Promise Locked
984 Words
Ofreigha Sebastian
Her POV
Asha's never-ending need for a goodnight kiss finally snapped the last thread of patience I had.
I hurled a blanket at her, muttered something vague about needing inner peace, and stormed out of her room.
Honestly? I just needed to breathe.
Ever since we arrived in Philine, my chest felt tighter than my pre-gala corset.
I wandered downstairs, drawn by the soft silver glow filtering through the arched windows. The silence was a rare kind of beautiful-the kind that wrapped around you like a soft shawl on a cold night.
The air smelled faintly of roses and fresh earth, like the garden was alive and waiting.
I stepped out onto the patio, barefoot, letting the sound of the fountain pull me in. It was gentle, like a lullaby hummed by someone who knew better than to speak.
The garden stretched out like something out of a forgotten fairytale. Moonlight painted the lawns in silver. Flowers whispered with every breeze.
For the first time today, I felt calm-not the kind of calm you fake in front of people, but the real one. The kind that hums in your bones.
Then, I heard it-a soft snore.
Of course.
I followed the sound to the kiosk tucked between two rose arches. A tiny structure, half-forgotten and bathed in moonlight.
And there he was.
Jay.
Sprawled on the bench like he owned the night.
His dark hair was a tangled mess, his head resting on folded arms, lips parted just enough to be distracting. He looked... peaceful. Almost too peaceful for someone who made my thoughts trip over themselves on a regular basis.
His tan skin shimmered under the moonlight, his expression open and defenseless in sleep.
He was always quiet, always reserved-but right now, he looked like someone with stories to tell.
Stories I suddenly wanted to hear.
I picked up the blanket that had fallen by his feet and carefully draped it over him.
Just as I was about to step away-
His eyes opened.
I froze. My heart? Not even pounding-more like slamming inside my chest.
"I-I was just-your blanket-" I fumbled, but he reached for my hand and pulled me closer.
His grip was warm. Steady. Confusing.
He sat up, still holding me, and whispered,
"Date."
I blinked. "A date? That's your opening line?"
He nodded. Eyes locked on mine. Serious. Intense. Too intense.
"When?" he asked.
I raised a brow. "When do I want to die?" I teased, mostly to defuse the weird tension brewing in the air.
He frowned, completely missing the joke. "No. When do you want to go on a date?"
Gods. He was serious.
"Year 2030," I said, going full drama. "Any day in 2030. Please."
He rested his head against my shoulder and murmured,
"Too much."
"Why?" I asked, pulse still a little chaotic.
He looked up at me.
"Married."
My brain blanked.
"Wait, what-married?!"
Before I could even process his words, he moved-closing the space between us, pressing his lips softly against mine.
A featherlight kiss, hesitant yet certain.
Electricity shot through me, my heart hammering so loud I was sure he could hear it.
When he finally pulled away, his lips barely an inch from mine, he whispered,
"Promise locked."
And just like that, he stood, gazing at me one last time before turning and walking away-leaving me frozen in place, my entire world tilted off its axis, my lips tingling from his kiss.
Holy. Crap.
Did I... just get proposed to? At fifteen?!
I blinked rapidly, trying to reboot my brain, but all I could do was watch his retreating figure as he practically bolted across the garden. His ears were red, the tips peeking out from his tousled hair like he was a malfunctioning robot that had just short-circuited.
"Wait-!" My voice finally caught up with my thoughts, but by then, he had already disappeared into the house, leaving me standing there under the moonlight, utterly not functioning.
Promise locked, he had said. Like it was final. Like he knew I'd say yes.
But-had I said yes?
No. I hadn't said anything at all.
He just assumed I'd say yes. Like, what gave him the confidence?!
A weird mix of emotions bubbled inside me-excitement, confusion, mild panic. My heart pounded so hard it might as well have been trying to escape my ribcage.
I needed to sit down. Right now.
Stumbling back onto the bench, I covered my face with my hands.
"Asha is never going to let me live this down," I mumbled into my palms.
I touched my lips. Still real. Still warm. Still wrecking my entire internal system.
It wasn't just the kiss. It was the way he said it-Married. Like it was a promise. Like it was easy.
He wanted forever.
And me?
I wasn't even sure I'd make it to next week.
I floated back to the house like some ghost bride. Asha was definitely asleep now, probably dreaming up wedding hashtags and t****k playlists.
But me?
I was wide awake.
I climbed the staircase slowly, each step echoing like some final note in a love song I didn't know how to sing.
Back at Asha's room, I paused at the door, hesitating like I was afraid guilt might bite me.
I slipped inside and collapsed on the bed beside her.
And yet...
That ache.
The kind that doesn't go away, even when you beg it to.
I curled beneath the sheets and stared at the ceiling. Sleep was a far-off thing. A stranger.
Jayson was probably outside, dreaming big-of us, of weddings, of futures we never promised.
And somewhere else... someone I couldn't name felt just as near.
Maybe I was panicking. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe I just wasn't ready.
But tomorrow?
Tomorrow, Jayson and I are going to have a talk.
For now...
Let me rest before I explode from emotional whiplash.
- Writer
