Malefic [BOOK 2]

Hope Hurts.

How do you know if you are the one who should be apologizing?

After years of denial, blame, and self-pity, will there ever be a day when you finally realize that perhaps a simple apology was all that was needed? Saying sorry is not solely about feeling guilt and remorse for one's actions towards another. Sometimes, even when circumstances may suggest that one was not at fault, an apology can hold the power to change someone.

Even though there are those who believe that saying sorry without a clear reason can make you feel small and allow others to take advantage of you, life is far from being a straightforward choice between right and wrong. It's a complex mix of emotions and circumstances where the boundaries can blur.

Life was the most complicated story with unexpected plot twists, tragedies and injustice. It is not a straightforward narrative where we can easily distinguish between the virtuous and the villainous. Every action carries a story, and behind every person's choices lies a cause. Everyone is suffering in their own way.

Maybe what you're experiencing might seem small compared to what others are going through, but that doesn't make your sadness any less real. Everyone deserves to be listened to and understood.

Therefore, a simple apology, even when it's not your fault, can heal people. When you hold that influence over someone's life, even simple words can ruin someone or maybe save their lives or the lives they might destroy.

Leo's eyes darted between the murky lake water, the colourful wildflowers, and the vast night sky above. Being in the presence of the very person she should be running away from was the stupidest decision she had taken till now.

The common response to such a situation should be panic. But there sat Leo, next to Chen, with his blazer draped casually over her shoulders. They didn't exchange many words if any at all. They were just staring ahead blankly with a million thoughts in their minds that no words could describe.

It was a silent truce between the hero and the villain of the story. At that moment, as they sat on the muddy ground, they were not enemies, just two troubled souls from another world who were trying not to feel lonely.

Leo's gaze wandered through the forest, but it eventually settled on Chen. A gentle furrow creased her brow,

The last time she saw Chen, he was only fourteen, but now he looked like a different person. His wide, doe-like eyes that used to sparkle with wonder had lost their lustre, replaced by a distant and cold gaze. The corners of his mouth were turned downwards as if he hadn't experienced joy in a long time. His once youthful frame appeared thinner, and his eyes bore purple shadows underneath as if the weight of sleepless nights had taken its toll on him.

"Stop looking at me with those eyes," Chen suddenly spoke up, his tone devoid of any warmth. He turned his head to face her, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment.

Leo immediately averted her gaze, feeling the weight of awkwardness settling in. It wasn't as if she was scrutinizing him, she was simply trying to compare this version of Chen with the one she had known in her past.

"What eyes?" Leo mumbled quietly to herself, her words barely audible amidst the surrounding silence.

Chen let out a bitter chuckle, devoid of any joy. It was more like a sharp breath, a way to break the heavy silence that hung between them.

"You look at me as if I'm a stranger," he said, his voice laced with a tinge of sadness. "It's like you've never really seen me before, like I'm someone you don't recognize anymore."

And he was right. Leo didn't know who this person in front of her was anymore. Chen used to be so different, so full of kindness and warmth. He had a way of appreciating the little things in life, and finding joy in the simplest moments. Even after losing his parents to the mysterious fire, even when he was at his lowest, he never once took out his anger and sadness on a pebble on the road.