Ever had a conversation with the past?

The Past: Hey.

Girl: (startled) Ah!

The Past: (startled) Ahh!

Girl: Oh, it's you.

The Past: It is.

Girl: You startled me.

The Past: Sorry about that.

Girl: You can't just sneak up on people like that. It's rude.

The Past: Guess I forgot my manners for a bit.

Girl: You sure did. (pause) This is a really bad time, you know ...

The Past: ... I know ...

Girl: ... for you to pop up. I mean, stuff's going pretty good right now and ...

The Past: ... and?

Girl: God! And you just creep up like some kind of asshole fog! (angry) Who do you think you are?

The Past: I'm what you want.

Girl: How do you know that? How can you possibly know that!

The Past: Because I know you. Because I know how happy you were. And how you made a hard decision.

Girl: Yeah.

The Past: And you had hopes and dreams. And you had a plan. And it's time.

Girl: It can't be.

The Past: It is. It's now or never.

Girl: No. Not now.

The Past: You've already been given a second chance. Do you realize this?

Girl: I can't handle this right now. It's too much.

The Past: You can.

Girl: But what if ...

The Past: ... what if what?

Girl: What if things don't turn out the way I need them to?

The Past: You'll be fine. What's the worst that could hap... oh.

Girl: (sadly nods)

The Past: That would ...

Girl: I'm not strong enough. (a tear falls)

The Past: (thinks for a moment) Is the pain of possibly losing worse than not trying?

Girl: I don't know. I'm already in pain.

The Past: I know.

Girl: It hurts to just watch. It hurts to think of trying. And if I try and fail ...

The Past: ... you'll die.

Girl: It'll be over. Forever. I would have ...

The Past: ... waited too long. Just like you always have.

Girl: (stares off to the side) Why did you have to show up now?

The Past: I've always been here. You've just been too focused and really good about drowning me out. But even you can't ignore me forever.

(And the girl looks her past in the eye. And it glares right back. And together, they make a decision to for the future.)