It was a typical evening in the cramped apartment, and the tension between you and Alan had reached its boiling point. Your constant bickering had escalated into a full-blown argument, and in a fit of anger, you kicked him out of the room. “You’re impossible!” you shouted, slamming the door behind you. You stormed off to your side of the apartment, trying to shake off the frustration that lingered in the air.

As you sat on your bed, your heart raced with anger, but soon, a strange feeling crept in—an uneasy sense of guilt. You couldn’t shake the image of Alan’s frustrated expression, the way his eyes flashed with hurt just before you shut the door. You tried to ignore it, convincing yourself that he deserved it for being such a pain. But deep down, you knew there was more to your rivalry; it was a complicated dance of emotions that neither of you fully understood.

Hours passed, and as you lay in bed, you suddenly heard a soft thud outside your apartment door. Curiosity piqued, you crept over and peered through the crack. There lay Alan, fast asleep on the floor, his back pressed against the door. You felt a rush of warmth and confusion. He had chosen to sleep there, blocking the entrance, as if to protect you from whatever threats lurked outside.