A True Compromise
1368 Words
Allen stood on the front steps, his arms aching as he held Regina. Both of them were
covered in soot, their uniforms shredded, and blood was dripping down Allen's face.
His dad stared at them, his jaw hitting the floor. "Oh, my son... what on earth have you
done?!"
"What have I done?" Allen shot back, annoyed. "Dad, just look at us."
"You are completely injured, covered in blood, your clothes are ripped to shreds—and
you're holding a girl who looks exactly the same!" his dad yelled, waving his hands
dramatically.
"Oh, please, just let us inside first," Allen groaned, his strength fading. "Or else I'm
literally going to die right here on the porch."
Regina looked up weakly at the older man. "Uncle... he will explain everything to you.
Just look at him, please let us in."
Allen grumbled, looking away. "We don't have to beg him, Regina."
His dad clutched his chest, putting on a full theatrical performance. "Ah! What kind of
day is this?! Why did I have to live to see my son bring home his girlfriend fully
injured? Before seeing a day like this, why haven't I just died?! Aaaaaah!"
"Dad! She is NOT my girlfriend!" Allen shouted, his face heating up.
His father's eyes went even wider. "Ah! So... did you kidnap a girl?! Ah, noooooo! Why,
son, why?! You were never that kind of boy! Why haven't I just died?!"
"DAD!" Allen yelled, completely losing his patience. "Let us in! I didn't kidnap her!
Seriously, do you really think your son is like that? Just let us inside!"
His father instantly dropped the drama, coughing lightly. "Oh. Sorry. Come on in."
He quickly stepped aside, throwing the doors wide open. Allen marched straight into
the living room and carefully placed Regina down onto the soft cushions of the sofa.
He slumped into a chair right next to her, letting out a sharp breath.
He glared up at his father. "Dad, this is Regina. Your childhood friend's daughter."
His father blinked, a wave of relief washing over his face. "Ah! Okay, her! But... why are
both of you so horribly injured?"
"Dad, a doctor. We need a doctor in the first place," Allen reminded him bluntly.
"Oh! Right, right! Wait here, dear," his father said, rushing to the phone.
A private family doctor arrived within fifteen minutes, carefully treating their burns,
cleaning Allen's cuts, and wrapping Regina's fractured ankle in a clean, tight bandage.
Once the medical chaos settled, Allen and Regina finally sat down and explained the
entire nightmare of the detention room and the school fire.
His father sighed, shaking his head. "That is incredibly bad luck... it's only your second
day of school, and you both end up facing a disaster like that."
Then, Allen's father turned his gaze back to Regina. "But tell me, dear, why did you
decide to come here instead of going to your own house?"
Regina gave a weak, nervous laugh. "Well... actually, if I had gone home looking like a
burnt mess, my dad would have probably fainted on the spot. You know how he is."
His father chuckled loudly, nodding in total agreement. "Yaaah! I see, I see! Don't you
worry about a thing, kids. The food is ready, so come on over to the table."
They all sat down to eat, but the atmosphere between the two teenagers was
completely different now. Regina and Allen didn't exchange a single word, their eyes
glued to their plates as they quietly finished their dinner, the lingering embarrassment
from the car ride still hanging in the air.
Once dinner was finished, Allen's father stood up and checked the clock. "Alright, it's
getting incredibly late. Regina, your room for tonight is right next to Allen's. It's the
only guest room left available."
Hearing this, Allen's eyes widened. He immediately lunged forward, grabbing his dad's
shoulder and dragging him into a corner to whisper angrily:
"Dad! Both of those rooms have a single, giant connected balcony!"
His father simply patted his shoulder, completely unfazed. "You'll just have to
compromise, son. It's literally the only empty room left in the house."
Allen bit his lip, letting out a defeated growl. "...Fine."
The mansion fell completely quiet as midnight arrived.
Allen quickly showered and changed into a pair of clean sweatpants and a loose shirt.
Unable to sleep, he pushed his glass doors open and stepped out onto the balcony,
greeting the icy night air.
He leaned against the stone railing, staring up at the brilliant, starry sky. It was a
seriously tough day, he thought, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. I don't know what's
happening... my feelings are getting so strange lately. I can't even understand myself
anymore.
Suddenly, a soft rustle came from his left.
Allen glanced over and saw Regina stepping out onto her side of the balcony. But the
moment his eyes landed on her, his brow furrowed. She was still wearing her ruined,
bloody, and shredded school uniform.
Without saying a word, Allen abruptly turned on his heel and walked right back into
his room, shutting the glass doors behind him.
Regina froze, her heart sinking into her chest. He really hates me... she thought, a
sudden wave of sadness washing over her. That's why he just walked away the second
he saw me.
But inside his room, Allen wasn't avoiding her at all. He marched straight over to his
closet, throwing the doors open. He searched through the shelves until he pulled out
his absolute favorite, softest oversized t-shirt and a pair of comfortable trousers.
Slamming the closet shut, he gripped the clothes and stepped back out onto the
balcony. But when he looked over, her side of the railing was completely empty. She
had already gone back inside.
Allen didn't hesitate. He walked along the length of the shared balcony, crossing over
to her side, and stopped right in front of her locked glass door.
Knock, knock.
Inside the dark room, Regina was curled up, her shoulders shaking as silent tears
streamed down her face. Hearing the sharp sound against the glass, she stiffened. Is it
just the wind?
Knock, knock.
Then, a quiet, familiar whisper cut through the dark. "Regina. It's me. Open the door."
Regina panicked. She quickly wiped her tears, trying to even out her breathing, and
unlocked the glass door. She pushed it open, looking down at the floor. "Come in...
why did you come over here through the balcony?"
Allen didn't answer right away. He simply reached out and placed the neatly folded
stack of clothes into her hands. "I came to give you these. Don't sleep in that ruined,
uncomfortable uniform."
Regina stared down at the soft fabric, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Thank
you..."
Allen turned around, intending to walk back to his room, but his feet felt completely
glued to the ground. He tried to control himself, but the sound of her shaky breath
broke his resolve. He stopped, looking back over his shoulder.
"Why were you crying, Gina?" he asked softly.
Regina quickly looked away, forcing a defensive tone. "I wasn't crying."
"I'm not a kid, Regina. I know you were," Allen said, his voice dropping to a rare,
gentle tone.
Regina looked down, fresh tears welling up in her eyes as she gave voice to the fear
that had been torturing her all night. "Do you... do you hate me now, Allen?"
Allen's eyes softened completely. He took a step forward, closing the distance
between them. Reaching out, his warm fingers gently cupped her chin, tilting her face
up until she was forced to look straight into his deep eyes.
"No," Allen murmured, his gaze unwavering in the moonlight. "Why would I ever hate
you, Gina? Since when did you start worrying about me hating you anyway?"
Regina stared into his eyes, her heart swelling as a single tear escaped down her
cheek. "That's exactly what I want to know from myself..."
Enveloped by the deep cover of the dark night, the two of them stood frozen together
on the quiet balcony, the invisible wall between them completely shattering to pieces.
[Chapter Ended ...
To Be Continued]..
- Writer
