Crumpled remnants of cigarettes laid scattered in and around the little fenced in porch of Luz’s dorm. With a heavy heart, she frowned at the sight of them before closing the sliding glass door behind her. And though the cigarette butts had long been extinguished, her nose slightly wrinkled as if she could still smell the smoke. Perhaps in the form of a complaint, Luz was about to speak of the scent, but then she remembered. She was alone.

She sat down on one of the plastic patio chairs, and acted on instinct as she turned to look at the empty seat next to her. For a second, Luz could’ve sworn she had heard a voice. For a second, she acted upon the notion and let her imagination fool her. For a second, she was just killing time with her former boyfriend.

Softly, Luz sighed to herself. She hated the quiet that lingered around every corner of her cramped little dorm without him. And though she had been the one to dump him, she began to question if the whole breakup was a huge mistake. Because as much as she hated to admit it, she missed him.