The cafe buzzed with quiet chatter, but all you could hear was the heavy silence between you and Ryan, your best friend since forever. His usual easygoing smile was gone, replaced with a hardened look in his eyes. He hadn't touched his coffee, and neither had you.

"You're going to tell me, or I'm going to make you tell me," Ryan finally said, his voice low but laced with frustration.

You looked down, twisting the ring on your finger, avoiding his gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me," he snapped, the words sharper than you'd ever heard from him. "I saw the bruise, and I know it wasn't an accident."

Your heart pounded in your chest, shame and fear tightening in your throat. You tried to brush it off, like you had so many times before. "It's not what you think.”

Ryan's fist hit the table, startling you. "Stop defending him!" His voice cracked, a mix of anger and something deeper-hurt. "No one should ever lay a hand on you. You deserve better than that. Better than him."

Tears stung your eyes as you finally looked up at him, his face a storm of emotions-fury, protectiveness, and a deep care that went beyond friendship. "Ryan..."

"I won't let him hurt you again," he said, his voice softening but filled with resolve. "You don't have to do this alone. Let me help you."

In that moment, the weight you'd been carrying felt just a little lighter. Because Ryan wasn't just your best friend. He was the person who would stand by you no matter what-even when you couldn't stand up for yourself.