1. “Island’s Engraved Promises”
Darwin Trinidad Carlos
It isAnne’sbirthdayandherfamilydecidestocelebrate herbirthday somewhere in calm place,
where theycanspendeachmomentmemorable for their beautiful daughter. Anne is the only girl and
youngestsiblingamongthe fourchildren. Anne looksso elegant: tall girl, having long hair, almond like
eyes, kissable lips, good complexion, intelligent, obedient a loving daughter and a beautiful girl.
Anne’sfatherdecidestocelebrate herbirthdayinabeautiful Islandnearbyprovince,where only
fewpeople knowandvisitthe Island. Astheyarrive inthe Island,everyone isbusy preparing the stuffs:
the food,tentto be used,fixingthe table andeverything. Anne decides to explore the beautiful Island
with her parents’ consent. In this beautiful Island, you can see the virgin trees out there and the
overlookingshore. Asshe walksinthe Islandshe isamaze bya unique tree,atree thatstand out among
the trees, it has good shade, masculine trunk and bloomed leaves from this unique tree you can still
hearthe wavesthatbrushout the white sands on the shore. She lay down her back at the trunk of the
tree and she closes her eyes, when she opens her eyes she is surprise that she’s not alone, she sees a
boy standing near her post.
“Hi, my name is Jake” said the boy
“I live nearby Island, near this Island” he added pointing the west side
“I’m Anne” she replied in a timid voice
“How often you come in this place?” asked Anne

2. “How often? Actually this is my first time to visit this beautiful Island. My family came nearby
Islandandplanningtostay forgood. The reasonwhyI’m here isthat I wantto explore thisexotic Island
because I find this Island interesting. Am I right Anne? said Jake
“Yes Jake!” she exclaimed
“Why are you here Anne?” asked Jake
“Today is my birthday, my 17th
birthday” replied Anne
“Me too, today is my birthday” exclaimed Jake
“Oh, really? We are celebrating our birthday today” said Anne
And they laughed and started knowing each other’s company, spilling jokes and singing songs.
Anne goes back in her family bringing a sweet smile and looks in love.
“Why does your smile look like that?” her mom asked
She tellsherfamilythatshe meta guy namedJake inthe Islandwholookshandsome,kindandfuntobe
with.
In theirfirstmeetingtheybecome friends,theymeetinthe Island every weekend. They made a bench
underthe tree where they met and they also built a wooden table. They enjoy each other’s company.
But as the day goes by Anne and Jake establish special affection to each other but no one notices that
feeling.
“I engraved our names in this tree” exclaimed Jake pointing out the tree
“This is the symbol of our friendship, and when this young tree grows and you still see our
names on it, it only means that our friendship won’t fade”

3. “I am coming in this place every year and this exact day is our birthday” said Jake
That day, they made their promises. They don’t know if those promises will stand through the test of
time. Jake needstoleave andgo far away from Anne for his studies; he keeps his promise to be in the
Island every year on their birthday.
Their 18th
birthday comes and they celebrate their birthdays happy.
“Happy 18th
birthday best friend Anne” said Jake
“Happy birthday too best friend” replied Anne
Theyare singing,playing,eatingandmostof the time theyare laughingineverysingle joke they shared
together.
Time goesby,so fastand it’stheir19th
birthday. Anne goestotheirmeetingplace underthe tree which
is now grown tall and more masculine. Their names are still engraved on the tree, she’s surprise that
Jake was not there, and she waits until sunset but unfortunately Jake didn’t come. That day she felt a
total sadness,she thoughtthatshe losther bestfriend. Butfar behindJake ispresentandlooking at his
bestfriend’slonelinessbuthe letgo. He doesn’t know the reason why he let his best friend alone and
sad.
The followingyear,Anne isattheirmeetingplace sitting on the bench under the tree, wishing her best
friendwill appeartocover her eyes from her back like the way he used to, but Jake didn’t come again.
Anne never bothers herself to take a look at their engraved names on the tree. Unknowingly Jake is
always behind her, watching his best friend’s grown more beautiful and sexy.
Their 20th
birthday comes, and Anne really misses her best friend Jake.

