Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 6

**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time by Dael Rowan Sire**

That night, sleep eluded me like a distant dream, slipping through my fingers as I lay wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling. I had just finished assembling my bed, the creaks and groans of the old wood echoing in the stillness of the room. My mind, however, was a whirlwind of memories, replaying the last eighteen years of my life like an old home movie, flickering and grainy, yet vividly alive.

Dylan and I had truly grown up side by side, our families living just a stone’s throw away from each other, separated only by a weathered wooden fence that had seen better days. I could almost picture those carefree days of childhood, when he would effortlessly hop over that fence to join me for an afternoon of adventure.

I vividly remember that one time he attempted to vault over the fence and miscalculated his jump, landing hard and scraping his knee. Instead of crying or sulking, he burst into laughter, as if the pain was merely a fleeting annoyance. “I’m fine, Ivy! Just a little scratch!” he had exclaimed, brushing off the dirt as if it were nothing.

But my heart ached at the thought of my own six-year-old self, a time when the world had turned upside down. My parents had been taken from me in a tragic car accident while I was at after-school care, leaving me in a state of incomprehensible grief. Mrs. Johnson, the kind-hearted caregiver, had struggled to find the words to explain to a child that her mother and father would never return.

It was in that moment of despair that Dylan had burst through the door, his small frame radiating warmth and comfort. He enveloped me in a tight embrace, whispering softly, “It’s okay, Ivy. I’ve got you.” He was just a year older than me, maybe an inch taller, yet he felt like my protector in that moment. That hug had been my lifeline, pulling me back from the edge of sorrow.

After that fateful day, I moved in with my grandmother, who tried her best to fill the void left by my parents. Dylan’s mother, sensing my loneliness, would frequently invite me over for dinner. “Ivy’s like my own daughter,” she would say with a smile, her warmth wrapping around me like a cozy blanket.

At their dinner table, she would heap food onto my plate, insisting, “Eat more, sweetie. You’re nothing but skin and bones.” I could never refuse her, and I often left their home feeling both full and loved.

Dylan, too, took care of me in his own way. Every morning, we walked to school together, his hand always finding mine. “How are your hands always so cold?” he would tease, a playful grin on his face.

“I don’t know,” I would reply, shivering slightly.

“Here, I’ll hold them longer till they warm up,” he would insist, his hands enveloping mine, radiating warmth that felt like sunshine breaking through a cloudy sky.

On rainy days, he would tilt the umbrella over me, ensuring I stayed dry while he took the brunt of the downpour. By the time we reached school, his right shoulder would be soaked, and I would feel a pang of guilt. “You’re totally drenched,” I would say, concern etched on my face.

He would merely shrug it off, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’m tough. A little rain won’t kill me.” But inevitably, he would catch a cold the very next day, and his mother would unleash her worry on him, scolding him for not taking care of himself.

Then came middle school, a time when the innocence of childhood began to fade. Some bullies started to target me, hurling cruel words like “worthless orphan” that pierced through my heart. Dylan, however, was not one to sit idly by. He exploded into action, launching himself at them without a second thought, fighting like a warrior determined to protect his own.

The aftermath was chaos—black eyes and split lips were the trophies of his bravery. The principal had to call home, and Dylan’s mother faced the consequences, paying for doctor visits and writing apology notes. I felt a heavy weight of guilt settle on my shoulders. “Why’d you do that?” I asked, bewildered by his reckless courage.

He looked at me as if I had lost my mind. “They were being jerks to you. What else was I gonna do?”

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