The boy who kept his promise

Let me tell you a story about a friend of mine,
I've known her since I was a child,
Going to her house every morning and asking if she could come out and play,
I just remember the smile she would have on her face, when she came to the door,

"What is our next adventure!" she would say, never having a plan,
just us being together was more than enough for her,
Sometimes we would play gladiators or cowboys and Indians with plastic weapons my parents bought me from the dollar store,
but I had no idea her smile only came when we was with me,

For years we played together, from jumping rope to chasing down ice cream trucks,
never wondering why she elected to stay with me rather than go home at night,
Seemed as if she would always sleep over, sleeping from head to foot, holding my leg as she slept, as if securing that I wouldn't go anywhere without her,
little did I know, her home was not where her heart was,

Around our tenth birthday she came to me with a request,
"Chris tell me you love me, tell me you won't ever leave, tell me whatever I do be it good or bad you will always be by my side. I know I am asking a lot from you, but please promise me this",
Still young I didn't know any better, and swore to her request with a pinky swear which ended with our thumbs pushing away to seal the deal,
This promise would scar me for the rest of my life,

On a cold December night, a few years after, with the snow freshly landing on the street, resembling a winter wonderland, I receive a call,
on the other line was her,
voice trembling as if she was just committed a crime,
she tells me she has something to say,

"For years I have been hiding the fact that my father rapes me at night. That is why I always sleep over and try my hardest to stay with you as late as I can. Almost everyday he creeps in my room, locking the door behind. Having his way with me and threatening my life if I told anyone. So Chris I am calling you to tell you that I am going to kill myself. You promised me that you wouldn't leave my side and would always be there in my good and bad times. Chris I need you to be with me now. On this phone, while I kill myself",

My jaw dropped to floor along with the phone,
tears immediately poured from my eyes and into my mouth,
the salty taste stayed with me from that point forward,
what was I to do, still young and forced to keep my promise,

I swallowed the lump in my throat and told her I am not going anywhere,
a part of myself died with her that night,
I could hear her as she sliced her throat, and choking on her own blood,
with the faintest of whispers she says thank you and she loves me until death and beyond,

Could I have done something to save her? Was I a temporary cure?
All the years of playing and sleeping over, believing we will be together forever, all gone,
but in my heart is where she always lived, and in my dreams is when we get to play,
keeping my promise to always love her, that will never go away.