Chapter XXII: Regrets
Liz stands in the middle of an empty void, the darkness stretching endlessly around her. A cold wind brushes against her skin, and a voice echoes through the abyss.
“Why be mad when you are at fault? Is it because if they knew, your plans would fail? Or is it because of ignorance?”
The words strike deep, unsettling her. She looks down and realizes she is wearing a purple sundress, its soft fabric flowing with an unseen breeze. Suddenly, fog swirls around her feet, thick and consuming, lifting her from the ground. When it clears, she finds herself inside a dimly lit bedroom.
Bennett’s bedroom.
Her heart pounds as she sees him sitting on the edge of his bed, a jar of coins in his hands. He sighs deeply before dropping another coin inside. The clinking sound echoes in the silent room.
Liz steps forward, trying to reach for him, but her hands pass through the objects in the room. She gasps, realizing she is nothing but a spectator, unable to interact. It is as if she is a ghost in his world.
Bennett’s phone suddenly vibrates on the bedside table. He picks it up, and the moment he answers, a voice screams through the speaker.
“You’re worthless! You never get anything right!”
Liz flinches at the harsh words. Bennett tightens his grip on the phone, his knuckles turning white.
“I’m trying,” he says, voice trembling. “I swear, I’m trying my best.”
The voice on the other end continues to curse and berate him. Liz feels an unbearable weight pressing against her chest. Who would say such things to him? Who is hurting him like this?
Tears well up in Bennett’s eyes as he lowers his head, his shoulders shaking. The call ends, and silence fills the room, but before he can even catch his breath, another call comes in. Bennett hesitates, then answers.
“Bennett,” a gentle voice soothes from the speaker.
“Are you okay? Did something happen?”
Liz leans closer, recognizing the warm and familiar tone. When she sees the caller ID, her stomach twists in shock.
It is Liz's grandmother.
Bennett lets out a shaky breath.
“I’m fine, Abuela. Just a rough day.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Well...,” he whispers, wiping his tears. “You see...”
Bennett narrates it to her.
Liz clutches her chest, feeling her own tears start to fall. She cannot believe what she is witnessing. Her head spins as a memory rushes back—a time when she, herself, called Bennett and lashed out at him.
A time when she was the one hurting him.
As if to confirm her fears, Bennett’s laptop screen lights up. Another video call. Liz steps closer and sees herself on the screen—her past self, eyes red, face twisted in frustration.
“Bennett, I swear, if you don’t start taking things seriously—”
She cannot listen anymore. She stares at her own reflection in horror. This was her? This was what she did to him?
Bennett listens to her rant in silence, only nodding at times, looking defeated. When the call ends, he buries his face in his hands and cries. Liz watches herself disappear from the laptop screen, and the weight of her actions crushes her completely.
She falls to her knees.
“I’m sorry,” she chokes, even though she knows he cannot hear her.
“I didn’t know… I didn’t know I was hurting you like this.”
Desperation takes over, and she tries to reach for Bennett, wanting nothing more than to hold him, to take back every harsh word, to undo all the pain. But as soon as she touches him, the entire room shatters.
Darkness swirls around her as she sees Bennett being pulled down into a void.
“Bennett!” she screams, reaching out.
His tear-streaked face is the last thing she sees before he vanishes.
Liz wakes up with a scream, drenched in sweat, her chest heaving. Her vision blurs with tears as she clutches her blankets, her entire body trembling.
Her door bursts open, and Dolores and Dominga, rush in.
“Liz!” Aunt Dolores kneels beside her.
“What happened? You were screaming.”
Liz cannot speak. She only shakes her head as sobs wrack her body. Aunt Dominga sits on the other side of the bed, stroking her hair gently.
“Shh, it’s okay, dear. We’re here.”
Liz buries her face in her hands, repeating the same words over and over.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The two aunts exchange worried glances. Dolores reaches for a glass of warm milk and hands it to her.
“Drink this, sweetheart. It will help you calm down.”
Liz hesitates but takes the glass, her hands still shaking. She takes slow sips, the warmth soothing her slightly.
Dominga rubs her back.
“Whatever you saw, it was just a dream.”
Liz grips the glass tightly.
“But it wasn’t just a dream,” she whispers. “It was real.”
Her aunts say nothing, but their silence tells her they do not fully understand. How could they? How could she explain that she just saw Bennett suffering because of her past actions?
After finishing the milk, Liz lies back down, exhausted from crying. Dolores pulls the blanket over her, while Dominga turns off the bedside lamp.
“We’ll stay with you tonight,” Dolores says softly. “You don’t have to be alone.”
Liz nods weakly, too drained to argue. As she closes her eyes, another dream takes her.
One where she hopes she can finally make things right.
Liz finds herself in a dream once again. This time, she stands at the door of a familiar classroom. The scent of chalk lingers in the air, and the gentle hum of a ceiling fan fills the silence. In front of her, Bennett sits at a desk, typing away on his laptop. His expression is calm, focused.
Bennett stops typing and looks up, his eyes lighting up with warmth.
"Liz! You’re here!" he says with a smile. "Do you want to go grab lunch?"
Liz nods instinctively, her heart fluttering at his invitation. Just as she is about to respond, Bennett’s expression shifts. He furrows his brows and asks,
"But why?"
