𝐀 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠

❥ 𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑬𝑬

MATEO||

"Are you proud of yourself right now?" Luciano's voice cut through the silence, disappointment heavy in his tone. His gaze was intense, and I couldn't avoid it. I knew what he was getting at.

I rolled my eyes, trying to dismiss the weight of his words, but deep down, I felt the guilt creeping up. "I know I haven't exactly been the best to Artemis," I muttered, my voice tinged with frustration.

Luciano didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at me, letting the silence stretch on. I could feel the tension, his disappointment wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, suddenly too aware of my own behavior.

"You haven't just been 'not the best', Mateo," he finally said, his voice calm but firm. "You've been pushing her away, treating her like she's the problem. She's one of the most genuine people I know. You don't just get to throw that away."

I hated that he was right. But I couldn't admit it, not yet. "I didn't mean to, okay?" My tone was defensive, but there was no getting around it—I had been a jerk.

Luciano's expression softened for a second, but it didn't erase the frustration in his eyes. "I don't think you get it. Artemis isn't just some girl you can play with. She's been there for you, and now she's getting hurt. Every time you act like this, you're chipping away at her."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I know. I know she deserves better." My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and it was hard to think clearly when the guilt felt like a weight on my chest. "I've just been... confused. I don't know what I'm doing."

Luciano leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving me. "You're confused? She's the one who's confused, Mateo. She's been trying to figure out where she stands with you, and you keep pushing her around, making her feel like she's not good enough."

I winced at the words. I hadn't realized how much my actions had affected her. In the heat of everything—school, life, my own issues—I hadn't stopped to think about how I was treating her.

"She's way more than just a 'roommate' to you, right?" Luciano continued, a knowing look in his eyes. "You keep acting like she's just some inconvenience, but she's someone you care about. And you need to stop pretending like you don't."

I looked at Luciano, trying to find the right words, but they were all tangled up in my head. I couldn't deny that I cared about Artemis. I didn't know when it had happened, but it was there, and I was too stubborn to admit it.

"I didn't want to hurt her. But I don't know how to fix things." My voice was quiet now, the weight of the truth sinking in.

Luciano sighed, his gaze softening. "Start by being honest with her. She's not stupid. She knows when something's off. You need to face it head-on, or she'll just keep getting hurt."

I nodded slowly, but the thought of facing her terrified me. I had messed up so much already. I had treated her like I didn't care when all along, I knew I did.

"She deserves better than this," I muttered under my breath.

Luciano looked at me seriously. "Exactly. And you need to make it right before it's too late."

I looked at him, trying to understand everything he was saying. "I know I messed up, Luciano. But what if she doesn't forgive me?"

Luciano raised an eyebrow, his voice gentle but firm. "Mateo, you can't keep avoiding it. You think she's going to just forget everything? She's not going to forget the way you've treated her. But if you want a chance to make it right, you need to show her that you're willing to change. Don't wait until she's completely fed up."

I swallowed hard, a wave of regret washing over me. I had been blind to how much I had hurt Artemis. I had pushed her away, and now I was realizing that I was about to lose her for good if I didn't do something.

"Do you think I can fix this?" I asked, my voice small.

Luciano gave me a hard look. "That's up to you. You can keep pretending like nothing's wrong, or you can be a man and own up to your mistakes. But whatever you do, you better do it soon."

I let out a long breath. The idea of facing Artemis scared the hell out of me, but I knew Luciano was right. I had been avoiding this for too long.

"Thanks," I said quietly, my gaze fixed on the desk. I wasn't sure what would happen next, but I knew I had to try.

Luciano smiled, but it wasn't the usual teasing grin. It was more like a quiet acknowledgment of the fact that I had finally started to get it. "Good. Now go do something about it."

I really did fucked up.

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Short chapter I know but at least I posted smth😔🙏