Damien stood outside the door of his home, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. The encounter with Leo had stirred something deep within him, igniting a flicker of hope that perhaps redemption was still possible. As he stepped inside, the weight of the world pressed heavily on his shoulders, and he could feel the tension in the air.

His parents were in the living room, sitting on opposite ends of the couch. The sight of their worried faces made Damien’s stomach twist. He had hurt them, too—more than he realized. 

“Damien?” His mother’s voice was a mix of relief and caution. “You’re back?”

“Can we talk?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

They exchanged glances before nodding. Damien took a deep breath, stepping closer as he felt a wave of emotions crashing over him. “I—I need to apologize. I’ve been such an awful son. I’ve hurt so many people, and I’ve hurt you both. I’m so sorry.”

His mother’s eyes softened, but his father’s expression remained stern. “You’ve made some terrible choices, Damien,” Mr. Rook said, his voice heavy with disappointment. “You’ve caused pain not just to your victims but to your mother and me as well.”

Damien felt his heart sink. “I know. I didn’t think about the consequences. I was blinded by my own ego.” He struggled to hold back tears. “I’m sorry for everything. For the bullying, for making your lives harder. I wish I could take it all back.”

“Words mean nothing without actions,” Mr. Rook said firmly. “What have you done to make amends?”

“I—I haven’t done anything yet, but I want to change,” Damien pleaded. “I want to ask for forgiveness from everyone I’ve hurt, starting with Daniel and his parents. I need to make things right.”

His mother looked at him with a mixture of hope and sadness. “Do you really mean that, Damien? You’re serious about this?”

“I’ve realized how wrong I was. I want to be a better person,” Damien replied, his voice trembling. “I need to show you both that I can change.”

After a moment of silence, Mr. Rook took a deep breath. “You’re lucky we’re willing to give you another chance, but it won’t be easy. You’re not officially expelled from school yet. However, before you can return, you must apologize to Daniel’s parent and to Daniel himself. Do you understand?”

Damien nodded, tears streaming down his face. “Yes, I understand. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Good,” his father said, his voice softening slightly. “But you have to realize that forgiveness won’t come easily. You’ve done a lot of damage, and it will take time to heal those wounds.”

“I’m ready to face it,” Damien said, determination flooding his heart. “I’ll confront everyone, I know I have to face them all.”

As he looked at his parents, he felt a glimmer of hope. They were willing to give him a chance. Now it was up to him to prove that he could change and make amends for the pain he had caused.

With newfound resolve, Damien wiped his tears and took a deep breath. “I’m going to fix this,” he vowed, stepping out of the room to prepare for the difficult journey ahead.