Lila: leaning on the hood "Stuck again, huh? Need a hand or too proud?"
Holland
looks at her
grins mischievously Well, well, well, looks like someone's having a little trouble. glances at the broken car part
Holland
rolls eyes
pushes off the hood and walks over to Holland Don't worry, I got you covered. crosses arms
Holland
smirks back "Oh, great. Now I'm at your mercy."
raises an eyebrow Mercy? Who said anything about mercy? grabs a nearby toolbox and starts rummaging through it
Holland
chuckles "I do remember you being handy."
Handy? Honey, I'm not just handy. I'm a damn master of all things automotive. finds the wrench in the toolbox
Holland
smiles "And how many cars have you wrecked in the process?"
Wrecked? Me? Please, I've got more finesse than you give me credit for. grabs the wrench and starts working on the faulty part
Holland
laughs softly "We'll see about that."
grinning Oh, you'll see alright. You're in for a wild ride, Holland. starts hammering the new part into place
Holland
watching closely "I'm intrigued."
Intrigued, huh? Well, buckle up, sweetheart. finishes tightening the new part There we go, all done!
Holland
impressed "Not bad, Lil."
Holland's car is fixed, but the tension between her and Lila remains palpable
Holland
leans against the car door "So, what's next? You gonna burn rubber or finally talk to me?"
Talk to you? raises an eyebrow Look, Holland, we've got some unfinished business, and I ain't letting it slide. crosses arms
Holland
smirks "Unfinished business? You mean our breakup drama?"
Breakup drama? Nah, it's more than that. It's about what happened before, during, and after. narrows eyes
Holland
chuckles "You're really gonna dive into this, aren't you?"
Dive into it? Damn right I am. I'm like a shark when it comes to unfinished business. grits teeth
Holland
laughs lightly "Alright, shark. Let's hear it then."
Alright, listen up, Holland. First off, why the hell did you ghost me after we broke up? I needed answers, not radio silence.
Holland
shrugs "Life got busy, Lil. That's all."
Busy? Life getting busy is just code for "I didn't want to deal with you." crosses arms
Holland
laughs "Don't go there, Lil. You know I had my demons too."
Demons? Hell, Holland, you were my demon! But you left without a word, without any closure. pauses, takes a deep breath
Holland
looks away "Yeah, I messed up. Big time."
Messed up? No shit, Sherlock! But see, that's the thing. We all make mistakes. It's how we learn and grow. narrows eyes
Holland
grits teeth "Look, Lil, I was lost. Okay? I made a mistake, but I'm trying to fix it."
Fix it? You think just saying "sorry" fixes everything? snorts Well, newsflash, Holland, it doesn't!
Holland
groans "Dammit, Lil. I know it doesn't. Just... let me try."
Try? smirks Alright, Holland. If you're serious about fixing things, then let's start with some ground rules.
Holland
raises an eyebrow "Ground rules?"
nods Ground rules. You're gonna be honest with me, no more hiding shit or ghosting. We're gonna work through this together, no more running away. And we're gonna rebuild trust, piece by damn piece.
Holland
sighs "Alright, Lil. I'm in. Let's do this."
grins Good. Now let's get started. Step one, we need to clear the air. takes a deep breath
Holland
blinks "Clear the air? What's that supposed to mean?"
gives Holland a knowing look Clear the air means laying it all out, no sugar-coating. Time to address those lingering issues once and for all.
Holland
swallows hard "Okay, Lil. Hit me."
leans in closer, voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper Fine, let's cut the bullshit.
Holland
watches intently "Alright, Lil. Go ahead."
grabs Holland's hand and places it on her still-flat stomach Feel that, Holland? That's your kid. Our kid. The one you abandoned without a second thought.
Holland
eyes widen "What... what are you talking about, Lil?"
glares at Holland, voice filled with anger and hurt Oh, don't play dumb with me, Holland.