Chapter Four: Promises

Chapter Four; Promises                                                 

The boy struggled only for so long. Before his shoulders slumped in defeat and allowed the still injured girl to drag him along. Silence fell over them, both of their heads spinning. But they both shared the same question. Why am I doing this?

He wondered why he is letting a human girl drag him to her home, to be bathed fed and fixed up. She wondered why she is dragging him along, after he chased her through the streets. Yet her hand was soft and warm against his already rough skin. He wasn't used to the gentle grip, it was different. Self-consciously he looked over her again. Big innocent gray eyes, Dead straight black hair that moved like silk. Soft lips, Pale, soft, clean skin. Not a scar in sight.

He swallowed. Neither of them understood the boundaries they were passing. Neither knew that they were of different worlds. Only the moon did. Only did the moon remain silent. The city remained silent. So the world stayed silent.

It wasn't long until they reached her home. Gray, like everything else. The door was wide open, she dragged him right through. He hit the door with his coal-black foot. Leaving a mark but it shut quietly with a click.

“Wow.” He breathed. The warmth spreading through both of the frozen bodies from the blazing fire. Couches, tables, lanterns, walls with no holes! This was a palace to the boy. A home for the girl. She giggled at him. His lips parted and eyes wide with awe. He snapped his jaws shut and a blush creeped over him from embarrassment. She pulled him upstairs further. Their feet moving soundlessly across the stairs. She let go of his wrist and held her little hand in front of his face. Turning his big eyes on him. “Stay here.” she whispered urgently, leaving Jack with no time to respond.

She suddenly felt as though she was doing good. A tiny smile went over her lips as she snuck across the warm floors. Yes, She was doing good. But if her parents might have been awake.

She frowned at the thought. Her small hand reached up and took the doorknob. Twisting it so quietly it made a click. She pushed in, without a sound. One gray eye peering from the depths that was the hallway into the suspicious room.

No, Just like always. Two figures, one larger than the other. A mother and a father lay on the bed, fast asleep. The unusual child closed the door quietly before beckoning the boy to follow. She knew that if her parents were asleep, so were her siblings. Just like every night.

They stalked towards the bathroom. (No one could ever regulate that, thank goodness.) Slowly clicking open the door. Two heads, one on top of the other poked in. Before both scrambled inside. Footsteps from a third party came off at their right. “Into the tub!” She yanked him inside, scrambling in herself soon after. She drew the privacy curtain over them. So their squirming bodies could not be seen.

His face was as red as a beet. Yet hers didn't color in the least bit. She simply sat on the boy and listened. Excitement coursed through her veins. No one would ever have done this! She thought happily. Her eyes gleaming. It didn't take long before a yawn came. It was father. She stared dumbfounded at the sound.

It couldn't possibly be time for him to get up- oh. Finally a blush creeped over her cheeks as they were forced through the awkward situation. Quiet flush, then the door clicked shut. She covered his mouth with her hand so he wouldn't speak. Both of them made no noise until the sound of heavy footsteps faded away. “Get off of me now!” he whispered harshly.  

She tilted her head to the side before scrambling off the boy. Awkwardly tumbling out of the tub, her legs flailed in the air before they followed her body onto the ground. Her black hair sprawling everywhere. He followed her in suit, desperate to get out of the freezing cold tub. He slipped up from the lack of friction and his body flipped over the tubs edge. He landed directly on top of the small girl and she lost her breath from the impact until he rolled off.

Both of their faces were beat red by the time their "exchange" was up. Laying dead still on the floor. He was absolutely embarrassed, and felt guilty, and felt out of his element. She was honestly curious why he was blushing, and why she felt so embarrassed herself.

She stood up awkwardly, brushing out the wrinkles in her night gown before turning around and reaching for the cold nob. She twisted it sideways and the hot water began to come, slowly filling up the tub with the crystal clear liquid. The cold tub began to warm up, and she put her small hand inside the still cool water to test the temperature. 

He sat up and watched her curiously. The wooden floor was cold, and he was cold except for his burning cheeks. "Wow. You all just get water like that?" He asked quietly, hoping not to wake anyone in the silent house. She looked at him from the side, soon a grin went across her features before she turned back to the water once more. "Yup! Everybody says we have the best water supply the world knows, I don't really know what water supply means," She tilted her head slightly up, looking at the wall and adjusting the temperature of the warm water. "Water supply... Oh! Maybe there's a Giant tub that all the other tubs are connected to! So we all get our water from the great tub!" She giggled, absolutely convinced that she figured it out.

