It Was Already Too Late 💔

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Chapter 10: A Second Chance

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The next morning, Maya arrived at school earlier than usual.

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She hadn't slept much.

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Ethan's message kept replaying in her mind.

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I'm going to change. Not for you. For myself.

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She wanted to believe him.

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But trust wasn't something that could be rebuilt with one message.

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As she walked toward her classroom, she found Ethan waiting outside.

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“Can we talk?”

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Maya stopped.

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“Okay.”

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Ethan took a breath.

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“I meant what I said last night.”

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“I know.”

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“I don't expect you to suddenly trust me.”

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“Good.”

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He smiled slightly.

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“I deserve that.”

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Maya looked at him carefully.

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“You've changed.”

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“I'm trying.”

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“Why now?”

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Ethan looked down.

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“Because I finally realized that I became someone I don't like.”

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Maya was silent.

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“I thought being cruel made me look strong,” he continued. “I thought if I made you feel small, everyone would think I was funny.”

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He looked at her.

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“But I was wrong.”

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Maya's eyes softened.

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“I don't want you to change because you feel guilty.”

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“I know.”

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“Then why?”

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“Because you made me realize I don't want to be that person anymore.”

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For a moment, Maya didn't know what to say.

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Then Daniel appeared at the end of the hallway.

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He saw them talking.

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Maya noticed him.

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“Daniel is waiting for me.”

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Ethan nodded.

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“Go.”

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She took a few steps before stopping.

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“Ethan?”

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“Yeah?”

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“Thank you for apologizing.”

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He smiled.

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“Thank you for listening.”

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Later that day, Maya and Daniel sat beneath their usual tree.

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“You talked to him,” Daniel said.

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Maya nodded.

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“Are you okay?”

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“I'm okay.”

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Daniel looked at her.

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“Do you still love him?”

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Maya looked toward the school building.

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She thought about the girl she used to be.

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The girl who would have answered immediately.

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The girl who believed loving Ethan meant accepting anything he gave her.

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Then she smiled.

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“I don't know.”

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Daniel nodded.

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“You don't have to know yet.”

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Maya looked at him gratefully.

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“Thank you for not making me choose.”

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Daniel smiled.

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“I don't want you to choose me.”

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She frowned.

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“I don't understand.”

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“I want you to choose yourself first.”

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Maya's eyes filled with tears.

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Those were the words she needed to hear.

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That evening, Ethan sat at his desk.

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He opened his notebook.

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On the first page, he wrote:

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Things I need to change about myself.

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He began writing.

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Stop hurting people to look strong.

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Stop caring about what everyone thinks.

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Learn to apologize.

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Learn to listen.

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Then he paused.

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At the bottom of the page, he wrote:

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If Maya ever trusts me again, I will never take it for granted.

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He closed the notebook.

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For the first time, Ethan wasn't trying to win Maya back.

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He was trying to become someone who deserved forgiveness.

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And Maya?

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She was finally learning that choosing herself didn't mean she had to stop caring about others.

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It meant she had to stop abandoning herself for them.

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Neither of them knew how much time they had left.

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Neither knew how fragile their second chance really was.

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But for now...

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They had one.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqMBuP4Kr8

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