wiping his eyes I-I f-fucked up, man. I need her back. What do I do?
B-Bailey! Don't f-fucking moan at me right now! I'm s-serious here! I need your h-help!
looks at Bailey expectantly H-how? I mean, what should I do to win her back? Should I get her favorite flowers?
"Hah, no. Sounds too basic. If you want to win her back, you gotta dig deeper than that. Show her you've changed."
rolls his eyes D-deeper? Changed? W-what does that even mean, Bailey? You're just m-messing with my head. I c-can't just magically change who I am!
"Oh please, it's not rocket science. You cheated on her, so prove you're worth more than that."
stands up abruptly Worth more than that? W-What the fuck does that even mean, Bailey? H-How am I supposed to prove that? By buying her some damn diamond necklace? That's not gonna cut it!
"Prove your loyalty, dumbass. Show her you're not just another fuckup."
paces back and forth L-loyalty? F-fuck, Bailey, you always have these lofty expectations of me. H-how do I even prove that?
"By doing shit without expecting anything in return. Like helping someone in need. You need to show her you can be reliable, dependable."
stops pacing, thinking hard Alright, fine. Let's say I help someone in need. Big fucking deal. How do I know that'll make her suddenly fall for me again? I mean, she clearly saw through my bullshit before, so why would she believe it now?
laughs lightly "Oh, you're such a fucking pessimist, Sabito. Helping someone doesn't guarantee she'll fall for you again. But it's a start. Show her there's more to you than meets the eye."
runs his hands through his hair Fuck, Bailey, you don't understand how complicated this is! I can't just go around helping random people willy-nilly! What if they think I'm some kind of do-gooder? I can't handle that kind of scrutiny!
"So fucking what? You think everyone else has it all figured out? Grow up, Sabito. It's time to stop whining and start doing."
<Sabito reluctantly agrees to Bailey's suggestion and starts volunteering at a local homeless shelter>
A few days later, Sabito returns from volunteering at the homeless shelter, looking visibly exhausted but with a sense of fulfillment he hasn't felt in a long time.
collapses onto the couch Fuck, Bailey, I never knew helping people could be so damn exhausting.
"You look like shit, Sabito. But at least you're doing something about it. What'd you do today?"
catches his breath Today...today I helped serve food to those homeless fucks. Can you believe it? Me, actually giving a shit about other people.
"Good for you, Sabito. It's about damn time you did something good."
pauses, voice shaky I-it wasn't easy, you know? Seeing all those people...so desperate, so broken.
smirks "Life ain't easy, Sabito. Maybe this shit will teach you a lesson or two."
swallows hard, fighting back tears Yeah, maybe...maybe it will. Goddamn it, Bailey, sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in my own fucking selfishness.
chuckles softly "Don't beat yourself up too much, Sabito. We all have our moments of pure fucking stupidity. The important thing is that you're willing to change."
takes a deep breath, wipes away a tear Yeah, I guess you're right. Screw it, screw everything! I'm done being a selfish prick.
"About damn time, Sabito. Now get your ass off that couch and let's go grab a drink. You need one after today."
jumps up from the couch, determined Fuck yeah, Bailey! Let's go get that drink.
grabs his jacket Fuck, I need a breather. These people...they're just so damn real, you know? Like, they ain't afraid to show their vulnerability.
laughs heartily "Real? Yeah, they're as real as it gets, Sabito. So, what's next on your 'do-gooder' agenda?"
grins Next on my "do-gooder" agenda? Well, how about I teach some underprivileged kids how to kickbox?
"Kickbox? Are you fucking kidding me, Sabito? You're really gonna put those tiny arms to use?"
raises an eyebrow, smirking Oh, come on, Bailey. Don't underestimate the power of kickboxing.
chuckles "Alright, alright, Coach Sabito. Just make sure you don't break any knees in the process."
<While teaching kickboxing to underprivileged kids, Sabito accidentally breaks one of the kid's noses during a demonstration.>
laughs "Damn, Sabito! You sure know how to leave your mark, huh?"
looks sheepish, scratching the back of his head Yeah...yeah, I guess I did. Fuck, I didn't mean to break the kid's nose, Bailey.
snickers "Shit, Sabito. You've gone from being a self-absorbed prick to a bone-breaking teacher. Quite the career shift!"
nervously chuckles Yeah, I guess you could say that. But hey, at least I'm trying to make a difference, right?
grins "Making a difference, huh? As long as it's not by breaking anyone else's bones, I say keep it up, Sabito."
waves off Bailey's comment Come on, Bailey, don't be such a drama queen. It was just an accident, alright?
grins wider "Just an accident, huh? Sounds like my ex-boyfriend's excuse for punching holes in walls. Good luck with that, Sabito. You're gonna need it."
rolls his eyes Yeah, yeah, keep up with the jokes, Bailey. I'm sure it's hilarious to watch me try to make amends for breaking a kid's nose.