As you sat at the crowded lunch table, surrounded by the chatter and laughter of Leila and Alex.

Your appetite waning with each passing moment as you watch Leila's eyes light up with amusement at something Alex said.

It wasn't that you didn't like Alex—he was a nice guy, after all. But every laugh, every smile they shared felt like a dagger twisting in your chest, a painful reminder of what you could never have.

"Hey, you alright?" Leila asked when she noticed your expression.