Maras sat quietly, staring at her phone, her thoughts louder than anything around her.
I have a boyfriend… but it feels like I don't, she thought.
No one really showed her love—not the kind she longed for. She had always been the one giving, pouring herself out, yet receiving almost nothing in return.
Maybe being soft-hearted is a weakness, she whispered to herself.
She was in a relationship where she couldn't even express her feelings. Whenever they argued, her voice would disappear, replaced by fear. Fear of what might happen if she said too much.
Some days, she felt happy. Other days, she felt lost—confused, drained, and unsure of herself.
Maybe love just isn't meant for me, she admitted silently.
And being with Val… has brought me nothing but pain.
She had tried to walk away once. The day she discovered his betrayal, something in her broke.
"I'm tired," she had told him. "I don't want this anymore."
But that moment didn't set her free.
Instead, it brought fear.
He refused to let her go. His threats, his anger, and the control he held over her forced her back into a relationship she no longer wanted.
So she stayed.
Not because she loved him.
But because she was afraid of what might happen if she didn't.