The scream woke me up from my dream. I blushed red as I wiped the drool that had escaped my mouth. “This is as far as I can take you for $40.” I nodded as I rummaged my purse for the $40. I passed him the money as I gathered my stuff before exiting the cab. I sighed as I watched the cab leave. 
The summer sun shone hard onto my already sweating body as I scanned the land around me. Thirteen years…It’s been thirteen years since I’ve been here. The land was quieter and empty now compared to before. As I walked towards destination, I took notes of what has changed. The pond that I swam in before was a dirty brown color with trash floating all around. The shops I went in almost every day were all abandoned and broken. The whole time I was walking, I’ve only passed 3 people. A lot has changed in 13 years. 

“Oh my! Honey she’s here!” A familiar voice screamed before running towards me with open arms. I smiled as I felt the warm arms wrap around me. I whispered a “hi” to my grandma since that was all I could mutter with the little air supply in me. 

“You’re going to kill her if you keep that up.” A raspy voice spoke from behind us. 

“Psht. My love is worth dying for mister.” My grandma said as she released me to send a challenging look to my grandpa. 

“Ahh of course it is darling.” My grandpa said with a roll of his eyes as he gave me a quick hug. “So good to have you back here again. You’ve grown so much in height and beauty.” I thanked him. They led me into their house before going off to get me some snacks. I looked around the familiar living room. I grinned widely as I spotted some of my drawings that I gave them when I was here 13 years ago. 

Thirteen years ago, I came to stay with them in the summer due to my parents’ divorce. They needed time alone and didn’t want me bothering them so the obvious decision was to send me away. I didn’t know how long I would stay there. It could for days or forever. No one knew and no one asked them.  I don’t remember much from that summer. I was suddenly dropped off in front of their door and I was picked up just as suddenly. 

After a little chat with my grandparents, I excused myself to the room I lived in that summer. I cautiously walked in, amazed at how they kept it exactly as I left it. I plopped down on the bed and yelped in pain. I stood up to see little glow in the dark stars lying still on the bed. I picked one up and remembered how much I had begged my grandparents to buy me them.  I smiled as I collected them and walked to my desk.  As I placed them down, I noticed the many calendars that were spread out.  After scanning each calendar, I realized that the same date was circled on all of the calendars. I tried to think of what could have been that day. No one had their birthday that day. Why else would I circle the same day on all the calendars?

When I picked up the first calendar, a small post-it-note fell out. I bent down to pick it up. “REMEMBER THE PROMISE OF THE OLD SHED!” Promise? That reminded me of the dream I had this morning, which made me extremely curious.  I ran down the stairs to my grandparents. 

“Is there an old shed around here?” I asked.

“Shed? Wells there’s one up the hill and next to the broken water well,” he said. I thanked him before running off. 

When I arrived, I stood staring at the old shed.  As I walked closer to the front door, I felt a sense of familiarity. Carefully, I turned the rusty doorknob and peeked my head in before walking in. There was a strong moldy odor revolving around the space. I walked around the place as memories of playing around here erupted in my head.  I noticed a little dusty teddy bear sitting in the corner of the room. I bent down to it but couldn’t get myself to touch it with all the spider webs surrounding it.  A little stack of letters was sitting beside it. I picked them up and blew the dust off. The letters were a faded blue color with spotty brown spots that probably came from the rain. I was surprised to see that the three letters had, “To: Aimee”, written on the front. Curiously, I opened the letters one by one.

“It’s finally the first year to fulfill our promise. I’ve waited days to finally sit down and write out the things I couldn’t say to you. I was confused to see you waiting for me the day after the promise was made or all the days later on. I was shocked to hear from my parents that you had left. I was angry and I still am. I wondered if you were lying to me all this time. I wondered if the promise meant nothing to you but words.  I don’t know what else to say since all I can think of is my anger to you… -Yongguk”

“You didn’t come last year. I waited outside of the shed the whole day but you never appeared. Does this really mean you thought nothing of me but just a way to pass time? Was our friendship full of fake connections? All I’m asking you is to come out and explain to me about your sudden leave? -Yongguk”

“This will be my final letter to you, Aimee. Like you, I’m leaving this small town. I’ll leave all our memories behind…What am I saying? I can’t leave our memories behind. I don’t know about you but our time together meant so much to me. You came to me when I was the loneliest. No one wanted to play with me since I was so short for my age. I was made fun of constantly. This old shed was my comfort place. No one could laugh at me but also I had no one to talk to me. That’s why when you came out of nowhere asking to play I cried. I really thought the God had finally answered to my many prays for someone to play with and talk to. I finally got a friend. The main reason for my anger wasn’t because you left without a word. It was because I couldn’t see you one last time and tell you the something that I should have. Now you will never know and I can never tell you. I know this is silly but if you ever do see these letters, call this number… -Yongguk”

On the corner of the page was a phone number. I didn’t remember much of this person but I felt obligated to call this number. It’s been all these years would he still have the same number?

I felt my hands sweat as I waited for someone to pick up. At the very last tone, a deep voice answered.

“Hello?” 

“Umm..Hi..umm..”

“If this is a prank call, I’m going to hang up now.” I could him reaching for the end button.

“No no! It’s me. It’s Aimee! This is you Yongguk right?” I screamed at the phone. I didn’t hear anything but I also didn’t hear the end tone.

“If this is a trick, I’m not amused.”

“It’s really me,Yongguk. I just found your letters. I’m re-”

“Why?”

“What?”

“I just want to know why you left without a word.”

“I don’t remember much of that summer but I know that my mom came out of nowhere and forced me to follow her home. All the drama that happened when I got back home probably pushed away all the memories of the memories of that summer I had. I know that that is a stupid excuse but I don’t know why I didn’t remember.” He said nothing but I could hear him deeply inhaling.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked. There was no answer but I took it as a “yes”.

“Why do you have the same number? It’s been thirteen years already. Even my grandparents don’t have the same number as they did that summer.”
It took a few minutes but he answered.

“Because I always had that tiny hope that my first love would call me back one day.”

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short. I know LOL but yea I really liked how it turned out and hopefully my teacher did too XD I somehow took a very strange photo and made this story. Hopes it okie~

ignore mistakes.

COMMENT!! please~~