TREAT ME RIGHT

James sat on his bed, phone in hand, heart hammering like it might burst. He stared at the screen as if the right words would appear on their own. But they wouldn't. There were no easy words for this, no gentle way to undo months of pain and mistakes.

Rose.

Her name burned in his mind, dragging every memory behind it-laughing eyes, teasing smiles, whispered promises that now felt like chains. He had avoided this moment, this confrontation, for far too long. But he knew he couldn't hide anymore. Not from her. Not from himself.

He closed his eyes and drew in a deep, shuddering breath. I have to see her. One last time. And then it's over.

The park wasn't far. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the path, golden and soft, but that beauty did little to ease the tension curling in his chest. When Rose came into view, it hit him like a punch-her presence, so familiar, so magnetic, yet now threatening, dangerous.

She smiled. That same smile. The one that had drawn him in months ago. But this time, it didn't reach her eyes. Something darker lurked behind them-anger, desire, a challenge he wasn't sure he could meet.

"I'm done, Rose," he said, his voice firmer than he felt inside.

Her smile faltered. "Done? You... you're serious?"

"I am," he said. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to meet her gaze. "I can't live in the past anymore. I'm moving on. That's it."

Rose's eyes darkened, sharp and dangerous. "You mean... you're free? That means-"

James took a step closer, interrupting the thought that was forming on her lips. "I'm not here for that. I just needed to be clear. I'm done."

Her lips pressed into a tight line, and he could almost feel the battle waging inside her. Desire. Pride. Anger. All in one glance. But James had finally drawn his line.

He turned without another word. With each step, his chest felt lighter, but his stomach twisted into knots. The temptation lingered behind him like a shadow.

Later that evening, James sat cross-legged on his bed, the glow of his phone illuminating his tired face. He had made the hardest choice of his life-but it wasn't over yet. There was Benita. She deserved the truth, deserved honesty, and he owed it to himself to fight for her.

His fingers trembled as he typed a message:

Benita... I need to tell you something. I've made mistakes, and I've hurt you. But I've let go of the past. Rose is done, and she's no longer part of my life. I promise you-I will love you with all my heart. Please... give me a chance to show you.

He stared at the screen, thumb hovering over "send." His mind replayed every argument, every tear, every moment of doubt. Could she trust him again? Would she see that he had truly changed?

Finally, with a trembling sigh, he pressed "send."

The minutes crawled. Each tick of the clock a dagger to his heart. Then, finally... a reply:

James... I... I don't know. I'm scared. But I want to believe you.

Relief surged through him, warm and fierce, but it was tempered by the knowledge that trust had to be earned. Words alone weren't enough.

The next morning, he made his way to the park-the same park where they had shared laughter and secrets weeks ago, before Spain, before heartbreak. Every familiar corner seemed charged with memory, every breeze carrying the weight of what had passed.

He spotted her sitting on the bench under the old oak tree, her posture tense, fingers twisting in her lap. Her eyes flicked up as he approached, wary, cautious, yet a hint of hope shone in them.

"Benita..." His voice was soft, almost pleading, as he knelt before her, taking her hands in his. "I'm serious. The past is gone. I've learned... I've realized... what we have-it's real. And I don't want to lose it."

Her gaze searched his face, doubt warring with desire. "James... you really mean it?"

"I do," he whispered, squeezing her hands gently. "No secrets. No past chasing me. Just you. Only you."

Her lips curved into a small, tentative smile, but the tension in her shoulders remained. "I'll give you a chance... but you have to prove it. Every day. No more games."

"I swear," he said, relief flooding him. "From now on... it's you and me."

They stood together in silence, the soft hum of the park around them. And for a moment, the weight of months of heartache lifted from his chest. Not just from Rose... but from all the doubts and fears that had haunted him.

Over the next few days, James made good on his promise. Every text, every call, every meeting was honest and deliberate. He showed up when he said he would. He listened when she spoke. He didn't hide, he didn't falter, he didn't chase shadows of the past.

Benita, too, began to let her guard down, though slowly. The walls she had built around her heart didn't crumble instantly, but cracks began to form. She laughed more easily when he was around, touched his arm lightly during conversation, and sometimes... just sometimes, her eyes lingered on him in a way that made his chest ache with longing.

But Rose lingered in the edges of his mind, a ghost he couldn't completely banish. Not because he wanted her, but because he knew temptation would always test the strength of his promises.

One evening, as they walked through the park, the sun dipping low in the sky, James stopped and turned to Benita.

"Benita... I need you to know something," he said, voice earnest. "I've loved before, yes. I've made mistakes, yes. But with you... everything is different. I can feel it in my bones. You're the one I want, the one I'll fight for. No hesitation. No holding back."

Tears shimmered in her eyes, and she pressed her hand to his chest. "I... I want to believe you, James. But I need to see it. I need to feel it. Promise me-promise me you won't let the past touch us again."

He cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing a stray tear away. "I promise. I swear it. From this day on, it's always you. No looking back. No what-ifs. Just us."

And as they walked hand in hand, laughter soft and genuine spilling between them, James felt something he hadn't in months: freedom. Not just from Rose, not just from fear... but freedom from doubt, freedom from regret.

Yet beneath that relief, he knew this was only the beginning. The road ahead with Benita would not be without challenges. They would face obstacles, moments of doubt, maybe even moments of fear. But for the first time, he felt ready to face them-not alone, but together.

Because this... this was real.

And James was done running from it.