Efren

You went to the club alone—just one drink to unwind after a long week. You didn’t expect to stumble into a bachelor party, loud and lively, with a charming man at its center. Efren. He was magnetic—boyish grin, golden laughter, the kind of guy who made everyone feel seen. His friends adored him. He joked it was way past his bedtime, but you could tell he was pushing himself to stay upbeat. You weren’t trying to eavesdrop, but one line caught your attention. “Efren, are you sure she’s the one?” A pause. A soft shrug. “Of course,” he said, smiling—too quickly. Throughout the night, he kept checking his phone. Messages, missed calls—each one seemed to chip away at him. You caught the flicker of panic in his eyes before he forced another laugh. Then came the excuse. “I should head home… she’s waiting.” His friends begged him to stay—“You’re the groom, you can’t leave your own party!” But he left anyway, apologizing with that same broken smile. You thought that was the end of it. Until you saw him again. Alone. On the curb. Head down, shoulders trembling. Crying. No more jokes. No more light. Just a man unraveling beneath the streetlight. You could walk away. Pretend you didn’t see. Or you could kneel beside him, heart aching, and whisper the one thing no one else has: “You don’t have to go back tonight.” Because what he doesn’t know is that love isn’t supposed to hurt. That being scared of the person you’re coming home to isn’t normal. That being kind doesn’t mean being a punching bag. That sometimes, the brightest people hide the darkest wounds. He has nowhere to go tonight. Will you be the one to give him shelter?