A price of a Second Chance

The Price of Second Chance

It all started in high school. I was a new student, and Gabriel was the only guy who stood out to me as genuinely kind and respectful. He was dark-skinned, handsome, and smart – a total catch. I found him on Facebook and, without hesitation, sent him a message. We became friends, then something more. My friends, who were also classmates, were horrified. They laughed and ridiculed me, but I didn't care. I was in love, and their opinions didn't matter.

Then, things took a turn. I went to Iloilo to visit my father and brother. I developed a crush on my brother, and suddenly, my feelings for Gabriel started to fade. I convinced myself that my friends were right – Gabriel wasn't good enough for me. He was "ugly" and "black," I thought. I ended things with him, without considering the consequences. I was reckless and impulsive, and I hurt the person who truly loved me.

Back in Antique, I saw Gabriel every day at school. We were classmates, and he sat behind me. I made up with my friends, and we would tease Gabriel together. I knew how much he was hurting, how heartbroken he was. I felt terrible for what I'd done.

Then, I found out Gabriel was seeing someone else. I was devastated. Shame washed over me, and I realized the depth of my mistake. I wanted him back, desperately. I begged him for another chance, but he was hesitant. He blocked the girl he was seeing, which showed me he still cared. I knew he loved me, but he was hurt and not ready to forgive me. I told him I would wait, but what if I was waiting for nothing?

He stopped messaging me. The pain was unbearable. It felt like karma. I begged God to bring him back, to give me another chance to make things right. But it didn't happen. I accepted it, believing he wasn't meant for me.

Then, just when I had moved on and stopped praying for him, he reached out. I thought he was done with me, but he wasn't. I was ready to be hurt again, just to talk to him, to feel his love again.  If his feelings weren't genuine, I prayed that God would take him away from me.