Carl's POV

"How can I see what you're gonna show me if you're covering my eyes" I grumbled as Beth continued pushing me towards something with her palms over my eyes.

"Shush! Its a surprise so no peeking" she playfully commanded then we stopped.

"Alright we're here," she whispered and removed her hands from my eyes.

"Its...its..." I tried to form words but I was speechless

It was the old playground back when we were just kids. I walked around it then my eyes spotted the elm tree where me and Beth first met. I placed my hand against its trunk and smiled.

"I haven't been here since I was a kid," I sighed at the memories.

"A naughty one too," she said and I chuckled.

"You still remember that day?" she placed her hand over mine against the tree.

"How could I forget?"

6 years ago...

It was a beautiful sunny day in King County. Rick, Lori and Carl were visiting for the summer as usual. Carl's parents had to be somewhere so they left him by the playground and they said they'll pick him up in the afternoon, but Carl didn't know anyone here because he rarely gets out of the house everytime they visit, he wanted to stay at back at his grandparent's home but they were repainting it and waiting for it to dry so that was no option. So almost the rest of the day he sat at a branch of the elm tree and watched all the other kids play in the playground. He started to doze off after a while when he heard a girl spoke.

"Why are you up there all alone?"

He looked down to see a girl, about his age, wearing a bright yellow dress and her golden blonde hair tied in pigtails resting on each shoulder. Her eyes were full of curiosity and concern as she looked up at him from the ground.

"Ummm...I...uhhh...don't know actually," he shrugged.

"What's you're name?"

"Uhhh...Carl?"

"Okay, Carl. Don't you wanna play?" she gave him a toothy grin and he shook his head.

"I don't know anyone here," he scratched his head ans she immediately perked up.

"Oooooohhhhhh, you're new here aren't ya? Well come on. I'll introduce you to everyone."

Carl hesitated at first but eventually gave in. The girl took his hand and dragged him to the sandbox where the kids were playing. The kids stared at him like he was an alien or something and he swallowed nervously.

"Hey guys, this is Carl," she introduced him to her friends.

"This is Sophia," she pointed to girl with short blonde hair and was holding a doll, "Randall" she faced a boy with a goofy smile, showing his buck tooth. "The twins, Louise and Eliza," they held out their hands and Carl shook each warmly, "And there's Noah" she pointed to a black kid who gave a kind wave, "Last and not the least is Jimmy," she shoved Carl in front of a tall kid with brown hair and freckles on his face, he looked like he was the leader of their little gang. "And my name is Beth," she turned and beamed at him and he smiled back. They started to play games like tag, hide-and-seek, hopscotch and a bunch of other ones and Carl actually had fun playing with them. Although he could have sworn Jimmy was giving him an uneasy look the whole time especially when he's around Beth, but he just shrugged it off.

Time passes and the kids get fewer when their parents came by to get them. Carl and Beth sat by the swing as they talked. She seemed kinda disappointed when he told her that he was just on vacation and they'll be going back to Atlanta in a couple days.

"Did you have fun here?," she asked.

"Uh-huh" he replied and nodded.

"Well I'm glad you did," she stood up and held out her pinky finger.

"What's that?" his eyebrows furrowed.

"A pinky swear, you have to promise when you get back we'll meet again," she said seriously.

"Okay. I promise," he beamed and laced his pinky with hers as he heard their car pull up and Rick called out to him.

"Goodbye," she smiled and waved at him when he got in the car.

Carl rolled down the window and waved back at her, he never looked away as she got farther and farther from his view. Carl and Lori smiled at each other seeing that Carl made a new friend.

"Enjoy your day sweetie?" Lori asked.

"Yup," Carl replied with a bright smile.

"It looks like you made a new friend, what's her name?" Rick exclaimed proudly.

"Beth, and yeah looks like I did," he smiled once more as he looked out the window.

Carl's POV

"You did kept you're promise," Beth said which awakened me from my thoughts.

"I guess I did," I took her hand and stared at her, "And then some" I said before kissing her.