Promises to Keep

"Well, why don't you move here?" he asked her whilst pacing. He leaned down and gave his dog a pat on the head, awaiting her response nervously. She was from his hometown, and because of his career he couldn't spend as much time as he would have liked there. He had known her their entire lives; they grew up together. To say he missed her was an understatement.

"Move there?" she sniffed, wiping the tears away once more. She too, paced around her living room, though they were hundreds of miles apart. "But I don't know anyone" she reasoned, realizing a slight flaw.

"You know me" he stated the obvious. "And you've met a few of the guys when you were down here" he reminded her. Over the years, she had paid him a few visits, though her schedule had typically gotten in the way of having as many visits as they both would have liked. "It could end up being a good thing; a fresh start if you will"

"I mean- I don't know. It seems silly to just pick up and leave after this" she now flopped down on the bed her and her boyfriend had once shared; that was, until two days earlier. It was the longest relationship she had ever had; most never made it to a year. She was beginning to think she was doomed to a life alone.

"I know," he agreed, wondering how he could present his case. "I don't want to seem selfish, but I miss you like crazy. It would be great to have you here. You could live here, look after the place while I'm on the road, enjoy my amazing company when I'm home..." he trailed off, smiling to himself.

"So I'd move to be your live in housekeeper?" she teased.

"No! No" Tyler urged. "Of course not. You know what I meant" he added, shaking his head. He had a bad habit of wording things the wrong way.

"I know, I was just giving you shit" Tayla smirked, biting her lip. "But what about work? I mean- I don't love my job here-"

"Why don't you live your dream?" Tyler suggested.

"You mean start my own photography business?" she was surprised he remembered; it wasn't something that had come up in conversation since they were in their early teens. Tayla currently worked as a journalist for her local paper after obtaining a bachelor of journalism. Journalism wasn't as glamourous as she had hoped. She suffered at the hands of a brutal boss, and she felt as if her creativity wasn't being used to its fullest potential. "As great as that would be, I think I'd miss writing, you know?" she quipped, snuggling herself into the bed.

"I'm sure there's a position for a journalist around" Tyler reasoned, knowing he hadn't given her getting a job much thought. "I know I haven't really thought about it a lot, but just consider it, yeah?"

"Yeah Ty- I'll consider it" she smiled, glad that she had a friend as good as he was.

"Are you doing okay?" he asked, noticing the quivering still present in her voice.

"Not really" she admitted. "I just thought things were going so well" she then added, defeated.

"What happened?" Tyler asked, although he already didn't know.

"I came home from work a few days ago and his stuff was gone. The only things he left was what was mine when we moved in. When I went to the bedroom, there was a note lying on the bed" she sniffled, it being so fresh in her mind.

"What did the note say?" Tyler asked, fuming. Tayla was one of the greatest people in his life; it didn't make sense why anyone would want to hurt her.

Tayla,
I'm sorry it had to be this way. I do care about you,
and I will never stop. I didn't mean to hurt you. I
just don't think this is working anymore,
all the best,
Jason

"And that was that" she read the note aloud for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I don't get it. I mean who leaves a note? Why couldn't he have told me in person? How could I believe that things were going so well when in fact they were not working? How could I be so stupid?"

"Tay, you can't blame yourself" Tyler assured her. "The way he did this, says a lot more about him than it does you. You deserve better than some coward who doesn't have the decency to tell you that in person" he added. It was a cold thing to do, to leave with everything and leaving just a note of explanation. It barely was an explanation; what wasn't working?

"There had to have been a sign I was missing" she sobbed, and Tyler's heart broke for his oldest friend. "I wish you were here" she whispered, wishing she could have his shoulder to cry on.
"I wish I was too" he said softly.

"But hey- I'll be watching the game tonight and whenever they do a closeup of you I'll yell 'that's my best friend!'" she laughed, wiping the tears away. "That's just as good, eh?"

"You can see me, but I can't see you" he laughed along with her, and frowning.

"You'll see me soon enough" Tayla promised Tyler.

"It's October- maybe it's just me but Christmas time isn't what I consider soon" Tyler laughed, though disappointed.

"Well, I need to get my shit together, give my two weeks, find a job- you know, the basics. I don't think that'll take until Christmas... so you may wanna clean up the guest room" Tayla shocked Tyler with her words.

"You're not serious?" Tyler gasped, excitedly.

"As long as you're serious about me being there" Tayla replied, knowing she couldn't go back on her word. But maybe Tyler was right. Maybe she could get a fresh start. Make some new friends, get a better job, and indulge in a happy lifestyle, putting herself first for the first time in her life.
"Of course I am" he replied with extreme excitement. "I can't wait" he added, unable to keep the big smile off his face.

"Me too" Tayla answered, wondering what the future would hold.