You're hiding behind this cold façade

The road stretched dark and silent around me as I slowed down, pulling over to the side. A sharp frustration tugged at my nerves, one that I couldn't shake no matter how far I drove.

The moment Layla's teary eyes flashed through my mind, I swore under my breath, slamming my hands against the steering wheel. How had it come to this?

I stepped out, closing the car door behind me. The familiar metallic snap of my lighter as I flicked it open provided a brief distraction, and the cigarette lit up, a small, steady flame in the night.

I took a deep drag, letting the smoke curl into my lungs, willing it to slow down my thoughts. But the calm didn't come. Instead, every inhale reminded me of the sting in her voice, the way she'd looked at me like I'd torn her heart out.

I'd made her cry.