Luisa was deeply—hopelessly—in love with Ben.
But she had never fully admitted it to herself.
And she had never imagined… that there was already someone else in his heart.
The moment she heard it—
"Charlotte broke up with me…"
Something inside her cracked.
A sharp, invisible pain spread through her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Luisa (thinking):
So all this time… he was hurting because of someone else…
Ben's voice trembled slightly, almost like he was speaking to himself.
Ben: "How could she leave me…?"
Luisa stood there, still holding his hand—the same hand she had grabbed to pull him away from the car.
Rain poured down heavily, soaking both of them completely.
But neither of them moved.
Ben: "I loved her so much…"
Those words—
They cut deeper than anything.
Luisa's fingers slowly loosened… and then slipped away from his hand.
Her heart clenched painfully.
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself.
Ben: "What should I do now…?"
Luisa hesitated.
Her throat felt tight.
But she forced herself to speak.
Luisa: "You… should try talking to her."
Ben shook his head slightly.
Ben: "She doesn't want to talk."
Luisa's chest tightened again.
Every word he said about her felt like a quiet storm inside Luisa.
Still… she couldn't walk away.
Not when he looked like that.
Lost. Broken. Alone.
Luisa: "Maybe… she just needs time."
Those words were heavy.
Painful.
But she said them anyway.
The rain grew stronger, almost drowning their silence.
Luisa wrapped her arms slightly around herself.
Luisa: "We should go… it's getting heavier."
Ben looked up at the sky, rain falling across his face like tears.
Then he looked at her.
Ben: "Luisa… thank you for listening."
She nodded faintly and turned to leave—
But stopped.
Even though her heart hurt…
Even though every step away from him felt like relief and pain at the same time—
She still turned back.
Luisa: "You should go home. You're completely soaked."
Ben: "Let me drop you."
Luisa shook her head.
Luisa: "No… it's okay. The bus will come."
Ben: "Please."
She didn't want to go with him.
Not like this.
Not when her heart felt so fragile.
But she also couldn't leave him alone.
Not in this state.
After a moment of silence, she gave in.
The Ride
The car was quiet.
Too quiet.
Only the sound of rain hitting the windows filled the space between them.
Luisa stared outside, her reflection faintly visible on the glass.
Her eyes looked distant.
Empty.
Ben drove silently, his thoughts far away.
Two people.
Sitting so close—
Yet feeling completely alone.
When they reached her street—
Luisa: "Stop here, please."
Ben didn't argue this time.
The car stopped.
Luisa opened the door and stepped out, holding her bag tightly.
Luisa: "Bye… take care."
Ben: "Bye, Luisa… and thank you again."
She nodded slightly.
Luisa (softly): "It's okay… bye."
And then she walked away.
Alone
Luisa entered her apartment.
Closed the door.
And everything hit her at once.
The silence.
The emptiness.
The truth.
She stood there for a moment, completely still.
Then—
Her bag slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.
She didn't even look at it.
Slowly… she sank down onto the floor.
Luisa (thinking):
I'm so stupid…
How could I think… there was no one in his life?
There were signs… so many signs…
Her chest tightened.
Her eyes burned.
Luisa (whispering):
"I'm such a fool… I fell for him…"
She pressed her hand against her heart, as if trying to calm it down.
But the pain didn't stop.
It only grew stronger.
Luisa (thinking):
Why does it hurt this much…?
He wasn't mine…
He was never mine…
So why does it feel like I lost something…?
Tears finally slipped down her cheeks.
Quiet.
Unstoppable.
Outside, the rain continued to fall.
But inside—
Luisa's heart was breaking… silently.