A colleague from work invited me to his birthday party at a rooftop bar.
I usually hated those kinds of gatherings, but I went.
The night was full of laughter, neon lights reflecting off beer glasses.
For a while, surrounded by music and chatter, I almost felt like my old self.
A girl from another department started talking to me.
She laughed at my dry jokes and asked if I was seeing someone.
I said, "Yeah… married."
Her eyebrows rose. "Happily?"
I didn't answer. I just smiled and looked away.
That small silence between us said everything.
For a moment I thought: maybe I could just let go of all this, start over.
But then I saw a couple dancing nearby — the way the guy held his girl close, as if she was the only one in the world.
That image twisted something in my chest.
I finished my drink, said my goodbyes, and left early.