The Broken Promise-A teenage love story in Papua New Guinea

This is a fascinating story about love, hatred, and shamefulness. There is a young man named Jethro who is from a remote village on Siassi Island in Morobe Province. It was the first time for the freshman grade ten students to attend Emmanuel Lutheran High School in Lae city. Jethro’s uncle whose name is Nigel is like two brothers. They usually share secrets with each other and no matter what or under any circumstances. They always like father and son or either way around “two brothers”. They were selected to do grade ten at Emmanuel Lutheran High School. When the first day of schooling year, students were rushing to enroll their names. Walking towards the classroom with a scrubby little handbag, there came the young man. He sat on his chair in the classroom and was surprised to see that gorgeous girl from Manus Province came into the classroom and sat on the first row. He did not even know that she will fall in love with him. He was surprised to see that pretty looking lady in their class. She looks naturally beautiful, and hair is like those of Solomon island girls. It is yellow like a sunrise on the horizon when looking towards the deep ocean.

Days go by, the normal schooling hours continue and everybody enjoyed the new lifestyle of high school. The students started looking for friends and everybody could have friendships with other students from other provinces in Papua New Guinea. Apart from the diversity of languages and cultures, no matter what, love is the only ingredient that acts like bond. Some days later, students were introducing themselves in their class and they could know themselves, and call each other by name. Jethro and his uncle were in the same class, and they usually go to school together. One of the gorgeous girl named Rebecca from Kabwum, a mountainous area of Morobe Province falls in love with his uncle. They had really good friends even though they face hard times like traveling on a rough sea of life. Nigel’s girlfriend knows Susan every well, and she is her best friend. One day, Rebecca told Susan that she should take Jethro as his boyfriend so that they will have partners. At that very moment, Susan showed up her interest to Jethro. During the schooling days, she usually stares at Jethro and admires him. She is one of those gorgeous girls that every boy will want to talk to her and date her. At the school, they used to call her “mama garamut” in Tok Pisin which is the lingua franca of Papua New Guineans that means a garamut lady.

During the morning when Jethro came to the school and sat on his chair in the classroom. She proposed to him that she loves him very much, and ask if he could be his boyfriend forever. In that very moment, Jethro’s heart pumping very faster and he was surprised to hear that sweet and lovely voice from that pretty looking girl. He said yes to her that they will have a long-term friendship, and it is like waves from the ocean will not wash away. She looks into Jethro’s eyes and asks him about his background. “Where are you from?”, said Susan in a nice and gentle voice.

“I am from an island so-called Siassi far away from Morobe Province, and it is situated in the heart of Vitiaz Strait which is northeast of West New Britain Province”, answered Jethro. After that, she asked him for his number if they could text and call each. So Jethro gave his number to her. As the days go by, they have a very good relationship and go to school together. Smiling, laughing and making fun of each other, and sharing things at school. Jethro thought that their friendship will last forever. One day, something goes wrong and Susan was in a terrible situation, and it was troubling her so much, and she never wants to forgive Jethro. She met Rebecca at school and had a planned not talk to Jethro again at all. A few weeks ago, both of this girls stopped talking to him at school, and in the classroom. After the school was finished, Jethro walks slowly, and he can feel the real pain of love. He stood at the bus stop like a street burger, and Rebecca walked towards him. She could feel that she was betraying him, and held him tightly in front of the public, and she sobs bitterly. She begged Jethro to forgive her. Rebecca is like a mother to Jethro because she had a relationship with his uncle.

In that very moment, Jethro did not see any text message and phone calls from Susan. She stopped talking to him for some days. On 16th September 2017, it was the independence day celebration, and every people was very excited to celebrate it. The students from Bugandi Lutheran Secondary School were overcrowded at the school campus, and some of them dress in their traditional costumes to celebrate that very big event. Some of the students get drunk and they were enthusiastic.

Jethro and his uncle were on a bus and they were traveling to Bugandi Lutheran Secondary School to celebrate the independence day. He sat near the windows and looked outside; he was surprised to see her girlfriend Susan was walking with a guy. They were hugging each other, and the guy was drunk kissed her on her cheeks. In that every moment, it was like a lightning that struck his heart. He was really upset, and tears slowly roll down on his brown cheeks. It was a broken promised that fades like the clouds in the sky.