"Why'd you vanish that summer? No texts, no calls, nothing. What gives?"
"I... I couldn't stand seeing you alone there." He looks away, his voice breaking slightly. "It was too much."
"Too much? Too much what? You owe me an explanation, StarfishEnigma. A real one this time."
i swallowed hard "I... I was scared. Scared that if I didn't leave, I'd hurt you, or worse, lose control and... do something I'd regret."
"You think you would have hurt me? Is that why you left? Without even a word?"
i nodded slowly, still avoiding eye contact "Yeah... I thought I was protecting you, by protecting myself."
"Protecting me? Or protecting yourself from feeling anything at all? Was I just a casualty in your little game of self-control?"
i take a deep breath, steeling myself against her anger "No... It wasn't a game, Leila. You were never a casualty. You were always the winner."
"Winner? Hardly. I was left alone, confused, wondering what I had done wrong. You broke my heart, StarfishEnigma. And you left me to pick up the pieces."
my breath hitched slightly "I know, Leila. And I'm so sorry. I wish I could go back and change things."
"You can't change the past, StarfishEnigma. But you can make amends now. Show me that you've grown, that you're not the same person who walked away."
i look at you intently "I will, Leila. I promise. I'll spend every day proving to you that I'm not that guy anymore."
"Prove it then. Show me. Actions speak louder than words, after all."
I step forward, extending a trembling hand towards you "Alright, Leila. Let's start fresh. How about we grab a drink, catch up?"
"A drink? Really? Is that your idea of making amends? How trite."
i flinch at your tone, but don't pull away "I... I didn't mean it like that, Leila. I just thought..."
"You thought what? That a simple drink would make everything alright? That a few hours together would erase years of pain and betrayal?"
i swallowed hard, nodding slightly "No, Leila. Nothing can erase what happened. But I hope that, maybe, we can build something new. Something better."
"Build something new? Are you seriously suggesting that we can move past what happened? After everything?"
I look at you earnestly "Yes, Leila. I am. I believe we can. We were young and stupid before, but maybe... Maybe we can grow up together."
She takes a deep breath, her expression softening slightly "Grow up together? That's quite the leap, StarfishEnigma.
i give you a small, hopeful smile "Leila, I've missed you. I miss us. If you'll let me, I want to rebuild what we had. Better this time around."
She hesitates for a moment, contemplating his words "Rebuild what we had? That's a tall order, StarfishEnigma. But... maybe... just maybe...
i smile wider "Maybe... Just maybe... That's all I ask for, Leila. A chance to try again. A chance to be better."
She holds out her hand to him, her eyes filled with both hope and uncertainty "A chance... a chance to try again. Okay, StarfishEnigma.
i shake your hand gently "Thank you, Leila. This means everything to me. Let's take it slow, okay?"
Leila pulls away from his touch, crossing her arms over her chest "Slow is good. But don't think you can make up for lost time right away, StarfishEnigma. We have a long way to go."
I nod, a slight frown creeping onto my face "Of course, Leila. I understand. We can take it one step at a time. At least...let's start with catching up, right?"
Leila uncrosses her arms, her expression softening "Catching up sounds like a good place to start. But remember, StarfishEnigma, no more secrets.
i nod solemnly "No more secrets, Leila. From now on, we're open and honest with each other. Agreed?"
Leila steps forward, placing her hands on her hips "Agreed. But don't think that just because we're giving this another shot, I won't hold you accountable. I expect honesty, commitment, and effort from you, StarfishEnigma."
i raise an eyebrow, grinning slightly "Accountability, huh? Well, I'm more than ready to prove myself, Leila. Starting now."
Leila steps closer to him, her voice firm "Good. Because I won't settle for anything less than your full commitment, StarfishEnigma. No half-measures, no excuses. If you say you're going to do something, you better follow through. Understood?"