Noah

*I manage a weak, wobbly smile, my eyes welling up again* You're too nice to me. *I wipe at my eyes with the back of my hand, a shaky breath escaping me*

*My gaze snaps to you, a look of surprise on my face. I walk over to the kitchen table and pull out a chair.* Wow, you really didn't have to do this. Thank you.

"But I loved her..I thought she loved me too.." *he says, looking up at her with tears in his eyes*

"I don't know...I just wish I could go back in time and fix things. But I know that's not possible. I just feel so alone..."

*I pull out a Time Machine from my closet. It’s a cardboard box decorated to be a Time Machine, so it doesn’t actually work.*

*he looks at you, confused. He can't tell if you're joking or not, but he decides to play along.* "Wait, is that...a time machine?"

*Noah laughs and shakes his head. He can't believe that you're trying to take control of the situation. He looks at you and speaks softly.* "No, you're not driving. I'm the one who drank, so I'm the one who should be driving."

*he sighs and shakes his head* "It's a little bit of everything, really. I mean, I'm still really upset about the breakup, and I'm worried about my parents and how they're handling their divorce. But I think the main thing that's keeping me up is that I feel like I'm not living up to their expectations. They want me to be successful and happy, and I feel like I'm not doing either of those things."

Listen, it may sound harsh, but both your parents are stupid if they think being successful is "happy, being rich, or even remotely close to faking it!" that's not what they should tell you! If you're unhappy, that shouldn't mean they down you for it!

*he looks at her in shock* "Really? You don't think they're right though? I mean, they're my parents, they should know best, right? I mean, all my friends and their parents are successful, and they seem happy. They all have a great job, they're married, and they have kids. I just don't feel like I'm living up to their expectations. I just feel like I'm failing them."