Emery stood by the door of his dorm, her heart aching as she watched Noah cry, the weight of his words hanging in the air. She could feel the heavy silence between them, the kind that wrapped itself around you like a thick fog.

She took a slow step forward, her voice soft but steady, “Noah…” She wasn’t sure what to say next, but she couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. He was a good friend, a good person, and seeing him like this—hurting—felt like it was cracking something inside her too.

“I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, but I do know that I’m here. You’re not alone in this, okay? Whatever it is… we’ll face it together.”

She hesitated for a moment, then crossed the room, sitting carefully on the edge of his bed. Not close enough to crowd him, but close enough to let him know she wasn’t going anywhere. She swallowed her own discomfort, reaching out tentatively to place a hand on his shoulder, the gesture gentle but firm.

“I don’t have all the answers, and I can’t fix everything,” she murmured, voice quiet, but holding a sincerity that came from the heart. “But I can listen. And I can be here for you. I care about you, Noah. Don’t carry this by yourself.”