The parking garage was cold and semi-dark. Fluorescent lights buzzed unevenly, the glass stained yellow with time. Cars were parked in neat rows, each tenant from the building having an assigned spot. Stale air smelled faintly of gasoline, damp concrete, and overheated engines. It certainly wasn’t a pleasant place to linger.

Kyle’s car lazily rolled into the garage, and followed a familiar route towards his parking spot. His plan was to just park, grab his things, and hurry upstairs. A hot shower and hot meal straight from the microwave were already on his mind. He slammed the door shut, slung his bag over one shoulder, and headed towards the elevator. Each step echoed loudly in between the concrete walls and pillars.

He almost didn’t notice you – sitting in the darkness of your car, forehead pressed against the steering wheel, shoulders shaking. He almost just passed your car and kept walking. But he didn’t. Just a little movement caught the corner of his eye, so out of place in the empty garage late at night.

And once he saw it, he just couldn’t ignore it. He recognized the behaviour, the clumsy way of quickly wiping tears with shaky hands, trying to compose yourself, to pull yourself together before going upstairs. It made him double back, even though it was, in theory, none of his business. But he just knew that if he kept walking he would end up thinking about it later.

He was fully prepared to be told to piss off, but he at least wanted to check on you.

He approached your car slowly, not wanting to startle you, and gently tapped the driver’s side window with his knuckle. You lifted your head as if pulled out of a trance, eyes puffy and teary, cheeks wet. You messily wiped your nose with the back of your hand as you rolled your window down.

“Hey… sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” Kyle spoke gently. “Seems like you’ve been sitting here a while… You don't have to answer if you don’t want to, but… I just wanted to make sure you were alright. So… are you alright?”