Third Person's POV
Five years old
Zayden sat in his college classroom, his eyes wandering out the window as his mind drifted to memories of his childhood—memories of Shayla. The past was always lingering in his mind, but sometimes, especially on days when the air felt familiar or when he heard certain songs, those memories came rushing back like they were just waiting to be remembered. It was as if everything that happened so many years ago was still vivid and fresh.
He closed his eyes for a moment and let the memories take him back to a simpler time—the days when he and Shayla were inseparable, the days when they were five and seven years old. Back then, everything seemed possible, and their bond was stronger than anything they had ever known.
“Catch me if you can, Den-Den!” sigaw ni Shayla, ang kanyang maikling buhok ay pumapalo sa hangin habang mabilis na tumatakbo si Zayden.
“Lala, you can’t outrun me!” sagot ni Zayden, na may malaking ngiti sa kanyang mukha habang mabilis siyang sumusunod sa kanya.
Hindi nagtagal at nahulog si Shayla sa damuhan, hindi na kayang tumakbo pa, kaya si Zayden ay mabilis na tumalon sa kanya, tinatapatan siya sa kabila ng kanilang tawanan.
“You’re it, Lala!” tawanan ni Zayden.
Si Shayla, medyo hingal, ay tumingin sa kanya. “Hindi mo ako mahuhuli, Den-Den,” wika niya habang tinutukso siya, gamit ang palayaw na ibinigay niya sa kanya.
Tinutukso-tukso pa ni Zayden si Shayla, “Oh, I will. I’m faster than you,” sabay ngiti. Halos magkatabi na sila, ngunit hindi nila alintana ang mga oras at nagpatuloy ang kanilang laro ng tag.
They both giggled, rolling around in the grass like they didn’t have a care in the world. Their small bodies were covered in dirt, but it didn’t matter. They were happy, and in that moment, everything seemed perfect.
After a while, they sat up, gazing at the clear sky. Zayden looked at Shayla, his usual playful expression replaced by something a little more serious.
“Lala, no matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you. We’re friends forever,” sabi ni Zayden, ang tinig niya seryoso.
Si Shayla ay tumingin sa kanya, may malalaking mata. “Forever? You mean it, Den-Den?” tanong niya, ang boses niya parang halos hindi marinig.
“I mean it,” sabi ni Zayden. “We’ll always be together, Lala. You’ll always be my Lala, and I’ll always be your Den-Den.”
Sumang-ayon si Shayla at ngumiti. “Promise?”
“Promise,” sagot ni Zayden, agad nilang ipinatong ang mga daliri nila para iselyo ang pangako. Isang simpleng kilos, ngunit para sa kanila, ito na ang nagpapatibay sa kanilang pagkakaibigan. Wala silang alalahanin, dahil sa mga panahong iyon, pakiramdam nila ang kanilang koneksyon ay walang hanggan.
The Day He Left (8 years old)
The next day came, and Zayden’s family was leaving. The moving truck was already packed, the final boxes loaded, and Zayden stood in the corner of the living room, watching everything happen without saying a word. He didn’t want to say goodbye—he couldn’t. He couldn’t bear to see the pain in Shayla’s eyes again, couldn’t bear to tell her that everything they had promised was no longer possible. So, he did the only thing he thought he could do—he left without a word.
In the early hours of the morning, Zayden’s family left. No goodbyes. No promises. No closure.
Years Later
As Zayden grew older, his life moved on. He made new friends, adjusted to his new life, and tried to forget the heartache of leaving Shayla behind. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the memories of her.
He would think about her sometimes—about their promise, their laughter, their dreams of staying together forever. There were nights when he couldn’t sleep, wondering if she ever forgave him, wondering if she ever thought of him the way he thought of her.
The guilt never really went away. The regret of leaving without saying goodbye haunted him. He had broken his promise to Shayla without even realizing how much it would hurt her. But now, all he could do was wonder: did she ever think of him? Did she still call him Den-Den in her heart?
Zayden wasn’t sure, but one thing was for sure—he could never forget Lala, the girl who had meant everything to him.
On the other side, Shayla’s life moved on, but a part of her would always be stuck in that moment—the moment when Zayden left without a word. The promise they made felt like a distant memory, one she had tried to bury deep inside.
She had tried to forget him, but the pain of his absence never truly went away. There were times when she would hear his name mentioned, or see someone who reminded her of him, and the ache in her chest would return, sharp and raw.
She had grown up, made new friends, and even fallen in love with others, but nothing ever felt the same. She still remembered the way Zayden’s laughter had filled her heart, the way his presence had made everything seem okay. But he was gone. And for all the years that followed, she never got the answers she needed. Why did he leave? Why didn’t he say goodbye?
Now, sitting in her room, those memories hit her once more. The promise they had made—would it ever be possible to keep it? Would she ever see him again? Did he even remember her?
As the night stretched on, Shayla couldn’t shake the thought that one day, she would find the answers. One day, she would have the closure she needed, even if it meant facing the pain again. But for now, she was left with the memories of a time when promises felt unbreakable and love was something as simple as a pinky swear.
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WHEN FOREVER MEANT UNTIL (WHEN SERIES #1)
RomanceZayden and Shayla were inseparable, they were each other's first love - two bright, adventurous children growing up in the same small town, sharing tree forts, secrets, and dreams bigger than their backyard. But everything changed the summer they tu...
