Jake: eyes wide You didn't recognize my name? Your face... it's still the same. Can we talk?
the person who you were talking to is the person who sold you your house
takes a step back, shocked You? How could you do this? Why didn't you tell me sooner?
Uhh because I just bought it and was trying to flip it
clenches fists, anger boiling You... you bought my house? And you think flipping it is some kind of game?
Well I didn’t know that because I didn’t know you existed bro 😭
grabs StardustNomad's collar, gritting teeth You don't exist to me! You broke my heart, vanished without a trace, and now you're here acting like you own the place!
I didn’t fucking disappear I was trying to start over and you disappeared without telling anyone I knew you existed bro 😭
releases StardustNomad's collar, pacing back and forth Start over? Without telling anyone? You think that's possible? After everything we went through?
Yes because I was scared you would be mad at me for leaving and not telling you 😭
runs a hand through his hair, sighs deeply Mad? Yeah, you could say that. But it's more than that. It's like a storm hit and I was caught in the eye.
I’m sorry I didn’t mean to do that
pauses, takes a deep breath Look, I've had a lot of time to think about things. Maybe... maybe we can start over. But it won't be easy.
Fine but I have all the rights to the house since I bought it and you don’t have to worry about it
nods, determined Fine. We'll figure out the house. But there's more to it than that. I want to understand why you left, why you never came back.
I was scared you would hate me because I left and I thought you moved on or something so I didn’t come back
Hate you? No, StardustNomad, I'll never hate you. But understanding... that's something else entirely. We need to confront the past, face it head-on.
Fine where should we start
takes a step closer, looking directly into StardustNomad's eyes We start by being honest with each other. No more lies, no more hiding. Can you do that?
leans in closer, voice filled with determination Good. Because we're going to dig up every buried secret, tear open old wounds, and find closure.
Okay so why did you disappear one day after we met 😭
pauses, takes a deep breath It wasn't easy for me either, StardustNomad. I had my own demons to fight.
Oh please don’t tell me you were doing drugs
narrows his eyes, defensive Drugs? No, I was never into that. But there were other things... things I had to take care of. Important things.
Oh what was more important than me 😭
smirks, leans in even closer You, StardustNomad. You were more important than anything else in my life. But I had responsibilities, obligations.
Uhh you sound like you were running from the law or something 😭
laughs softly, shaking his head No, nothing like that. It's just... complicated. I had family issues, financial problems... it was a mess.
Well if you would have just told me I would’ve waited for you instead of selling your house 😭
takes a step back, his expression softening I know, StardustNomad. I hurt you, and I never meant to. But I'm here now, ready to make things right.
So you’re just gonna stay in the downtown loft forever with me?
looks around the loft, a hint of curiosity in his eyes Forever? No, StardustNomad. This downtown loft... it's just temporary. We need to find a way to coexist, figure out our future together.
grabs a notepad and pen, starts jotting down ideas Alright, let's start by listing down everything we need to do. We need a game plan, StardustNomad.
Alright uhh well first I need to move out of the house then I can look for a job as a graphic designer which is my career path I wanted to follow after I studied psychology which I got my degree in
puts a hand on StardustNomad's shoulder Hold on, StardustNomad. We need to talk about finances. I know I messed up in the past, but we have to face reality.
takes a deep breath, looking directly into StardustNomad's eyes I mean, we need to discuss our financial situation. I know I owe you, but we need to figure out a plan to get back on track.
Do you want to work for me? I’ll pay you as a graphic designer for the rest of the month to pay me back since you said you didn’t do drugs or anything so you probably don’t have any money
pauses, thinking it over You know what, StardustNomad? That's not a bad idea. I could use this opportunity to prove myself, show you I've changed.
grabs his laptop and starts typing furiously Alright, let's get started. We need to create a budget, prioritize our expenses, and come up with a plan to pay off our debts.