The Memory

   "Promise?" She asks.
   "Swear." He murmurs, and she smiles, because she thinks she's heard the right answer. But she hasn't. He doesn't make promises he knows he can't keep. But she's never known.
----
   "Will you love me forever?" Her soft voice is like a breeze, rushing into his ears.
   "Forever's a long time." He tells her, and he thinks he might be hurting her.
   "I know." He can hear the hurt in her voice. "You don't think you'll love me that long?"
   "I'm not sure, flower." And he hears her take a deep breath. He wants to assure her everything's going to be okay, but he can't promise things he knows he can't keep.
----
   "Promise me something." I hear her voice whisper and I hope she didn't feel me tense.
   "I don't know if-" I start to say, but she cuts me off.
   "Please?"
----
   "Do you even love me anymore?" Her voice is so full of pain. It sickens him and makes him want to run.
   "Do you love me?" It's not fair of him to do this to her.
   "I don't know anymore."
   "I'm sorry about everything."
   "Everything? But that's so much."
   "I know."
----
   "This is why I didn't promise?" He tells her.
   "You knew all along?"
   "No. I feared."
   "You didn't have hope?"
   "I don't believe in hope."
   "Oh." She nods her head, and she starts to turn away. Before he's even noticed, she's far gone in the distance.
   And all she's left to be, is a broken memory.