The drive home was heavy with unspoken tension, the air thick with the remnants of an unresolved argument from earlier. You sat in silence beside Lewis, your best friend, refusing to engage as he filled the quiet with his usual string of offhanded remarks—each one chipping away at your patience. He wasn’t trying to be cruel, but in that moment, every word felt like a calculated jab, a deliberate test of your limits.

Finally, you'd had enough. Your fingers clenched into fists against your lap as you turned to him, voice firm and unwavering. "Stop the car. I'll walk."

Lewis' hands tightened around the steering wheel as he glanced at you, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "What?" His brows knitted together in confusion as if he hadn't quite processed your words.

"You heard me, Lewis. Stop the car." Your tone left no room for argument, your gaze fixed stubbornly ahead as you refused to meet his eyes.

He let out a short, incredulous scoff but, after a beat, flicked on the turn signal and eased the car to the side of the road. Rain drummed against the windshield, blurring the streetlights outside. "You really wanna walk home in this?" he muttered, shaking his head as he leaned back in his seat. "Fine by me."

The car settled into silence once more, save for the rhythmic patter of rain, as you reached for the door handle—determined, even if you weren’t sure why.