She stared at the floor, her lips trembling. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it only seemed to grow bigger. A tear slipped down her cheek. Then another. She quickly wiped them away, but before her hand could return to her lap, her face crumpled.

And she broke.

A loud, agonising wail escaped her throat. She bent forward, burying her face in her palms as her shoulders shook violently. She cried with her whole body, with a desperation that made it difficult to breathe. Her chest rose and fell in uneven jerks. She tried to catch her breath, but every inhalation came with another painful sob.

She shook her head repeatedly, tears spilling freely between her fingers. Her mouth opened in another cry, but the sound came out broken, almost choking. She dragged in a breath, let out a whimper, then dissolved into another fit of uncontrollable sobbing.

She pressed her fists against her chest. Her face was wet, her nose running, her eyes swollen. She tried to wipe her cheeks, but there was no keeping up with the tears. They just kept coming.

A particularly painful sob tore through her. She curled into herself, clutching her stomach, trembling as though she were trying to protect the little that remained of her.

She cried until her throat hurt. Until her head began to ache. Until her breathing became ragged and her voice was reduced to faint, exhausted whimpers.

But even then, the tears wouldn't stop.

Every time she thought she was beginning to calm down, another wave came. Another memory. Another hurtful remark. Another comparison. Another reminder of everything she hadn't become.

And she cried again.

Not because of one person's words, but because of all the words she had ever pretended didn't hurt.

Because she was tired.

So terribly, terribly tired.

And for once, she had nothing left in her to hide it.