Promise

It was mid-December in 1998, the day before winter break at the University of the Great Lakes in the idyllic Michigan town of Upper West Osceola. A young couple rested on a chilly wooden bench, peering out onto the Quad, an open grassy space of pathways in the center of campus, now covered in a thick, fluffy blanket of freshly-fallen snow.

"Luke, are you looking forward to heading home?"

"Uh, I dunno, Morgan. On one hand, I haven't been back home in months. I miss my friends I left behind, I miss the familiarity. But I'm not looking forward to dealing with my parents."

Morgan gazed deeply into Luke's brilliant cerulean eyes, which provided a sparkling backdrop to the snowflakes gently falling on them both. "I hear you. I'll miss you so much during the break."

"I'll miss you too," he reciprocated, as he marveled at the contrast between Morgan's smooth caramel skin and the bright ivory winter softly dropping on her straight, silky ebony hair. "But I will call you."

"No, babe...don't. The last thing we need is for your parents to find out we're still together."

"Morgs, it's a chance I'm willing to take. I can't imagine not hearing your voice for three whole weeks."

She shook her head. "I get it. But remember what happened when your parents found out we were together in high school?"

He sighed. "Yeah, they said I couldn't see you anymore. But we're grown now. I will never leave you. I promise."