LAURA'S POV
Some moments become more vivid with the passage of time and every encounter, passage, alleys, and crossroads we walked gives us a chance to meditate on our deeds– whether good or bad and how well they affected those we met on the way.
Did they deserve whatever treatment they endured under our shadow of obsession, love, or selfishness?
This, when reflected on in our abrupt silence– we wish for a SECOND CHANCE when realization dawn onto us, our faults and mistakes. Just the fact that our errors brought us where we're not fated to, doesn't mean we can't make corrections when given a chance.
If the clock is finally turned, where do you wish we turn back to first?
And once we're there~ are you bold enough to rewrite those chapters of your life?
Seasons may pass but there'll still be places that can't be reached no matter how hard you try. Rather, another storm to be faced and to be weathered head-on. Loving without fear~ merely living as the person you've become with the test of time.
****************
In the darkness, Ben's gaze remained fixed at the roof as the words of Alixies reflected in his thoughts. A long-pending question hunted while the night slowly journeyed to dawn.
“ Do I deserve this chance?” He questioned his instincts. “... perhaps, than loving someone else, it's more difficult to love myself for my past. Where I can't even look at me in the mirror and forgive myself. All I want to do now is to hide my miserable self...”
He tossed and turned as these thoughts recycled. The past few months of his arrest and the reflection of his father's revelation that night had in all~ taken a thorn on his mental state of which he'd been under medication.
The night suddenly felt long and he wished to end his life from the heaviness his heart buried. Thorn in depression, Ben flattered over where the mirror stood on the wall. His gaze remained fixed on his reflection and clenched onto the medication, he trembled~shaking in sobs.
“Let's end it all~ That would be best for everyone ” His reflection echoed from the mirror of which he glanced up with teary, bloodshot eyes. “ No one would ever suffer again because of us.” The reflection in the mirror pressed.
Without hesitation, he grabbed an overdose of the medication which he held in his hands, and grabbed a glass of water. Just when he was about to gulp it down his throat, a voice shouted from the mirror again.
“ Why do you want us to end like this?” This made him stagger backward at the spot. It was another reflection of himself– a calmer one with eyes full of guilt and regrets. One which yearns for a chance to correct his errors.
“ I will be waiting for you.” Alixies's last words re-echoed and the voice from the mirror pressed on.
“ I want to take up this chance... I want to rewrite the past. Why not thread tomorrow with today?” He reasoned. “ You can stop for now if you're tired but hi don't hide in the shadows forever with this heavy burden. They're all waiting for us~ so let's forgive yourself now. Our life is too long to be given up...trust me in the maze. Once the winter passes, the spring will come again.”
With this, his reflection in the mirror became one with him and now, he saw only one reflection of himself. He spontaneously put the drugs away and returned to his bed.
He did not know how long he laid there but somewhere somehow, sleep managed to wrap him up in silence, and soundly, he laid calm in rest.
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Days swiftly journey into weeks and weeks into months. Ben and his friends were finally released and left off all charges. They returned to their usual daily life with refined personalities.
Although they weren't the bullies they used to be yet all the students were cautious not to cross their path~ some just ignore their presence, treating them like outcasts while others immediately walk away the moment they come around them– except Laura and Alixies who didn't mind sharing a table with them at the Canteen or in class.
“ Mind sharing a table ?” Ben asked just when he got to their table. The two who were immersed in a conversation instinctively glanced up at him as they swallowed on their laughter.
“Oh, sure...” Alexis answered as he showed him to an empty seat over their table. “ Make yourself comfortable.” She smiled.
Laura who stared up at him nodded with a smile on noticing the looks in his eyes. “ Go ahead...”
“Thanks,” He said with a faint smile as he placed down his tray and settled in.
Sooner or later, Laura and Alixies were already done with their meal. Just when they jerked off with their trays, Ben spontaneously halted Alixies by the hand to which she deftly turned to the culprit along with Laura who took notice of the scene.
“ Can I have a word with you?” He pleaded. Uncertainty instinctively plugged her into confusion at his request~ her gaze swiftly scanned back at Laura who beckoned her to go ahead.
With that, she nodded in response of which Laura took leave of them.
“ I'll be in the Library if you need me.” She announced as she headed out.
