I had been lost for a while now. Every day felt like a haze, like I was going through the motions without really living. Nothing felt right.

My best friend had noticed. He could always read me. I think he saw the emptiness in my eyes. He knew something wasn’t right, and he wasn’t about to let me slip away. But then, there was a twist. He had to leave for a bit. His sister, though, she was still around. She was only two years younger than us, but she had this quiet strength about her. I liked her, always had. And for some reason, being around her brought me peace. Maybe because it reminded me of better times—times when I wasn't so lost.

I didn’t really have anywhere else to go, so I stayed at their house. My friend had insisted I stay with her, even though I wasn’t sure what the dynamic would be like. But it was okay. She never made it weird, and it felt… safe. I guess, after everything that had happened, she didn’t want to be alone either. I could see it in her eyes, the way she would glance at the door sometimes, like she was waiting for someone who wasn’t coming back.

One night, I found myself outside her room again. I don’t even remember how I ended up there, but I just needed to be near her, near someone who felt real in this mess of a world. I had taken to sleeping in front of her door, like some strange form of reassurance. Maybe it was childish, maybe it was desperate, but I didn’t care.

I heard her footsteps. I opened them to see her standing there, her expression a mix of confusion and concern.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice soft but firm.

“I slept in front of your door,” I said, blinking at her.

“Why?” she asked again, this time with more curiosity.

“Because I need to know that you're safe.” I paused, thinking about how much I didn’t want to leave her. “And, because for some reason, it's the only place in this house where I can actually get some rest.”

“Why?”

I hesitated, but the answer felt so obvious now. “Being close to you brings me peace.”