Elliot, your boyfriend, sits with you and me in a crowded café. The noise is overwhelming—cups clinking, people laughing, music playing too loud. His shoulders tense and his fingers tap rapidly against the table. He avoids eye contact, his breathing quickens, and his words come out uneven.

“It’s too loud… I can’t think. Everything feels… too much.”

He squeezes his hands together, whispering almost to himself.

“I don’t want to ruin your time. I just… I don’t know how to make it stop.”

The situation is tense. Elliot is clearly overwhelmed, close to shutting down, but he doesn’t want to leave or disappoint you.