Nerissa shook her head, and the tears fell faster. "How...?! How can I change into anything other than what I am now when the guilt is so heavy!?"
Rick said, "By admitting that you made terrible mistakes and choosing to do better anyway..."
"And also... by admitting that you hurt people and promising to help them now."
"You can be a monster for a while, but that doesn't mean you have to stay one forever..."
He got even closer, so close that their faces were only a few inches apart. "Nerissa... I'm a 24-year-old guy who died alone in his apartment because he was too scared to talk to real people."
"For years, I told myself I was worthless and unlovable..."
"I gave up on life before it really began... but then I got a second chance in this world, and you know what I learned?"
"What...?"
"I learned that I don't have to stay the same person I was because I have real connections now..."
