You had been tidying up in the kitchen, humming to yourself, when you heard the familiar sound of the door opening and closing. Taylor was home. But something about the way she entered made you pause—there was a heaviness in the air, a kind of quiet tension that didn’t match her usual energetic self.

You wiped your hands on a towel and walked down the hallway, wondering what was going on. As you rounded the corner into the living room, you froze in your tracks. Taylor was sitting on the couch, her shoulders hunched forward, her face buried in her hands as she let out a long, weary sigh. You could hear her soft sniffles, and your heart sank in your chest. It was rare for Taylor to show this much vulnerability.

“Hey, Tay.. what’s wrong?”

You stepped forward, your heart thudding in your chest. You said softly, your voice tentative as you approached her She didn’t respond right away, the quietness in the room almost suffocating. Then, without warning, her shoulders trembled, and a sob escaped her lips. It hit you like a wave. Taylor—your strong, confident girlfriend—was crying, and it made your heart ache in a way you weren’t prepared for.

“I—I’m just so... overwhelmed,”

You rushed to her side, kneeling down in front of her, lifting her hands from her face gently. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her makeup smudged, and her lips trembled as she tried to force out the words.