By the time Luiz reached his small apartment, his legs felt like they were carrying someone else's weight.His pockets were empty.His phone — gone.The city lights blurred through the drizzle as if mocking him.
He fumbled with his keys, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.Silence.The air smelled faintly of damp walls and detergent — the kind of smell that clung to places built for waiting, not living.
He dropped his jacket on the chair and stared at the ceiling for a long moment. His reflection in the window looked like a stranger — beaten, tired, hollow.
Without turning on the light, he went straight to the bathroom.The shower hissed — cold water hitting his bruised skin. The punch on his cheek throbbed beneath the sting.Blood and rain mixed at his feet, swirling into the drain.
He leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes.Everything — the humiliation, the robbery, the silence between him and Clara — pressed against his chest until breathing hurt.
When he came out, he didn't bother drying his hair. He dropped onto the bed, still damp, and pulled the blanket over himself.His stomach growled, but hunger was easier to bear than thinking.
He fell asleep.
Half an hour later, the sound of keys at the door jolted him awake.Kelvin stepped in, hoodie half-zipped, earbuds hanging from his neck. He stopped when he saw Luiz.
"Bro…" Kelvin's voice softened. "What the hell happened to your face?"
Luiz rubbed his cheek. "Nothing. Just… wrong place, wrong time."
Kelvin frowned. "Don't give me that. You were robbed, weren't you?"
Luiz didn't answer. His silence said enough.
Kelvin sighed, shaking his head. "Man, you should've called me."
"I don't have a phone anymore," Luiz said quietly.
Kelvin cursed under his breath. "Damn. You really got hit bad."
He hesitated, then added, "Clara came by earlier. She looked worried — asked if I'd seen you. Said she needed to talk."
Luiz's tired eyes flicked up. "Did she say where she was going?"
"Home, I think. Told me to tell you to find her if you came back."
Luiz didn't waste another second. He grabbed a clean shirt, slipped into his jacket, and headed for the door.
"Luiz," Kelvin called after him, "take care, man. You look like you could fall any minute."
"I already did," Luiz muttered, not slowing down.
The night air hit him like a slap — cold and sharp. He walked fast, ignoring the ache in his cheek.
When he reached Clara's apartment, he paused, heart thudding in his chest.
He raised his hand and knocked.
After a long moment, the door creaked open — and there she was.Clara.
Her eyes widened as she saw him — the bruise, the exhaustion, the sadness that words couldn't hide.