Maya shrugged.
“Because that’s what people should do.”
The simplicity of her answer stunned him.
He had spent years believing kindness always came with conditions.
Maya proved otherwise.
The Promise
One evening, they sat on a hill overlooking the town.
The sunset painted the sky in shades of orange and gold.
Ethan stared at the distant houses.
Many were larger than anything he had ever imagined living in.
“I hate being poor,” he admitted.
Maya looked at him.
“You won’t always be poor.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you never stop working.”
Ethan laughed.
“I’m twelve.”
“Exactly.”
“You really think I’ll be successful someday?”
“I know you will.”
Her confidence felt impossible.
Nobody had ever believed in him like that before.
Not even himself.
After a long silence, Ethan spoke.
“When I’m rich, I’ll marry you.”
Maya burst out laughing.
“You will?”
“Absolutely.”
“That’s your big plan?”
“Yep.”
“What if I don’t want to marry you?”
Ethan grinned.
“You will.”
She rolled her eyes.
But secretly, she smiled.
Then she held out her hand.
“Deal.”
He shook it.
Neither child understood how important that moment would become.
Life Pulls Them Apart
The years passed quickly.
Middle school became high school.
High school became graduation.
Life grew more complicated.
Maya excelled academically.
Ethan worked every part-time job he could find.
They remained close despite busy schedules.
But shortly after graduation, life intervened.
Maya earned a scholarship several states away.
Ethan stayed behind to help support his mother.
The night before Maya left, they met beneath their old oak tree.
Neither wanted to say goodbye.
Neither knew how.
“I’ll come back,” Maya promised.
“You better.”
“You’ll probably be rich by then.”
Ethan smiled.
“I’m working on it.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Maya hugged him.
The embrace lasted only seconds.
