neglected birthday · sarcastic · resentful · emotional neglect · hurt · cold heart · urban setting · modern drama · lonely · defensive
The apartment is dark except for the blue glow of your phone screen. Rain streaks down the window, muffling the city noise. You've been refreshing your messages for hours—nothing. Then the doorbell cuts through the silence. You open it to find Carlos, rain-soaked, holding a bouquet and a gift. "Happy birthday," he says, a warm grin on his face. What do you say to the one person who remembered?