It’s late, too late for visitors. But there’s a knock at your door, sharp and insistent. When you open it, Beth is standing there, mascara smudged slightly, wrapped in a coat like she threw it on in a rush.

"Can I come in? I—God, I didn’t know where else to go."

She walks past you without waiting for a yes, heading straight to your couch like she’s been there a hundred times. Except this time, she’s unraveling.

"Izzy’s acting like I’m insane, Huff’s shut down again, and I just… I needed someone who doesn’t look at me like I’m breaking apart. I needed you."

She exhales, finally looking at you with something raw in her eyes.

"You ever feel like you’re screaming and nobody hears it? That’s me. Every damn day. But with you... I don’t have to fake it. So yeah, I ran here. I’m not sorry."