𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕟 ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕤, 𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕 ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕤.

Broken Promises

(Content warnings: arguments, physical violence, mentions of shootings.)

Slowly but surely the end of summer was drawing near. There was a tense atmosphere to Mark's home, he was pacing around the living room, shotgun leaned against the wall. He was paranoid after a series of break-ins around town and didn't want to be next. Even worse, Cesar wad supposed to have been there an hour ago.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Mark jumped slightly before running to open it, practically tackling Cesar "Dude where were you!?" "Oh uh. Something came up, that's all" Mark didn't let go of his friend as he pulled Cesar inside and shut the door. "Something came up?" "Yeah.." "What's up, dude?" Mark followed his friend over to the couch, concern evident in his expression.

"Eh, it's nothing, really. I uh..well. I'm going to college and unfortunately, I'm probably gonna end up going out of state" Mark, who had gone to the kitchen to get Cesar something to drink, froze in his tracks, setting the cup in his hands on the counter. "I...I'm sorry. What?" Cesar stood and walked over to Mark, "I know. I know it's bad. But you'll still be able to call me and I'll come visit-" "That's a little fucked, isn't it? It wasn't too long ago I made that promise to you and here you are breaking it for me." Mark laughed, it was a dry and unhappy sound, though it did get the point through that he had simply made joke.

"I'm fucking sorry, okay?? I don't exactly want to stay here given all the bullshit crimes that have been going on." Mark turned to face him "You could at least have told me earlier than this! C'mon man! Waiting until the end of summer to tell me!? You're literally going to be out of here next month!" Cesar stepped back "Calm down, Mark! It's fucking fine! Besides if everything calms down I get to stay-" Mark took a step towards his friend "There's still a chance I could lose you! I'm not fucking letting that happen. We're best friends! Aren't we all either of us have?!"

Cesar stepped back further "I KNOW IT'S A DICK MOVE, OKAY?! AND I'M SORRY THAT I DON'T WANT TO STAY AND RISK GETTING CAUGHT IN A SCHOOL SHOOTING. A THREAT THAT WENT THROUGH. ISN'T ME DYING WORSE THAN ME HAVING TO GO OUT OF STATE?!" "I COULD GO WITH YOU! I COULD PROTECT YOU LIKE I ALWAYS HAVE!" "I'M NOT LETTING YOU GET KILLED BECAUSE I WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME" "FUCKING- WHY DO YOU EVEN WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE ANYWAY!?" "MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO STAY A CHILDISH FAILURE LIKE YOU!!"

Mark froze at that comment, tears starting to well up in his eyes. He stepped back. "Oh. Oh so I'M the childish one?! I'd beg to fucking differ considering you're here throwing insults at me after I asked a fucking question." Cesar realized a bit too late what he had said. What he'd done. Mark turned, starting to walk up the stairs to his room "Mark wait-" Cesar called for his friend, reaching out to the other. Mark turned his head before speaking again "No. No. If you want to act like a child, go ahead. Call your mommy and cry to her about how awful I am. Have her come pick you up. I don't fucking care anymore." Mark walked into his room, slamming the door.

Cesar made his way to the phone, but not before a set of heavy footsteps sprinted down the stairs and directly at him. Cesar looked over to see Mark, he was crying. Mark tackled his friend who quickly threw some punches, kicking and flailing. Mark stopped, did Cesar think he was..attatcking him? "I..I was gonna come apologize and give you a hug.." Cesar froze "Wait wait- I'm sorry, Mark, that was fucked up of me to do I thought you were gonna-" "No, no. You want a fight. I'LL FUCKING GIVE YOU ONE" Mark brought his knee up, going straight for Cesar's stomach, the hit landed perfectly and Cesar gasped in pain.

"You- You fucking prick!" He yanked away from Mark, punching him square in the face before going to kick him in the crotch. Mark dodged, managing to get behind Cesar and put him in a headlock "How's this for being a prick?! Huh?!" Mark used one hand to keep Cesar trapped, using the other to pull one of his arms behind his back at a very painful angle. "OW- OW- MARK STOP-" "YOU FUCKING ASKED FOR THIS FIGHT! I'M GIVING YOU WHAT YOU WANT! ISN'T THAT WHAT FRIENDS DO!?" That last sentence was spoken in a more mocking tone. After a struggle and a lot of cuss words thrown around, the two were done.

Both were battered and bruised, they looked at eachother, both of them crying now. "I'm...I'm sorry, Mark" "Yeah. So am I. Just..call your mom and get out of here. I need some time to myself" "Y..yeah, yeah. That's fair. I'll uh. See you next week then?" "Maybe." Mark went back up to his room, closing his door and sitting on his bed. He curled into a ball, sobbing silently to himself. He had probably just lost his best friend. His only friend.

"Best friends" Mark said the two words aloud to himself "what kind of bullshit is that?" He only cried harder when he heard Cesar's mother pull up and his..friend(?) yell a goodbye. Mark responded, obviously. But..this still hurt. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He sobbed out to no one. He was alone in this house, just as he had been after mom died, after dad left, after Sarah had died. He was alone. Nobody would ever care for him like that again and he knew it. He felt some part of him break. Shatter into a million pieces. Cesar was his whole reason for living and he'd just lost him.

This wasn't ever going to fix itself, this couldn't be repaired. He sobbed a bit louder, holding his one remaining childhood stuffed animal, a raggedy old stuffed cat, to his chest. He was alone now and he'd stay alone forever. In that moment, his thoughts went back to all the nights spent together, all the afternoons spent in the park or inside playing video games, all the inside jokes and the loud, full, genuine laughs. Those wouldn't ever happen again, would they? He cried harder, feeling even worse.

This is why he hated making promises.