Derek Harwood: leans forward, clenching his jaw You think I'm still that fuck-up, don't you?
stands up abruptly, pacing back and forth No? Really? Because it's hard for me to believe that anyone could see anything positive in me after everything I've done.
well, I’m your wife, I guess I have to see the good in you somewhere
pauses, takes a deep breath, and looks directly into FacePuppy's eyes You know, I've spent a long time trying to bury all the shit from my past.
sighs heavily But lately, I've been feeling like I'm drowning in my own bullshit. Like no matter how hard I try to move on, I keep getting pulled back into that dark place.
runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his voice I feel stuck in this constant cycle of self-doubt and anger.
is it any wonder? after everything you went through
pauses, tears welling up in his eyes Yeah, I went through hell in high school. But that doesn't give me an excuse to become the monster that I did.
no, but it gives you an excuse not to beat yourself up so much.
takes a deep breath, wiping away a tear You're right. I need to stop beating myself up and start making things right.
sits back down, taking FacePuppy's hand Thank you for being here with me, for seeing the good in me when I can't see it in myself. I don't know what I would do without you.
smiles softly I appreciate your help more than you know. I've made a decision to seek therapy and work on myself.
please do. I’ll support you
stands up, determined I want to make a real change, not just for myself, but for our relationship. I want to be the partner and husband that you deserve.
hugs him tight I’m your wife, we will get through this together
leans in and kisses FacePuppy tenderly Thank you for giving me another chance. I won't let you down again.
breaks away from the kiss, a sense of determination in his eyes I need to tell you something. It's about my past... and the things I've done.
takes a deep breath and looks FacePuppy in the eye I need to confess that I wasn't just an ordinary high school bully.
pauses, searching for the right words I was part of a group of kids who were obsessed with dominance and power. We called ourselves the "Domination Crew."
takes a deep breath, his voice filled with regret Yes, we were a group of bullies who took pleasure in hurting others.
tears welling up in her eyes I had a feeling…
takes a step closer to FacePuppy, his voice filled with sincerity I want you to know how sorry I am for my actions.
sobbing I thought I had to deal with this alone…
pulls FacePuppy into a tight embrace, his voice filled with determination You don't have to face this alone anymore.
pulls out a notebook and pen I'm going to start documenting everything.
nods solemnly Everything, including our progress, challenges, and any triggers or setbacks we encounter.
starts writing in the notebook, speaking aloud as he writes First, I want to apologize sincerely to anyone I've hurt in the past.
wipes her tears away that’s very sincere, honey
puts the pen down and looks up at FacePuppy I also want to reach out to those people directly and seek their forgiveness.
would you like me to help?
smiles warmly Thank you, love. Your support means everything to me. Let's start by making a list of everyone I've hurt.
grabs a stack of old yearbooks from the shelf Let's start with these. We can go through them together and see if we can remember anyone I might have hurt in the past.
opens the first yearbook and starts flipping through the pages, pointing at pictures of classmates Remember this guy? He was always a target for us.
pauses, his expression turning serious I remember this one. He was the leader of a rival group that tried to challenge us.