4. “Mom, don’t you remember that today is also Jake’s 20th
birthday? exclaimed Anne
“Oh, I forgot that you have the same birthday” replied her mom
“I made a cake for him” added Anne
She turns back, bringing the cake leading the way to the Island. In their meeting place she sits on the
benchand placedthe cake on the woodentable. She missesherbestfriend’shandsome face she saw 3
yearsago. She closeshereyesforshe doesn’tknow how longitwas,whenshe openshereyesshe looks
at the tree, she sees a new engraved name and it really catches her attention. There is something
engravedarounditfar behindandshe comescloserandread herbestfriend’sname andthere isa heart
shape around her best friend’s name. But her name wasn’t there, she thinks that Jake went there
maybe withhisnewbestfriendor worsts his girl friend. She really feels a total sadness. Unknowi ngly
her mom followed her in the Island to observe Anne.
“Oh my God!What thismeans?Doeshe have anotherbestfriendandthey always come here?”
exclaimed Anne
Then Anne begins to cry and asks herself.
“Let’s go Anne, it’s getting late!” her mom called her from far behind
“He will never come back here again” her mom added
She brings out a piece of paper and a pen and begins to write.

5. Dear Jake,
As we have promised,Iwill always be here every year. Even things are getting worst between
the two of us. I still don’t know how to tell you but I know my self more than you do. I’m sorry best
friend, but I already fall in love with you Jake and I missed you so much best friend.
Love,
Anne
She putsdownthe penandput a stone on top of the paper andkissed it. She standscryingleavingthe
place. WhenAnne andher momleaved,Jake urgentlyrantowardthe benchadeagerlyreadswhat
Anne hadwritten. Ashe reads the letter,he smiledandpromisedhimself thathe will show upnext
year.
For Jake,time passessoslowlyfromthenon. Itis a longnavigationforhimto waitforthat veryspecial
day. Jake isgoingto tell Anne whathe reallyfeelsforAnne since he metAnne.
Finallythe dayhe waitedforsolonghas come. The day of tellinghisfeelingsfor Anne.
Jake wakesupearlyinthe morningandhe prepareshimself tomeethisbelovedbestfriend. He wears
hisnewestclothes,he fixeshishairandputfragrant. As he walkshe smilestoeverypeople he meets.
As he arrivesinthe Islandhe hurriedly runtotheirmeetingplace.
He sitson the benchwhere exactlyAnne satlastyearhe saw her crying.

6. “I will never let my best friend cry again” said Jake
But Anne didn’t come to view once more. So Jake starts engraving “I Love You” around the heart he
engraved last time.
“Anne, please help yourself and no one can cure you, except yourself” he mom said
“Go out and hang-out with your other friends” her mom added
“I don’t want any other friends, all I want is Jake”
“Even though I lost my best friend” exclaimed Anne with cruel voice and begins to cry
She gives her mom the saddest smile ever and she goes out to their meting place. Anne sits on the
bench, where she actually sits in and she closes her eyes and trying to hold her tears from falling.
“You are late!”
She hearsthe familiarvoice behind,she knowsthatvoice deeplyand she strongly believes that voice is
herbestfriend’s. She hasnevermistakenthatvoice. The voice she missedsomuch. But she thinksthat
it’sjusta dream. Jake walkscloser tocoverhis bestfriend’seyeswithhishandsthe way he used to and
Anne is surprise in that moment.
“Jake! Is that you?” asked Anne
“Yes best friend, it’s me. I’ve read your letter the last time you came here. I was just behind
watching you and I was afraid to show up near by you because I don’t have the courage to say what I
feel for you best friend” said Jake
Jake spills out joke to make Anne smile and to lessen the burden. And to make Anne happy.

7. “I feel the same,aswhatyou wrote and evenmore than you feel. I love you best friend. I love
you Anne” exclaimed Jake with strong feeling
Anne couldn’tfindthe rightwordstosay,all she knowshertearsare continuouslyflowing. Anne givesa
tight hug to Jake, until Jake asks something.
“Now Anne, I want to ask your permission. May I engrave your name inside the heart next to
my name?” asked Jake pointing out the masculine tree
But Anne didn’t respond and tightly hug Jake with strong affection of love.
“I love you Jake!” said Anne
“I love you too Anne, more than you’ll ever know!” exclaimed Jake
ThenJake starts engravingAnne’sname insidethe heartnesttohisname. And theykiss each other and
made another promise that they will love each other until the end of time.
Anne and Jake go back to Anne’s mother bring the good news that they are formally committed and
they truly love each other.
Afterfive yearsof beingcommittedandfiveyearsof beingfoolishwith each other. They decided to tie
the knot on their 26th
birthday and they live foolishly with each other. True love conquers everything
and true love searches true heart.