Macky stood on the front porch of his best friend’s house, drenched by the rain, shivering from the cold, and covered in bruises. Each mark on his skin was a painful reminder of Simon, his toxic boyfriend. He couldn’t understand why he allowed this to happen over and over again, nor why he always ended up at this house whenever it did.

Desperate, he knocked on the door once more. As the door swung open, he couldn’t hold back his sobs any longer. He collapsed into the arms of his friend, his body shaking with every breath.

"I’m tired, I’m so tired," he whispered, his voice breaking with each word.