**Title:** _Stolen Promises_

**Characters:**

• **Leo**: A poor but proud young man, deeply in love and willing to do whatever it takes.

• **Mia**: The girl Leo loves, compassionate and understanding, with a grounded heart.

**Scene: A park bench in the late evening. Leo stands in front of Mia, shifting nervously, hiding his hands in his coat pockets. Mia watches him, curious but unaware of his inner turmoil.**

**Leo:** (deep breath, looking at her) Mia, there’s… something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time. I’m not great with words, but… I need you to hear me out.

**Mia:** (smiling softly) Leo, you know you can tell me anything. What’s on your mind?

**Leo:** (struggling, searching her eyes) I know I don’t have much… I’m just a guy trying to scrape by, but… (sighs) I’ve never felt this way about anyone. You mean everything to me. More than I can say. And… I love you.

**Mia:** (blushing, genuinely touched) Leo… I… I don’t know what to say. That’s… that’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear. I… I love you too.

**[They share a warm, silent moment, each basking in the confession.]**

**Mia:** (curiously) But… you seem nervous. Is there something else?

**Leo:** (fumbles with something in his pocket, clears his throat) I, uh… I wanted to make it official. (pauses) I wanted to give you a ring, something real. Something that could show you how serious I am. But…

**Mia:** (gentle smile) Leo, I don’t need a ring to know how you feel.

**Leo:** (hesitating) I know, but… I wanted it. For you. To show you I’m serious. And I couldn’t afford one, so I did something… stupid.

**Mia:** (frowning, concerned) Leo, what did you do?

**Leo:** (swallows hard, looking down) I… I stole it. From the jeweler on Main. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, imagining what it would be like to give it to you, to show you I could give you something more. But… I knew I couldn’t afford it. So, I took it.

**Mia:** (wide-eyed, shocked) You… you stole a ring? For me?

**Leo:** (ashamed but resolute) I know it’s wrong. I just wanted to feel like… like I was enough. Like I could give you something you deserved, even if it wasn’t much.

**Mia:** (quietly) Leo… you didn’t need to do that. You are enough.

**Leo:** (looks up at her, vulnerability in his eyes) I was ready to do anything to prove to you that I’d go to the ends of the earth for you, even if I had nothing.

**Mia:** (reaches out, taking his hand) You don’t need a ring to prove that. All I need is you. And besides… (smiles wryly) maybe the police aren’t really something I want us to add to our relationship.

**Leo:** (laughs nervously) Yeah… maybe I got a little carried away.

**Mia:** (soft smile) Let’s take it slow. We’ll build a future together. Honestly. And no more stealing.

**Leo:** (nodding, squeezing her hand) No more stealing. I promise.

**[They walk off together, hand in hand, ready to face the future on a better path.]**

**[Fade to black.]**