First Day Chronicles: A New Love

Chapter 12: Morning After

Leo:

He woke up to the morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. I lay beside him, tangled sheets a testament to the night before. There was a palpable tension in the air, unspoken words hanging between us like a heavy cloud.

"I... thank you," he murmured softly, breaking the silence.

I turned to face him, my expression unreadable. "You're welcome," I replied, my voice neutral.

He sat up too, watching me with a mix of concern and regret. "I know I messed up," he said earnestly. "I wish I could take it back."

I shook my head, unable to meet his gaze. "You can't just undo what happened," I said finally, my voice tinged with frustration.

He reached out tentatively, his hand hovering in the air before dropping back to his side. "Where are you going?" he asked quietly as I stood up, pulling on my clothes.

"Back to my dorm," I replied, avoiding his eyes.

"But... we slept together last night," he pointed out, confusion evident in my voice.

I turned to face at him, my expression hardening. "Just because we slept together doesn't mean I forgive you," I said bluntly, the words hanging heavily between us.

He reached out and grabbed my hand, pleading to him. "Please don't go," he implored, his voice tinged with desperation. "I'll do anything you ask. Just please, Leo, don't leave me. I need you."

Torn between anger and the remnants of love, he pulled my hand away gently but firmly. "Wai, please," I began, my voice wavering with emotion. "How can I forgive and forget something like this? Do you even realize what I've been through? What if I had done the same thing to you? Would you be able to forget?"

He looked at me, his eyes pleading for understanding. "I know," he admitted softly. "What I did was unforgivable, but I'm willing to try to make things right. I'll do whatever it takes."

I shook my head, tears threatening to spill over. "It's not that simple," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "Trust doesn't come back overnight."

He stepped closer, his hand reaching out tentatively as if to touch my face. "I need you," I said quietly. "I know I messed up, but I need you more than anything. Please give me a chance to prove it."

He knelt in front of me ,refusing to release my hand as he begged. "I have nothing left. My parents don't care about me. You're all I have now. Please, don't go," he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.

I tried to pull my hand away gently, but He held on tightly. "Just because you have issues with your parents doesn't mean I can come back to you," I replied, my voice firm but tinged with sadness.

"Why did you come to me last night then? Why did you comfort me?" He demanded, my eyes searching mine intensely. "You have feelings for me, I know you do. Tell me."

I sighed, feeling the weight of my words and his own conflicted emotions. "Yes," I admitted finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, I liked you. I still do."

A mix of relief and anguish crossed his face. "Then give me one last chance," he pleaded, his grip on my hand tightening. "I know I messed up, but I love you. I need you."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him, torn between the past pain and the flicker of hope in his eyes. "I want to trust you," I said softly, "but trust isn't something you can demand. It has to be earned."

"I know," I replied earnestly. "And I'll do whatever it takes to earn it. Please, Leo, give me a chance to make things right."

"I will give you a chance to earn my forgiveness and regain my trust again," I said firmly.

He nodded eagerly, hanging onto my every word. "Name it, and I'll do it," he declared earnestly.

"First, you need to attend all your classes and pass all your subjects," I stated firmly.

He nodded without hesitation. "I'll do it for you," he promised, determination gleaming in his eyes.

"Secondly, you have to take responsibility for your life and start taking things seriously," I continued, my tone unwavering.

He nodded again, his expression serious. "I agree. I'll do anything for you," he affirmed.

"And lastly," I added, "you need to work on your anger issues."

His shoulders slumped slightly, but he nodded once more. "I understand. I'll do whatever it takes," he vowed.

I held my gaze, searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation. Finding none, i finally spoke. "If you can do all these things," I said softly, "then we can talk about this later."

He reached out and took my hand gently, a mixture of hope and determination in his eyes. "I will," he promised. "I'll prove to you that I can change."

With a tentative smile, I squeezed his hand reassuringly before pulling away. "I hope so," I replied quietly, my heart heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

As I watched him to leave, I knew that this was just the beginning of a long and challenging journey. Whether we could rebuild what was broken remained to be seen, but for now, there was a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows of our past.