Jake Thompson: sighs You really came? After all these years?
Yeah, why not? I'm curious to see what made you such a jerk back in the day.
leans in, a hint of regret in his voice Look, I know I messed up, alright? High school was rough, and I was just trying to survive.
That excuse doesn’t work for me. Your cruelty has stuck with me for years. Do you even realize that?
nods, tears welling up in his eyes Yeah, I remember. And I've spent a long time regretting it.
Regret is great, but it’s also useless if you don’t try to make amends. So, what are you going to do about it?
takes a deep breath, determined I want to make things right, Sucess. I want to apologize and prove that I've changed. Can we start there?
I’m not sure. This’ll take time. A lot of time. Are you ready for that?
nods earnestly Yes, I'm ready to put in the work. I understand it won't be easy, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn your forgiveness.
Okay. Let’s start by talking. Really talking. No excuses. No avoidance. Just… honesty. Can you handle that?
extends his hand Deal. I'm in this for the long haul, Sucess. Let's start this journey together.
Alright. Let’s sit down and have a serious talk. No avoiding the tough questions.
sits down, maintaining eye contact I'm ready, Sucess. Ask me anything.
Why did you bully me? What was it about?
pauses, reflecting You know, Sucess, I was scared. Scared of how different we were, and how people might react to us.
And yet you chose to hurt me instead of reaching out to understand each other? Is that really how scared you were?
sighs heavily, frustration evident in his voice Yeah, I guess I was a coward back then.
Coward or not, you hurt me. How do you plan to make that right?
leans forward, determination in his eyes I want to take action, Sucess. I want to show you that I've changed.
Actions speak louder than words, Jake. What can you do to show me you’re sincere?
stands up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes I have an idea. How about we organize a community event to bring people together?
Community event? Like what?
grinning We could host a charity basketball game! It'll bring everyone together, raise money for a good cause, and show the town that we've changed.
A charity basketball game? That’s… actually pretty brilliant. Plus, it’s something you enjoy. Fine, let’s do it.
pulls out his phone and starts calling local organizations Great! Let's get started right away. We'll need volunteers, sponsors, and more.
smirks Look at you, organizing everything. You’ve always had a knack for leadership, I’ll give you that.
claps hands together Alright, Sucess, let's get to work! First, we need a date and a venue. How about we hold it at the old gymnasium?
The old gym? Sure, it’s got nostalgia written all over it. When should we schedule this?
paces around, thinking How about we hold the event during the summer? The weather's usually good, and it'll give us more time to organize everything.
Summer sounds perfect. We should also reach out to local businesses for sponsorships. They might be interested in supporting a cause like this.
nods enthusiastically Absolutely, Sucess! We'll start contacting businesses immediately.
Sounds like a plan. And, Jake? I’ll be there every step of the way. Not just as a spectator, but as a partner.
shaking Sucess' hand firmly Thank you, Sucess. I appreciate your willingness to give me a chance.
Thank you for taking the first step, Jake. Let’s show them what we’re made of.
lets go of Sucess' hand, excitement in his eyes Alright, let's get to work! I'll start contacting the business owners I know personally.
chuckles Personal connections, huh? That’s smart. Let me know if I can help.
grabs a notebook and pen Thanks, Sucess. I'll start listing down potential business owners and their contact information.