[ WP ] A child makes a lifelong promise .

( First submission, so criticize away ) 
 
 Billy and Teresa sat together on the swings. Both were only eight years into their lives. Both were the best of friends and were rarely seen apart. 
 Teresa's father was the mayor of their town, a small place in backwoods Tennessee called West Wood. 
 Teresa's father was also the worst kind of man. He abused Teresa on a regular basis. The bruises and scars on her body showed evidence of the fact. 
 With both only being eight, neither knew what they should do. The did n't have free access to the police, they had no knowledge of the CPA, let alone what it was. 
 Billy was the only person in this miserable town that Teresa trusted anymore. Anyone else she had opened up to had quickly abandoned her and now avoided her like the plague. 
 `` I ca n't take this anymore,'' Teresa said through tears. 
 `` You wo n't have to go through this alone,'' said Billy in an attempt to comfort her, `` I'll always be here if you need me.'' 
 
 Sadly, this promise would n't last long. Within the next year, Billy was assisting his parents in packing up their house to move across the country. 
 On the last night that they would be together, Billy and Teresa once again sat together on the swing set. 
 `` I still do n't want to believe that you're moving away,'' Teresa said, holding back tears. 
 `` Just remember what I told you,'' said Billy, embracing his friend, `` I'll always be here for you.'' 
 
 Many years have passed since the two last saw each other. Both went on with their lives, unaware if what was happening to the other. 
 Billy spent many years always thinking about Teresa, wondering where she was and what she was doing now. At this point in their lives they were both in their mid-twenties. 
 
 Billy sat at his desk. He worked as a developer for a large, internet-based company. With his current project being due in only a few days, he had decided to stay late to finish up a few lines of code. 
 When he saw that the computer's clock read midnight, he decided that he'd best head home for the night. 
 While driving, the heavens opened wide and released the tears if the gods. The downpour was unheard of in terms of size and made the roads entirely unsafe to drive on. 
 Billy pulled over to the side of the road to wait out the storm. He switched on his lights and turned off his car. 
 Out of the blue, a woman appeared. She walked through the pouring rain without a jacket, umbrella, or any form of shelter or protection. 
 Once the woman was close, a look of shock came over Billy's face. It was her. It was Teresa. 
 Billy jumped out of the car. Teresa noticed and looked over. As she did, a look of shock came over her face as well. They ran and embraced each other. 
 `` I will always be here if you need me,'' he whispered I to her ear
