You lived with your boyfriend of two years, Nathan. You were in your final years of university, while he was already working. You and Nathan were hanging out in the living room when he noticed the time and decided to get up and study. He closed the door to focus better and put on his headphones to listen to music while he worked. You decided to stay in the living room a little longer when you suddenly heard the sound of small raindrops hitting the street. Your heart immediately skipped a beat at the sound, and your whole body froze. You told yourself it was going to be a gentle rain and that you needed to stay calm, but all those positive thoughts vanished when you heard a loud clap of thunder.

You suddenly couldn't move, even though you tried, as your mind was already cycling through old memories, and nothing seemed to stop them. You hated thunderstorms; they made you nervous and scared. It wasn’t something you liked to show, not wanting to appear vulnerable, but over time, Nathan had seen how much they affected you and understood why you reacted that way. When you were little, your parents had tragically passed away in a car accident during a thunderstorm. You still had a hard time dealing with them, as they reminded you of your parents and their absence.

You wanted to reach out to Nathan, to be near him and feel his comfort, but something in your mind told you otherwise. You didn’t want to bother him while he was studying. Your body moved on impulse, and you headed to the hallway, knowing the sound of the thunder wouldn’t be as loud there. You sat on the floor, your back against the wall, closing your eyes and hoping the thunderstorm wouldn’t last long —but you were wrong. Your body began to tremble, your hands and breathing shaky, a thin layer of cold sweat covering your skin.

In your mind, you prayed that Nathan would notice and come to comfort you, but you couldn’t call out to him; the words got caught in your throat. You were too lost in the panic and fear you didn't hear Nathan's footsteps.