Soon, the two were alone– For a moment, they sat in silence together with Ben's head buried down; pretending to be engrossed. His emotions battled each other as he braced himself up.
Alixies' curious gaze just remained glued on him and when he raised his head, their eyes met.
“ Is it okay if I hold your hand now?” He said after a long period of silence during which he battled fiercely with his emotions. Alixies just remained frozen at his words ~ her eyes fluttered not and her tongue remained stuck.
“ Umm... it's okay if you're not~” He instinctively added on seeing the look on her face. “ Maybe I came too late... I just wanted to make it right without regret or fear. To confine in you as my rehab.” Ben mumbled on an impulse as he feigned a smile, looking into her eyes.
“ In my lonely, dark wilderness; you were the only one who recognized me. It was so difficult then but after you came... ” His voice trembled and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“ ... it all changed. You were the only one who willingly walked up to me and gave me your hand, offering me the morning– a chance, an opportunity to rewrite my errors. Is it really too late?... Can I make it right?”
Just before he knew, she fell into his embrace– her head rested over his shoulder and the tears slowly trekked down her eyes. His hands just remained stuck in mid-air.
“ Yes... I'm ready to be your rehab.” She cried. He instinctively closed his arms around her by reflex, drawing her close. A smile managed it's way across his face and he let out a faint chuckle.
“ Thank you, Alixi...” a tear dropped down his cheeks. It was tears of joy which accompanied an inaudible sigh.
***********
Weeks after Ben and Alixies' union, he visited his father at prison and they reconciled– forgiving all his wrongs he did him, his mother and late brother.
But the weight of his evil deeds against his wife and children became so hard on him that it became a nightmare which hunted him every night.
Days later, Hansel was found dead in his cell and was buried there after. Although he went through a lot in the hands of his dad, yet his death wasn't so easy on him. With the help of Alixies, Laura and a few friends, he gradually made it through.

GRADUATION
High school was finally over. Each student proudly received their honour with Laura, Alixies, Ben, Patrick and Fred being no different. It wasn't easy with all the rise and falls– the pain, the joy, love, hate, projects and all , yet they all came through with flying colors and perseverance.
No matter the hardship life hit them with, they stood to their grounds. It was the stage of adulthood for them. Progressing from adolescent to adulthood~ learning from each mistake they made.
Ben finally accepted his new home with his stepfather and siblings.
“ Ben! ... Ben!! ” Nina, Nelly and Nelson called from the distance as they noticed him among the mist of graduates gathered at the entrance of the hall.
“ Hey...! ” He laughed as he turned and saw his siblings. He spontaneously excused himself from his friends and went over to them.
“ Here... for you. Congratulations.” Nelly gave him the flowers of which he crunched down with smiles and hugged them.
“ Thank you.” He said after which he hugged his dad and mum. “ Over here... let's take a picture.”
With chuckles, they instinctively gathered around him and started clicking a few shots. Laura , Alixies and their families were no different.
“ LAURA ...” A voice suddenly called a few meters away from where she stood with her family. She instinctively turned along with Alixies but then, remained frozen and perplexed at the sight of the person.
“ RUBIN !! ” They both shouted with joy of which Laura raced into his open arms. He closed his arms around her – his lips curved in smiles.
“ I'm I too late?” He mumbled and she spontaneously tilted her head with a no. “Congratulations, love.” He whispered.
Mya and Alixies were so happy for their reunion.
MYA'S POV
We all may be going through a hard time one way or the other but let's not take delight in bullying others just for the fun or pleasure of it. You may think it's just for the joy of it but have you asked how these victims feels?
The trauma he/ she goes through or the scars it leaves behind?
Most even leads to death but even the few which doesn't,
It breaks the very soul within them as they strive to survive.
All they also ask for is love but then gets haunted and beaten by father, classmates and even more, an outcast to society.
Don't they also deserve justice?
This makes them less of a human– Where the hell is humanity now?
Don't we care at all?
The pain the families of these victims go through~ the heartbreaks. They all die, day in day out, trying to overcome the pain of losing a love one.
So before you jump in to bully anyone at all, first think about the harm afterwards. It's not so difficult to love if you want to and never too late to turn back from your errors when you realize where you went wrong.
Let's just give ourselves the chance for a SECOND CHANCE and learn to accept and forgive our own errors so others can also do same.
THE END