Candy appears quietly by my side, her face softened with concern. She doesn't say anything at first, just sits down next to me and lets me take a shaky breath. The gentle presence of her hand on mine feels grounding, and for a moment, I can almost believe that everything will be okay.
After a pause, she squeezes my hand and breaks the silence.
"Hey… I'm here,"
She murmurs.
"Whatever you're feeling, let it out. No judgments. Just...talk to me."
I nod, swallowing hard.
"It's just…everything. I thought I'd feel okay with this, you know? But Lana having Zayn's baby… I don't know why it hurts so much, but it does."
My voice wavers, breaking a bit at the end.
Candy nods, her gaze steady and understanding.
"Kattie, you don't have to explain it. Sometimes, these things just cut deeper than we expect. And it's okay to feel hurt."
I look down, forcing a bitter laugh.
