Chapter 88 7 Promises

Chapter 88 7 Promises
Milie's POV

Sammy started reading while Daxton looked away.

"Number one. No matter how small the problem is, you will tell me everything. You will keep no secrets from me."

"Number two. Your shoulder should always be available to me, no matter how old we are. You know I can't open up to anyone other than you."

"Number three. You will always make time for me. No matter how busy you get, you have to meet me or talk to me every day."

"Number four. If you ever fall in love, you will tell me first."

Sammy's eyes widened. He looked at me. "Wow."

I ignored him. He continued.

"Number five. You will allow no one, not even your future boyfriend or husband, to come between our friendship."

"Number six. I know we will never fight, but if we do, you will never give up on me. You will do everything you can to protect our friendship."

"Number seven." His voice softened. "Promise me you'll always be beside me."

Then, at the bottom:

Punishment: Breaking one rule—twenty squats.

I hereby promise to stand by all seven promises.

Signed,
Milie.

Sammy stared at the page. "When did you guys do this?"

"Eighth grade."

"And you kept this?" Sammy looked at Daxton.
“Yeah, so did I,” I answered. 

I looked at Daxton. His eyes were still lowered.

I swallowed. "Sammy, how many promises?"

Sammy looked at the page. "Seven."

My eyes filled. "I broke six."

He finally looked at me. His jaw tightened. "Milie…"

"Except one." I squat down. "I never gave up on you, and never."

I began doing squats. "One." 

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

Daxton's eyes widened. "Milie, stop."

“Oh, no. Are you gonna do 140?" Sammy said, emphasizing 140.

I kept going. Daxton rubbed his forehead. "This was written when we were kids."

"Five."

"It meant nothing."

"Six."

"You don't have to punish yourself."

"Seven."

"Eight."

Daxton walked towards me. "Milie."

"Nine."

"Stop."

"Ten."

My legs were already beginning to burn, but I continued.

His voice cracked. "Please."

I looked up at him. 

"I promised too, Milie. I broke too." His facial expression softened.  

I continued. Not because I wanted to hurt myself. Not because I wanted to manipulate him.

But because I wanted him to understand something.

I wasn't asking him to forget. I wasn't asking him to forgive me immediately.

I was simply refusing to abandon what we had built together.

Daxton's frustration slowly turned into worry. “Milie, enough.”

I shook my head.

"I'm not finished."

Daxton stepped toward me and held me. "Enough, you've made your point."

I stumbled forward. He caught me before I fell. For a second, neither of us moved.

Then his arms tightened around me. "You okay? My girl…"

My eyes immediately filled. It had been days since I'd heard him call me that.

I closed my eyes against his chest. Daxton wiped the sweat from my forehead.

"Don't ever do something like this again."

His voice cracked. "Don't hurt yourself just to make me talk to you."

I smiled weakly. "I knew you'd take care of me."

He stared at me. "That isn't funny."

"I know." My voice softened. "But I need to know you still care."

His eyes filled. "You're impossible."

"Don’t you know?"

He pulled me closer, and I finally let myself breathe. Sammy quietly handed Daxton a bottle of water.

Daxton held it to my lips. "Drink."

I took a small sip, then another. 

"Do you realize how ridiculous this was?”

"Yes."

"And you're smiling?"

"Yes, because you hugged me." I looked into his eyes. 

His expression crumbled. "This isn't fair."

I smiled sadly. "You're right."

I touched his arm. "I won't emotionally blackmail you again."

His eyes stayed on mine. 

"You can take as much time as you need." I swallowed. 

"But I need you to know something."

I placed my hand over his. "When you are ready, this shoulder will still be here."

His eyes glistened. "Milie…"

"Don't promise me you'll forgive me today." I shook my head.

"I don't need that. I want you to talk to me when you're ready."

I took a breath. "Yell at me. Be angry. Tell me I hurt you. Tell me everything I did wrong."

My voice broke. "But don't disappear. Don't keep everything inside."

Daxton looked down. "I don't know how to forgive you yet."

"I know."

"I don't know how to look at Alan and pretend everything is fine."

"I know."

His eyes finally met mine. "But…" He swallowed.

"I'll try."

My heart stopped. 

"For you, my angel."

I smiled through my tears. "That is enough, Dax. Thanks."

I wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back. Not because everything was fixed.

But because something had finally begun to heal.

"Do you people have space for me?" Sammy's voice broke the silence.

Daxton laughed softly. He opened one arm.

Sammy immediately threw himself into the hug. I ended up trapped between them.

"Finally," Sammy muttered. "My people are back."

I laughed. Daxton ruffled his hair.

"Always dramatic."

"Still your favorite."

"Finally accepted." Daxton rolled his eyes. 

I looked at both of them. My boys. My home. Maybe things weren't the same yet.

But for the first time in months, they didn't feel completely broken.

I wiped my tears. "We have to leave."

Daxton's smile faded slightly. "Right."

"Alan would probably be pacing outside."

Sammy snorted. "He definitely is."

Daxton nodded in understanding. He didn't ask me to stay. I didn't ask him to come outside.

We weren't ready for that yet, and that was okay.

"See you tomorrow, bro," Sammy said.

Daxton nodded. "Yeah."

I smiled. "Bye, Dax.”

He held my gaze. "Bye, Angel."

My heart squeezed. But this time, I left smiling.

"That was a masterstroke!" Sammy said. "Why didn’t you come up with this before?"

"I forgot about it. While leaving, I was packing our stuff. It was then that I came across the letter."

"Where is yours? Signed by Daxton?" 

I pulled it from the pocket. "Here you go," I said smiling. 

Outside, Alan was exactly where I expected him to be, pacing beside the car.

The moment he saw me, he stopped. "Did he?"

I nodded. "Almost."

His entire face changed. Relief flooded his expression.

He pulled me into his arms and lifted me off the ground. "Oh god, I am so happy."

I laughed. "Put me down."

He did and kissed my forehead. "My heart is finally at peace."

I touched his cheek. "It was never your fault."

"Somewhere it was, but anyways…" 

He then looked at me for a long moment, and then reluctantly asked, "Do you still want to go?"

"Yes."

His eyebrows lifted. "You're sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, for you, for Dad, and for myself."

I smiled. "Don't I need to become independent?"

He smiled. "You do."

Then his expression softened. "I just don't know how I'm going to live without seeing you every day."

"You'll survive."

We smiled when Sammy walked past us, still reading the letter. 

"I wish you could drive," Alan said, pointing at Sammy. 

"If you want, you can teach me." He shrugged. "For future trips."

I laughed. "Look who's suddenly useful."

Sammy opened the car’s backdoor.

"Go sit next to your boyfriend so he doesn't have to stare at you through the rearview mirror."

My cheeks warmed. "Shut up."

I nudged him while Alan laughed.

We got into the car, and Alan held out his hand. I took it.

"Ready?"

I looked once more toward Daxton's house, then at Alan, then at the road ahead.

I smiled. "Yeah, happily."

And this time, when the car pulled away, I wasn't leaving behind everything I loved.

I was carrying all of it with me.