Second chance ~ Jude Bellingham

chap 31

Just as Juliette turns to walk towards her car, Jude suddenly calls out to her.

"Wait, Juliette!"

She turns to him, her heart pounding with a mixture of frustration and curiosity.

Jude takes a few steps closer to her, looking at her with a mixture of regret and something else. "I just... there's something I need to tell you, before you go."

"Go on," she nods, her voice steady but her mind racing with possibilities.

Jude takes a deep breath, looking her directly in the eyes. His expression becomes sincere and intense. "I know I've hurt you, and I know you don't forgive me. But there's something I need to say. No, something I need to admit. Because I can't let you leave without you knowing the truth."

Juliette looks at him deeply, her eyes searching his face for answers. "What truth?"

Jude looks at her, his eyes steady. "The truth is... I like you, Juliette. I've always liked you, even back in high school. I was just too stupid and too caught up in my pride and my ego to admit it. I liked you then, I still like you now, and I don't think I'll ever stop liking you."

She stays too stunned to speak, her mind reeling from his confession.

Jude takes a step closer to her, his expression open and honest. He looks at her with hope in his eyes. "I know it's a lot to take in, and I know you don't trust me anymore. And I don't expect you to say anything back. If you want to walk away and never speak to me again after this, I won't stop you. But I needed you to know the truth, because I can't keep pretending like I don't care about you. Because I do."

Juliette steps back, her voice shaky. "Jude, I... I don't know what to say."

Jude looks at her, his expression becoming somber. "You don't have to say anything. I know I don't deserve you. I messed up too many times, and I hurt you too much. I just wanted to be honest, to finally admit how I really feel. Even if it doesn't change anything, at least I know I'm not hiding anymore."

She sighs deeply, feeling a mixture of confusion and anger. "But... I don't understand you, Jude."

Jude looks at her, his expression torn between guilt and longing. "I know I don't make sense. Trust me, I don't understand myself sometimes either. But what I do know is this... I feel a pull towards you, a connection that I can't explain. And it's not just physical, it's deeper than that. It's like no matter how much I try to stay away from you, I can never fully ignore you. Does any of this make sense?"

She shakes her head, trying to walk away. "No, Jude, you can't do that."

Jude steps forward, blocking her path. "I know I shouldn't feel this way. I know I have no right to feel this way after everything I've done to you. But I can't help it. Believe me, I've tried to ignore it, to push it down, to make myself hate you. But I can't. I just... can't."

"You can't do that, Jude," she repeats, her voice firmer. She shakes her head again, trying to walk away.

Jude looks at her, his expression becoming frustrated. "What do you want from me, Juliette? Do you want me to lie to you? To say that I don't feel anything for you? I can't do that. I can't pretend like I don't care about you, because I do. I care about you more than I should. And I know I messed up, I know I don't deserve you. But that doesn't change the way I feel."

"Stop it, Jude," she insists, her voice rising as she still tries to walk away.

Jude grabs her arm, stopping her from leaving. "I can't just stop, okay? I can't just turn off these feelings like a switch. You think I want to be like this? To feel this way about you, when I know you hate me? You have no idea how much it's tearing me up inside."