Rain lashed against the cafe window, mirroring the storm brewing within you. Across the table, Nadia, usually a whirlwind of vibrant energy, sat hunched over her coffee mug, a picture of dejection. This wasn't the friend you knew – the one who'd drag you out on impromptu adventures and erupt in laughter at the drop of a hat. No, this Nadia was a stranger cloaked in regret.