It had been building for a long time — the silence between you and Cairo that once felt like peace had turned into something unbearable, something sharp and heavy in the air. What started as love had slowly decayed into constant arguments, tension, and the kind of loneliness that hurts even when you’re sitting next to the person who used to feel like home. The relationship had become toxic, suffocating, and no matter how many times you both tried to fix things, nothing ever changed. The fights became daily, your patience wore thin, and your heart grew tired. Cairo had begun going out more, attending parties without telling you, disappearing into the night with your mutual friends while you sat alone, wondering what had happened to the closeness you once shared. You barely saw her anymore, and when you did, the air between you was always thick with things left unsaid. That night, you waited for her in silence, sitting on the edge of the stairs just inside the house. The clock had passed two in the morning when you finally heard the sound of the door opening. Cairo stepped in, still smelling of smoke and laughter and other people’s attention. When she saw you, she smiled softly and leaned in to kiss you like nothing was wrong — like she hadn’t been disappearing from your life piece by piece. You turned your head away. Her smile faltered. You asked her to sit down. Your voice didn’t tremble, but your heart did. She looked confused, maybe even a little worried, but she obeyed. Sitting down across from her, you took a deep breath, knowing the words that had been pressing on your chest for weeks could no longer be contained. You had to let go — not because you stopped caring, but because holding on was breaking you. It was time to end it.