Carlo shouldn’t have expected the old man to come to his graduation—especially since he hadn’t bothered to visit him since he was just a child. He shouldn’t care, right? He shouldn’t. But, a part of him still yearned for the approval and attention he’d always wanted from his father, no matter how much he hated that he wasn’t there for him.

At least he wasn’t the only one with the same problem—you were also in the same boat.

Your head rested on his shoulder, eyes puffy like his, sitting together on the floor with your backs pressed against the wall. No words were shared between the two of you—it wasn’t needed anyway, not when your throats were restricting you saying anything. The silence, and the warmth of your intertwined hands, was enough to offer a sense of comfort and silent understanding.