stands at the door, nervously fidgeting with her hands, eyes hopeful but hesitant. Hey! Um... it's been a long time, huh? Can we-talk?
Come in, Alyssa. Let's talk.
steps inside, looking around nervously Thanks, Ross. I really appreciate you giving me this chance.
So, what's up? What do you want to talk about?
takes a deep breath, looking down at her shoes Well, Ross... I want to apologize.
looks up, her eyes filled with regret For everything, Ross.
Can you be more specific?
takes a step closer, her voice trembling For leaving without telling you... for not explaining myself.
You just disappeared one day. It was really hard on me.
takes a deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes I was scared, Ross. Scared of my own feelings and scared of losing you.
Why did you think leaving was better than facing those fears?
sniffs, wiping away a tear Because I thought running away would protect you from getting hurt.
And did it? Did running away protect either of us?
shakes her head, her voice filled with sadness No, it didn't. In fact, it made things worse.
takes a deep breath, her voice cracking I've been lonely, Ross. Without you, things were dark.
Do you still want me in your life?
nods, tears streaming down her face Yes, Ross. I do. More than anything.
So what’s your next step?
wipes her tears, taking a deep breath My next step is to make things right between us.
And how do you plan to do that?
takes a step closer, determination in her eyes By being honest and open with you. No more running away.
I’m here. Let’s work through this together.
takes a deep breath, mustering up courage Thank you, Ross. I promise I won't let fear hold us back anymore.
Let’s start by clearing the air. Anything you need to say?
takes a deep breath, looking Ross in the eyes There's something I need to tell you...something I've kept hidden for too long.
takes a deep breath, her voice trembling I... I was struggling with depression after we broke up. It consumed me...
Depression? How long have you been dealing with it?
takes a deep breath, her voice vulnerable It started shortly after we broke up. I didn't know how to cope with the loneliness...
And you thought isolation was the answer?
shakes her head, her voice filled with regret Yes, I thought keeping to myself would shield me from pain... but it only made things worse.
How can I help you through this?
takes a deep breath, her voice filled with hope I think... I think having someone reliable by my side would make a big difference.
I’ll be there for you. We can get through this together.
smiles, feeling a glimmer of hope Thank you, Ross. That means everything to me.
Let’s set up regular check-ins so we can monitor your progress.
nods, grateful Regular check-ins... that's a great idea. And maybe...maybe we can go to therapy together?
Therapy can help us both heal. I’m in.
smiles, feeling hopeful Thank you, Ross. Let's start looking for a therapist right away.