The Best Friend Promise
Cat and Robbie's relationship grew, and they quickly became best friends. Proper best friends with nicknames, handshakes, secret languages, everything! They could always cheer each other up; if Cat was sad then Robbie would tell her funny jokes, and if Robbie was sad then Cat would sing to him. At Boca Raton elementary school where they both moved up to from day care, everybody called them the twins because of their happy personalities and equally crazy dark curls. They were inseparable, spending as much time as possible together. Their parents didn't mind though, because they could sense that this friendship was making their children happier and more confident. Cat's mom especially wanted Cat to be more confident, because of the talent she had noticed her daughter had. If Cat was more confident, then maybe she could show other people her singing and how much she loved it instead of just those close to her. Robbie's mom wanted him to be more confident, because of the troubles he had faced at his kindergarten before he started attending day care. The other kids would tease him and although he acted like he didn't care, she knew her little boy was struggling. That's why she loved Cat so much, because Cat truly cared about Robbie. And Robbie truly cared about Cat. That's why they were best friends. And that's why, one day during recess, Cat had decided that her and Robbie needed to make the best friend promise.
"Robbie, we're best friends right?" Cat asked him, dragging his attention away from the delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich that Cat's mother had made him.
"Of course we are. Twinnie" he said, smiling and laughing slightly at the nickname.
"And we'll always be best friends?" she asked.
"Definitely!" the young boy said. "Forever and ever."
"Yes! Forever and ever. We need to make a promise."
"A promise?"
"Yeah, a promise that we will be best friends forever."
"Okay."
Cat thought back to a movie her mom had been watching where a couple got married. She wanted to marry Robbie, she had decided, because he was her best friend. She grabbed his hand in hers, both with blue ink on from where they'd been drawing the sea together. She then lifted her other hand up next to her head, like a sort of salute. Robbie looked at her strangely, but copied nonetheless.
"I, Cat Valentine," she began. "Take you, Robbie Shapiro, to be my best friend forever." The boy grinned, and she continued. "I will sing when you are sad and laugh with you when you are happy, and I promise to always help you." She finished and beamed at the little boy, then squeezed his hand as an indication that it was his turn.
He pushed his glasses up his nose nervously, and began: "I, Robbie Shapiro take you, Cat Valentine, to be my best friend forever. I will tell you jokes when you are sad and laugh with you when you are happy, and I promise to always help you." He finished, smiling nervously and the small girl shook his hand, smiling back at him. She then lunged at him and hugged him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder and sighing with content. The bell indicated it was the end of recess, and the friends skipped off to math together.
Cat walked into class with red eyes and flushed cheeks, and Robbie could immediately tell she had been crying. He rushed over to her, and cheered her up how he promised to.
"Hey Cat! Knock knock!" When he got no reply, he tried again. "Knock knock!"
"Robbie I-"
"KNOCK KNOCK!"
"Who's there?" the small girl replied feebly.
"Ach!"
"Ach who?"
"Bless you!" the small boy exploded with laughed, but it died down when he realised Cat wasn't laughing along with him. "Cat?" he asked, quieter. "We can't be twins if you're not happy too. I'm your best friend, tell me what's wrong." All of a sudden, Cat burst into tears again, clutching Robbie in a hug. He hugged back, shocked, and began shushing her. The teacher walked in and was surprised to see bubbly little Cat Valentine like this. She knew why, however, the headmaster had told her. So she let Cat and Robbie leave the class and talk to each other.
Robbie took Cat to their tree and they both sat down. "Cat, please tell me what's wrong" Robbie said pleadingly, while gently brushing her black curls away from her face.
"Robbie" she practically whispered, so Robbie had to strain to hear her. "I'm moving."
Robbie breathed a sigh of relief. "Is that it?" he asked, happily. He thought something terrible had happened.
"Is that it? What's that supposed to mean?!" Cat shrieked, looking distraught while fresh tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
"Well Cat, moving house isn't that bad." he said, trying to calm her down.
"Robbie, my daddy got a new job. We're moving to Hollywood" she said quietly.
"Hollywood isn't in Florida."
"I know, it's in California."
"But that's so far away!" he wailed. "We'll never see each other!"
"I know!" Now both children were weeping and clutching to each other desperately. They didn't know what to do. They were best friends, and made each other happier and stronger. Apart, how would they support each other any more?
It was the day Cat was leaving, and both the young children had learnt to deal with it. It didn't mean it wasn't hard though. Cat looked around her pink bedroom, contemplating what her new one in the new house would be like. Her mommy and daddy said it would be bigger, but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't have Robbie in it. She heard a knock on the door, and her mom peered round saying; "Cat sweetie, 5 minutes until we start packing the car. There's someone here who wants to see you." From behind the door, Robbie appeared, looking like he'd been crying for days. "I'll leave you kids to it" Cat's mom said, grabbing a box and walking away.
"Hey" they both said at the same time, chuckling slightly at the synchronisation before flinging themselves at each other in a bone crushing hug. Both began to cry again, and could feel the other's tears soaking into their shoulder. They pulled away and Robbie grabbed Cat's hand, holding his other next to his head and urging her to do the same.
"I, Robbie Shapiro, take you, Cat Valentine to be my best friend forever. I promise to find you and be your best friend again. And I promise to never give up until I find you." He said, more tears sliding down his pink cheeks.
"I, Cat Valentine, take you, Robbie Shapiro, to be my best friend forever. I promise to find you and be your best friend too. And I promise that when we are old like our mommies and daddies, we will get married and I will become Mrs Shapiro." They both smiled at each other again, and more tears fell whilst they hugged each other once more. Cat's brother walked in, smiling at her. "C'mon kitty cat. Mom says we have to leave now." Both Cat and Robbie followed him out her room, down the stairs and out towards Mr Valentine's car, never once breaking their tight grip on each other's hand. They packed everything into the car but it all happened too quickly, and suddenly it was time to say goodbye for good. Their parents left it until last because it hurt them too, seeing the strongest bond their children had, broken. I know they were only young, but they had such a close friendship that most children dream about and it was lovely to watch. Both Mrs Shapiro and Mrs Valentine's eyes welled when the two young children hugged goodbye for a final time.
"Goodbye Robbie" she whispered in his ear.
"Goodbye Cat" he whispered back. "I'll find you."
She giggled and kissed his cheek, but never let go. "Come on Cat, baby, we need to go. Our flight leaves soon" her mom said, pleading that this wasn't too difficult.
But Cat decided it was, because she moaned no, and tightened her grip on Robbie. Every time someone tried to persuade her with words, she just said no louder each time, until she was practically screaming it. In the end, her dad had to lift her up and carry her to the car, her screaming and thrashing the whole time, tears streaming down her face. It was killing every adult present, but they knew it was the only way she would actually leave. When she was in the car, Robbie ran up to the window and their palms touched, blocked by the glass in between them. They all waved their last goodbyes, Cat and Robbie just looking at each other and crying. The car then drove away, taking the Valentines on their new adventure while Robbie got left behind, alone once more.
AN: I know it seems a bit dramatic for a couple of young kids, but I wanted to show a strong bond from the start. And they had both been picked on, so really they were each other's only friend. A bit sad, I know, but it gets happier next chapter! Please R&R! And thank you for all the follows, favourites and reviews so far, it means so much! Mwah mwah!
chuckyshmucky -xo