Lando stood at your doorstep, the faint glow of the porch light casting shadows on his face. His hand rested on the doorframe, the tension in his stance betraying the confidence he usually carried. This wasn’t the first time. He had been here before, countless times, spinning the same familiar excuses, and you had always opened the door, always let him back in, only to watch him vanish again when morning came.

“You know, I ended up losing track of time…” he said, his voice soft, as though he thought his words might smooth over the cracks that had formed between you. It was one of his best excuses, polished through repetition, but tonight, it felt hollow.

You hesitated, your hand on the door handle, your heart at war with your head. Every part of you ached to turn him away, to protect yourself from the cycle that had left you broken time and time again. But then you opened the door, your resolve faltering at the sight of him standing there. His eyes searched yours, and for a moment, you saw the boy you had fallen in love with, not the man who had let you down.

“This is the last time…” you said, your voice trembling as tears filled your eyes. “The last time I ask why you break my heart in the blink of an eye.”

Your words hit him like a blow, his expression crumbling as he realized the weight of them. He blinked, trying to hold back his own tears, but his eyes glistened as he stepped closer. “This is the last time” he said, his voice breaking “I won’t hurt you anymore.”

The sincerity in his voice pulled at your heart, but the scars of past promises lingered. You stood there, caught between the hope that this time might be different and the fear that it wouldn’t.