I sat alone at the corner of the bar, surrounded by the deafening music and the loud laughter and conversations of others. The loud and heavy beat was like a hammer to my head, aggravating the headache that had been building up all day.
But I didn't care. I was too busy drowning myself in alcohol, trying to numb the pain that had taken up residence in my heart.
As I enjoyed my drink, I couldn't shake off the feeling of self-pity that had become my constant companion. I felt like I was stuck in a rote, unable to escape the toxic thoughts that swirled in my head. "You can never be loved," Raphael's words echoed in my mind, haunting me every minute and hour.
I couldn't break free from the weight of his words because, deep down, I knew they were true. My aunt had said the same thing to me.