He stared at her for a moment. A laugh bubbled up inside him before it escaped through his throat. He pressed his dirty hand over his mouth trying to stifle the laughs but they kept trickling out anyway. Muffled, but there. His eyes went watery and his sides began to hurt, he flopped onto the floor pressing his face into the rug in the middle of the small room. She stared at him a little bewildered. Flicking the water off of her hand and staring at him in confusion. "What?" But her voice only made him laugh harder. 

When he finally managed to calm himself down, his sides burned but he lifted himself up to look at her again. A massive grin split his face as he shakily got up. "A giant tub?" He almost exploded into laughter again but bit it back with effort. She tilted her head sideways. "Yes? Is that wrong?" Her voice was so innocent it would have broken his heart to tell her that she was wrong. His grin faded slightly and avoided her bright grey eyes. 

"E-Er.. no.. It's right.." He stuttered quietly, grimacing inwardly at not being able to tell she was wrong. He looked behind her, at the tub now full with water. Warm water. Warm Clear water. 

He licked his dry lips and his golden gaze looked at her questioningly. She smiled a little and nodded, spinning on her heel back to the wall she got on her little tippy toes before barely managing to take the soap that rested on an edge in the wall. She made a noise from the stretch before snatching it. She put it on the rim of the tub and at his curious face she explained. "Soap." She looked at him with a small smile. "It'll make you smell better and get all the dirt off!" 

Before he could reply she ran off out of the room, her black hair trailing behind her and the door closed almost the whole way. His shoulders slumped, staring at the wooden frame, tiredness started going through him. He should have left, He should leave. But... He looked back to the tub. It was too good. 

Soon he peeled his filthy clothes off, tossing them to the floor and he stepped into the water. A sigh of relief managed to find its way out. The water was hot, seeping on his skin and gently washing away the dirt already, filling his limb with warmth that continued upwards in the same pattern as he went farther in the glistening water. It was a big tub, he noted, he could stretch out in it. His eyes closed briefly before the small voice came from the other side of the door.

Sarah sat in the cold hall, next to the door and the little opening that let the golden light trickle out. Illuminating only part of her face, very faintly. Her tired gaze was on the floor. Her black hair messy from the night. Her leg still throbbed but it was dulled. She could wait her turn. 

"Is everything okay in there?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. Its great!" He said cheerfully, splashing the water around as he had a struggle with the slippery soap. 

She smiled lightly. "That's good.."

A moment of silence went between them. Only a door being their barrier. He frowned slightly, feeling as though he was doing something wrong. The discomfort was shared on her side as well.

"Can I ask you something, Sarah?"

Her head slightly lifted at her name. "Yes?" 

He bit his lip nervously. "Why are you even helping me? I'm a stranger.."

She smiled softly, unseen by anyone in the dark. "Because I can, besides you seem nice. And how could I just leave you like that? All messy.. That and I'm not sure if your a guy or a girl still."

"O-Oh. Hey! I'm a boy!" He realized what she meant and snapped at her. the water splashing in annoyance as he continued washing himself. 

She giggled tiredly. "Hey Jack, Can I ask you something now?" 

He frowned deeper and looked at the doorway, stopping his cleaning for a moment. "yes..?"

"are we friends?"

He stopped at her small voice. It was nervous, tentative. He looked at the door, slowly resuming scrubbing off the dirt from his body. "I..I guess so, I've never had a friend before.." He answered quietly.

"really? Not even one?"

"Y-Yeah. Not even one.."

"Okay, I'll be your friend then! Oh! And you could come visit sometimes and-" She cut herself off, more embarrassed. "Sorry.. I got carried away." 

He laughed quietly. A warm feeling growing in his chest, and not just from the dirtied water. 

"No, that would be fun." He said quietly, his eyes darted to the door. "Listen, I-I may not be able to uh, visit all the time.. but it'd be fun.." He smiled warmly.

"Do you promise?"

He looked at the door one more time, her quiet voice sounded hopeful. He pulled himself out of the water loudly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you promise to stay my friend? And visit sometimes?" 

He paused again. His heart answered before his brain could think. His mouth moved and his voice came out. "I promise.. Friends forever."

She grinned happily and looked at the door, the golden light touching more of her face. "Yay! I promise, too! Friends forever."

Both of them made the promise. Unaware of what might happen, of what they did, and all the unsaid rules they were breaking. But both of them held it close to their hearts.

Because to each other. They were the only one,

Who was truly..

A friend.