A chill runs down Liz’s spine. The question catches her off guard. Before she can answer, she hears an all-too-familiar voice behind her. She turns around—and freezes.
Her younger self stands a few feet away, scowling. Dressed in the same school uniform she wore back then, her arms are crossed, and an unmistakable look of entitlement is plastered on her face. Liz watches in horror as her past self stomps toward Bennett.
"Bennett, give me some money. Now," Younger Liz demands. "I’m going out with my friends, and I need it."
Bennett sighs, reluctant.
"Liz, are you sure—"
"I said, give it to me!" Younger Liz interrupts, her tone sharp. "Come on, you have plenty!"
Liz, the spectator, watches in disbelief. How could she have acted like this? How could she have treated him this way?
Wyn suddenly enters the classroom, her eyes flickering between them.
"Liz, can I talk to you for a second?" she asks hesitantly.
Younger Liz scoffs.
"Not now, Wyn. I am asking Bennett for something."
Bennett exhales deeply, then reaches into his pocket, pulling out some money. He hands it over without a word. Younger Liz snatches it and storms out, not even offering a thank you.
Wyn watches her leave, then turns to Bennett.
"Bro, you really shouldn’t have given it to her."
Bennett forces a smile.
"She’s so aggressive and I can’t compete with that, you know. I just want her to be happy."
Wyn sighs, then gives him a small nod before exiting.
Liz watches as Bennett remains seated for a moment. He closes his eyes, his hands clasped together. He then stands and walks toward the small altar at the front of the classroom.
"Lord, please guide Liz’s heart," he prays, his voice filled with sincerity.
"I know she isn’t perfect—none of us are—but I pray that she finds her way, that she learns to love others as You love us. Help her see beyond the selfishness, beyond the anger. Show her the light, Lord. Me, and her family only want the best for her."
Tears prick Liz’s eyes. Bennett had been praying for her all along? Even after all the terrible things she had done?
The scene shifts. Liz suddenly finds herself inside a police mobile.
She sees her younger self sitting arrogantly, a smug grin on her face.
"Let’s make that old guy who cursed at us be imprisoned forever! Let’s make him pay! Jail him up!" Younger Liz yells, her voice filled with spite.
Spectator Liz gasps. Did she really say those words? Did she really act like that?
From the front seat, Wyn remains silent, seemingly indifferent. However, just a few moments later, Wyn glances back. Liz watches in confusion as Wyn’s face changes—there’s no indifference there. Instead, there’s sadness, disappointment.
And then, Liz sees something she never noticed before—her younger self crying. Silent, vulnerable tears stream down her face, contradicting the harsh words she had just spoken.
Liz, the spectator, clutches her chest. Why hadn’t she remembered this? Why hadn’t she realized how broken she had been back then?
The scene shifts again, pulling Liz back to the school. Bennett is still at his desk when his phone rings. He answers, and immediately, the sound of someone sobbing comes through the receiver.
Liz watches as his face pales. He stands abruptly, shutting off his laptop and gathering his things in a hurry. He dashes out of the classroom, running down the hallway. Outside, he hails a tricycle and climbs in.
Liz doesn’t need to follow him to know where he’s going. She already knows.
The police station.
She teleports there in an instant. Inside, she finds her younger self sitting on a bench, sobbing uncontrollably.
And there, beside her, is Bennett.
He holds her tightly, whispering reassurances as she cries into his shoulder. His hands rub soothing circles on her back.
Spectator Liz trembles. She had never fully realized how much Bennett had been there for her. Through her worst moments, through the selfishness, the arrogance, the anger—he had never left her side.
Tears spill down her cheeks.
A voice echoes through the air.
"What do thou see?"
Liz gasps and turns around, but there is no one there. The voice continues, gentle yet firm.
"What do thou see?"
Liz swallows hard, looking back at Bennett and her past self.
"I… I see love."
The voice hums in approval.
"Then what must thou do?"
Liz clenches her fists.
"I must make it right."
As soon as she utters those words, the dream begins to fade. Darkness consumes the world around her, pulling her back into the waking world.
Liz wakes up with a start, tears streaming down her face. Her breathing is ragged, her body trembling. She hugs herself, pressing her forehead against her knees.
Dolores and Dominga rush into the room.
"Liz! What happened?" Dolores asks in concern.
Liz hiccups, clutching her chest.
"I… I saw everything," she whispers. "I was horrible. I hurt him so much."
Dominga sits beside her, gently stroking her hair.
"Shh, it’s okay now."
Liz shakes her head.
"No, it’s not. I need to fix this. I need to make things right."
Dolores hands her a glass of warm milk.
"First, drink this and rest, girl. You won’t be able to do anything if you’re exhausted."
Liz hesitates before taking a sip. The warmth soothes her shaking hands.
As she drinks, Dominga smiles softly.
"We’ll be right here."
Liz finishes the milk and lies down, her body still heavy with emotion.
As her aunts tuck her in, she whispers into the darkness,
"Bennett… I’m so sorry…"
And with that, she drifts back into sleep, determined to set things right.
In the morning, she lights up three candles in front of the altar, and prays for Bennett deeply, regretting her actions.
"I'll make it up to you, Bennett, I love you".
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