The sound of Debbie's footsteps fades into the
distance, but neither Felix nor Pasco moves. The air between them is thick with tension, yet there's an unspoken understanding now—an acknowledgment of the gravity of the moment.
Felix's hands ball into fists, his emotions swirling with frustration and guilt. He never wanted to hurt her, but in his desperation, he'd allowed his emotions to get the better of him. I've been selfish, he thinks, his chest tightening. He turns to Pasco, who stands rigidly, his gaze fixed on the place where Debbie disappeared.
Pasco's voice breaks the silence, low and strained.
"You don't get it, do you? You can't just… swoop in
with your magic and expect her to fall for you. It's not that simple."
Felix meets his gaze, his expression hardening. "I
never wanted to manipulate her. I wanted to be with
her because of who she is. Not because of what I can do."
Pasco scoffs, but there's a flicker of doubt in his eyes.
"And you think that makes you better than me? I've
been here. With her. Long before you showed up with your charm and whatever supernatural allure you think you have."
Felix steps closer, his voice steady but sharp. "You
don't know her, Pasco. Not like I do. You've been
blinded by your own pride, your jealousy, and your
need to control. And you're so afraid of losing her
that you can't see the truth. She's not a possession to be held onto. She's a person who deserves respect—who deserves someone who sees her for who she truly is."
Pasco's jaw tightens, the words hitting him harder
than he's willing to admit. "You don't understand the stakes, Felix. I can't just let her walk away from me,from us. She's… she's everything to me."
Felix watches him for a moment, the weight of his
words sinking in. "She's everything to me too. But you don't get to decide what she needs. She does. And right now, she needs space. Space to think. Space to breathe. Space to make her own decisions without either of us breathing down her neck."
There's a long pause, the two of them standing in
silence, the weight of the unspoken truth settling
between them. Felix knows that this moment, this
confrontation, is a turning point. Neither of them can afford to keep fighting for her in the way they have been. If they truly care about Debbie, they have to respect her choices, even if it means stepping back for a while.
Pasco finally looks away, his shoulders slumping
slightly as if the fight has gone out of him. He's still
angry, still hurt, but there's a recognition in his eyes
now. "I get it," he mutters. "I get it."
Felix nods, though his anger hasn't fully dissipated.
He knows this isn't over. Not by a long shot. But for
the first time, he feels like they're on the same page.Both of them love Debbie—both of them want to be with her—but they're going to have to prove it in a way that doesn't involve manipulation, jealousy, or control.
"Then we give her what she needs," Felix says quietly.
"Time. Respect. Space."
Pasco doesn't reply immediately, but after a long
moment, he mutters, "Yeah. I can do that. But I won't give up on her."
Felix's gaze softens, a flicker of understanding
passing between them. "Neither will I."
Meanwhile, Debbie walks further into the woods, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. She doesn't know how much time has passed, or how far she's gone, but eventually, she finds herself by the small creek that runs through the forest. The sound of the water trickling over rocks is soothing, and she sits down on the grass, drawing her knees to her chest.
Her mind drifts between Felix and Pasco. Both of
them have hurt her in di erent ways, but in a strange, twisted way, they've also shown her their
vulnerability. Felix's anger had been a reaction to
feeling rejected, but he had always respected her
autonomy. Pasco, on the other hand, had been
consumed by jealousy, unable to see beyond his own need to possess her.
The more she thinks, the more she realizes that what she truly needs is to find herself again. She can't be defined by her relationships with them. She has to learn to be whole on her own, to make decisions that are for her, not for anyone else.
A single tear slips down her cheek as she gazes at the water, the realization settling over her like a weight. I'm not their savior, she thinks. I'm not their
solution. I need to save myself first.
Debbie's thoughts are interrupted by the sound of
footsteps behind her. She turns, expecting to see one of them—Felix or Pasco—but instead, it's neither. It's someone she didn't expect to see at all.
Standing at the edge of the clearing, a figure
shrouded in shadows, is someone from her past.
Someone who hasn't been in her life for a long time, but who now seems to have returned at a moment when she's most vulnerable.
Her heart skips a beat.