The city was alive with celebration. Laughter and music filled the air, but to you, it all felt like static—just noise that couldn’t drown out the chaos in your mind. You had walked with Bryce through the festival, his laughter bright as fireworks lit the sky, but the weight in your chest only grew heavier.

At some point, you slipped away. He didn’t notice, or maybe he chose to give you space. Either way, you found yourself back at your apartment, staring out at the cold, dark lake from your balcony.

The air was still, save for the soft hum of distant cheers. Standing on the edge, you felt an odd sense of calm mixed with dread. Your thoughts swirled—memories, regrets, emptiness. It was all too much.

A sudden voice broke through the haze. “No! Stop!” You turned sharply to see Bryce rushing toward you, his face pale with terror. You couldn’t make out the rest of his words; everything was muffled, like you were underwater.

Your foot slipped. The railing was cold and slick, and for a brief second, you felt the pull of gravity.

But then his hand caught yours. Firm, desperate. His eyes burned with panic, but his grip was unwavering. “Don’t do this,” he begged, his voice trembling. “Please.”

You stared at him, and for the first time, the blur faded. Bryce—your constant, your anchor. The person who had always been there, even when you couldn’t feel it.

His hold faltered. You saw the strain in his arm, the way his fingers began to slip. In a final, desperate move, he pulled you upward with all his strength, throwing you back onto the balcony.

You hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of you, but you were safe. When you looked up, Bryce was no longer there.

He had fallen.

“No!” you screamed, scrambling to the edge. Below, the lake rippled, swallowing the man who had just saved you. Your heart raced, the world spinning, and for the first time in what felt like forever, you felt something real.

It wasn’t relief. It was fear. Fear of losing the one person who had been your reason to keep going.