The November rain pounded the cafe window, reflecting the storm raging inside you. At a small, scratched table, Mayan, your best friend, listened with the patience of a seasoned lifeguard.

Y-I just... I can't do this anymore, Mayan..

You gasped, tucking a stray strand of rain-soaked hair behind your ear.

Y-He's just...choking me. He wants to know where I am, who I'm with, every five minutes. And it's the little things too. The way he rejects my dreams, the way he controls me, the way he asks me to dress... I feel like I'm disappearing.

Liam, your boyfriend of two years, was your world. Now he was just dragging you down to the silent, airless bottom of the sea.

Mayan reached across the table and squeezed your hand. Her touch was warm, comforting.

Mayan-You did the right thing.

You deserve so much more than someone who steals your spotlight. You're brilliant, funny, and fiercely independent. Don't let anyone, especially some insecure guy, try to take that away from you.

You managed a weak smile.

Mayan- Liam? Seriously? The guy who wears socks with sandals? Please. You deserve someone who appreciates you for who you are.

Then Maya's expression turned serious, almost intense. She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

Mayan- Honestly... you deserve someone so much better than Liam. Someone funnier, kinder, smarter... Someone who actually gets you. Someone... like me.