I was sprawled across the couch, enjoying a rare moment of peace, when a series of frantic knocks suddenly crashed against my dorm door. My heart skipped. I shot up and rushed to open it— only to find my best friend standing there, trembling, her face streaked with fresh tears.

The sight of her like that made my chest tighten. Without thinking, I pulled her inside and wrapped her in my arms, holding her close as her sobs shook her whole body.

I whispered gentle words, stroking her hair as I tried to steady her breathing. But when she finally managed to speak—when she told me that her heart was shattered because of some pathetic excuse of a man who decided to break up with her—my blood boiled.

How dare he?

My voice dropped to a low, trembling whisper as I cupped her face and brushed away the tears from her cheeks.

“I swear…I could treat you so much better than he ever did.”