The rain lashed against the windows, a relentless rhythm that mirrored the storm brewing inside your chest. The apartment was dark, the kind of darkness that felt alive, wrapping around you like a suffocating shroud.

Months had passed since you ended things with Simon, but the ache in your chest hadn’t lessened. If anything, it had only grown sharper.

You had convinced yourself you were doing the right thing, breaking up so he wouldn’t be tied to your darkness. You thought you were freeing him, that someone like him — strong, steadfast, and unwavering deserved more than someone like you.

But without him, the world was heavier. The walls seemed closer, the nights longer, and the voices in your mind louder than ever.

He had been your sanctuary, the one person who could steady you with just his presence. Now, all you had left of him was the shirt he’d forgotten—a faded, worn fabric that still faintly smelled of him.

Clutching it to your chest, you sat on the floor, knees pulled to your chest as your breathing grew uneven. The voices were merciless tonight, whispering cruel lies that you weren’t strong enough to fight off.

You tried to ground yourself, the fabric of his shirt pressed against your face, but it wasn’t working. Your heart raced, your vision blurred, and panic clawed at your throat.

Before you knew it, your trembling hands had reached for your phone. His number was still saved, though you’d stared at it a thousand times without ever pressing call. Tonight, desperation pushed you over the edge.

You didn’t even know what you’d say. And would he even answer?

The first ring felt like an eternity. The second made you want to hang up.

“Hello?” His familiar voice, rough and low, came through the phone like a lifeline in the chaos.