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"Tag, you're it!" An overly-hyper Tre said to his best friend, Billie Joe. They ran around the small park care-free, playing whatever game came to mind, even if it was the simplest of games. Tre was always determined to be the one to win, demanding do-overs when he knew he wasn't going to win.

Billie ran as fast as he could, trying to keep up with that friend of his. Tre was the smaller of the two, even for the age of 6. The two seemed almost nothing alike at first glance, but watch the two of them for even a few minutes and you see the bond the two share. Even if the two were used to nap time and just starting school only a year before.

Tre slowed down a moment, which was a moment too long; Billie grabbed the tail of Tre's shirt, causing Tre to be tugged, trip and the both of them to fall. Billie almost flipped over top of Tre but by accident had landed on top of Tre, seeming huge in comparison to the boy below him.

The two stared intently at each other for a few second before bursting into a fit of giggles. Billie rolled off of being on top of Tre and landed on his back, looking up at the sky. To the two young boys, nothing was more complicated than winning whatever game they were playing that day.

"Hey, Billie?" Tre asked with a hopeful tone. Billie looked over to his friend, watching the emotion bounce in his blue eyes. Tre went from looking at Billie to looking up at the sky, seeming at ease. As if the world was as simple as winning a game of tag, or maybe hide-and-seek.

"Whataya want, Tre?" Billie asked in return. Tre was staying silent; he often spaced out, just thinking, so he was used to waiting for his friend to answer. Finally, he say Tre look back at him, looking oddly serious.

"Do you think we'll be friends..forever?" Tre asked, saying the last word with wonder. Billie stared long at his friend, thinking about what he meant. The question was simple, but he wasn't sure why Tre asked. He thought, 'Of course,' and tried to do the same thing.

"Forever and ever, Tre." Billie said, with a smile on his face. He watched a grin break out on Tre's face after he heard the answer. The two layed in the grass, staring up at the clouds passing by. The both of them took turns pointing out shapes in the clouds.

Soon the two got bored with the clouds, trying to find another game to play. Something any typical pair of 6-year olds would do. But these two weren't the typical type. The two of them shared a bond that the two weren't completely aware of, but would when the time comes.

Even it took Billie and Tre years and years, the two would realize just how special their friendship and relationship was.

+10 years later+

"Take that back, Tre!" Billie yelled, running after his friend. There was only so many places he could hide, being at Billie house. Not to mention the fact that some of Billie's older siblings were at home. They would have wanted to be left alone rather than be beother by one of their baby brothers friends.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Tre yelled back, a smug tone in his voice. He thought it was fun, saying things that made Billie chase after him. He didn't remember what he said, but whatever it was, it got Billie going.

Billie merely growled in response, trying to keep up with his friend. As long as he kept an eye on the blond hair, he wouldn't lose track of him. Up and out the front stairs he followed after Tre, waiting for his chance to grab at him.

He almost forgot that Tre was always over-hyper, full of energy..so he didn't know just when he'd get that chance. He could keep Billie running after him for hours.

Making it outside and to the backyard, Tre stumbled and Billie saw his chance. As he watched Tre recover, he grabbed at his shirt tail and the two of them took a spill. Tre almost went face first but turned at the last second and landed hard on his back, which caused Billie to land right on top of him.

The two stared at each oteher, somewhat remembering the last time they were in this situation. Only now, things were different; the two were older, they had new interests, developed the ability to have feelings they could'nt have had when only 6-years old.

Neither was able to admit to themselves, much less to each other, that their new interests were each other. And neither of them had realized this until now.

Billie stared down at his friend, figuring out how uncomfortable this situation was. Tre felt Billie push himself off and he felt his cheeks grow red at the thought that came to mind. Him and Billie had always been best friends, they promised they always would be.

But things just seemed..different now. He cound himself occasionally staring at Billie, his head in the clouds. Billie can never know, he thought to himself, things could ultimately backfire.

"..Sorry 'bout that.." Billie said awkwardly. He had a million thoughts running through his head, one sticking out more than others: Was there something there, between him and Tre?

His friend was always the oddball-type, so he wasn't sure if the way he acted was just simply because it was the type of person he was, or it was because he was showing interest in Billie.

"Don't worry about it..I started it. Sorry.." Tre said, head once again in the clouds. The longer the two kept quiet, the more Tre thought about what it be liked if the two of them weren't just best friends. But more than friends. He wondered if Billie felt something as well, but he couldn't be sure.

The both of them turned their heads to look into each others eyes. "You remember when we were little, we made that promise?" Billie asked, Tre nodding in response. Billie chewed his lip, wondering how to word what he was trying to say.

"Well.. I know we said we'd be friends forever, but we were little.." Billie said, drifting, "Don't you think.. Now that we're older, we can be..more?" he asked. It was the simplest way he could think of asking without successfully putting is foot in his mouth, embarrassing himself.

Tre looked at his friend in silence. A few minutes ago, he only thought of him as a friend. But now, he was thinking about the possibilities that it could be more. "More, do you mean.. what I think you're asking?" he asked in response. He knew that he heard Billie right, but he just couldn't believe it.

Billie racked his brain for whatever else he could've meant when he asked Tre that question. He just nodded, hoping that Tre's reaction wouldn't totally be the opposite of what he was hoping for. To try and be reassuring, he smiled at his friend.

The biggest smile he had ever seen broke out on Tre's face. That smile made any doubt in the back of Billie's head dissapear like a flash. Seeing it sent a warm feeling through him, knowing his friend felt the same way. They may still be friends, but now he knew there was something there.

Billie shared the same smile and he used his hand nearest to Tre and took it in his. It was simple, but it was a start. He wasn't going to try anything now, just getting used to being extra close to him was enough for Billie.

At 6 years old, they made a promise to be friends forever. They kept that promise, and they always will. But at least now, they have a little more to fight for.