NNN - chris sturniolo - a broken promise
Tonight was the night — you were going to sing — on stage, in front of you don’t even know how many people. You were going to put your heart out there, which is something you normally never do.
You were currently standing backstage, your hands trembling nervously as you smoothed the fabric of your dress. Tonight was supposed to be perfect. Months of preparation had led to this moment — a performance you’d poured your heart into. It wasn’t just about proving yourself; it was about sharing a piece of your soul with the people who mattered most.
And Chris. He had promised.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he had said, cupping your face while pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. “Seriously, nothing could keep me from seeing you shine. I’ll be right there, fourth row, center.” he had said it like he was certain — determined.
But now, as the minutes ticked by, your chest tightened. The emcee announced your name, and you took a shaky breath. One last glance at the audience — one last, desperate attempt to spot his messy curls and mischievous grin.
He wasn’t there.
Swallowing the lump in your throat, you stepped into the spotlight. The applause was loud, but it felt distant, muted. You forced a smile and began, throwing yourself into the performance. Each word, each note, came out perfect — technically, at least. But the joy you’d imagined feeling? The pride? It was gone, replaced by a gnawing ache that only grew as you scanned the crowd again and again, hoping that maybe he’d show up late.
But He didn’t.
When the curtains fell and the night ended, you lingered backstage, clutching your phone. No calls. No texts. Nothing. Your friends and fellow performers congratulated you, but their words slid off like water. You gave polite smiles and murmured your thanks before slipping out into the cool night air.
The walk home was agonizing. Every step replayed the night in your mind: the empty chair in the audience, the promise Chris had made, the way you felt after not seeing his face sitting there in the crowd — to cheer you on.
By the time you reached your door, your phone buzzed in your pocket. With shaking hands you pulled the device out, His name flashing across the screen. And you stared at it — hesitating before you finally answered.
“Hey,” Chris said casually, like it was any other night. That made your blood boil — the frustration and feelings all nipping at your chest.
“Hey?” Your voice was sharp, cutting. “That’s all you have to say?” you seethed through gritted teeth. There was a long pause before chris began to speak. “What’s wrong?” he asked — did he not even realize what he had done?
“What’s wrong?” you repeated, your voice rising. “Chris, you promised you’d be there tonight. You swore. You looked me in the eyes and told me you wouldn’t miss it. And you weren’t there.” you spoke into the speaker — closing your front door behind you and walking to your room.
Another pause, longer this time. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot. I got caught up with the guys, and—”
“You forgot?” Your voice cracked, the pain slipping through the anger. “This wasn’t just some random thing, Chris. This was important to me. I was important to me. But I guess not to you.” you forced out, putting the phone on speaker as you threw it on the bed. You were so — so frustrated, slipping your shoes off and tossing them elsewhere.
“Wait, that’s not fair,” he protested. “I didn’t mean to forget. I swear, if I could go back—”
“You can’t,” you snapped, cutting him off. “You can’t keep doing this, Chris. You make promises, you swear they mean something, and then you break them like they’re nothing. Do you even realize how much it hurts?” your voice cracked at the end of your words.
“Of course I do,” he said, his voice softening. “I know I messed up, okay? I’m not perfect, but I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’d never do that on purpose.” and — his words felt like a knife. Sure he wouldn’t do it purposefully, but does that mean you’re just supposed to let it slide?
“But you did,” you said quietly, the anger ebbing into sorrow now. “You keep doing it, Chris. Every time you let me down, it gets harder to believe you’ll ever show up for me.” the exhaustion in your voice was evident — you were tired — he didn’t let you down every time, but that’s how it felt right now.
His voice broke slightly when he responds. “That’s not true. I care about you. I love you. You know that.” he breathed out — shuffling being heard on his end of the line.
You grabbed your phone again, sitting down on the edge of your bed now as you held the phone to your ear — no longer on speaker. “Do I?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “Because right now, it doesn’t feel like it.”
The silence that followed was heavy, and for a moment, you thought about hanging up. But then you heard more rustling sounds.
“Where are you?” he asked — a sense of urgency in his tone. You sighed, taking a moment before you responded. “At home. Why?” was all you said in return.
“I’m coming over,” he said firmly, the sound of keys being grabbed picking up through the line. You frowned, laying back flat on your bed. “Chris—” you started. “Please,” he interrupted. “Let me fix this. Just… just stay there. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” he rushed out.
And — you wanted to argue, but the exhaustion in his voice and your own stopped you. Reluctantly, you agreed. Saying a small ‘goodbye’ you hung up the phone, putting it next to you on your comforter. You felt uneasy to your stomach — he knew, he knew and he apologized, but why does it still feel like this?
True to his word, you heard a knock on your front door. Reluctantly, you shifted off your bed — walking out of the room and toward your front door. You took a breath before twisting the handle to reveal Chris in the other side. He was out of breath, his hair a mess, and his eyes wide with worry.
He looked up at you, smiling the best he could despite his breathing. “Can I come in ma?” he asked, his voice gentle. You nodded stepping aside, closing the door behind him and crossing your arms as he entered further.
His body turned to you as you stood by the door. “I messed up,” he started, his gaze locked on yours. “I know I did. And I know I’ve messed up before. I can’t tell you how sorry I am, because sorry doesn’t fix it. But I want to fix it. I want to do better — for you.” his voice held promise — it was sincere.
You felt your chest tighten. “Chris,” you said, your voice trembling, “do you even understand how it felt to sit there, waiting, hoping you’d walk through those doors? Do you know what it felt like to realize you weren’t coming?” you said, walking closer to his as your hand came out to poke at his chest.
He flinched, his face crumpling. “I don’t. I don’t know, and I hate that I made you feel that way. But I swear to you, I’m going to prove I can be better. I’ll do whatever it takes. Just… don’t give up on me.” he whispered.
You wanted to hold onto your anger, but the sincerity in his voice cracked your resolve. Your hand dropped to your side, eyes stinging from the held back tears. “You can’t just say it, Chris,” you whispered. “You have to show me.” you say, your eyes looking down to the floor now.
He stepped closer, his hand reaching for yours. “I will. I’ll show up for you every time, no matter what. I swear to you, this was the last time I’ll ever let you down like this.” And for the first time tonight, you saw the Chris you fell in love with — the one who meant every word he said, even if he didn’t always get it right.
You let yourself lean into him, the ache in your chest easing slightly. He wasn’t perfect, and you knew that. His arms wrapped around you and your face buried into his neck — your own arms dangling down at your sides.
You took a deep breath, letting your emotions subside as you tried to focus on the now. Sure he missed it — something that was so special to you, but…there were times you didn’t keep your promises either. You both weren’t perfect.
When you finally pulled back, Chris looked into your eyes. His hands coming up to cup your face — thumbs rubbing over your cheeks. “I love you so much baby…and i’m so, so sorry.” he whispered, leaning in to pressed a kiss to your lips.
You reciprocated, your arms coming up to wrap around his neck and his wrapped around the small of your back. “It’s — okay. Jus’ don’t do it again please.” you whispered between pecks, and he smiled.
“I promise ma, i promise.”
