The Ghost at the Party

Dear Delyara, I was at my best friend's engagement party tonight. I was the one making the toasts, the one organizing the music, the one making sure everyone had a drink. Everyone told me how "great" I was. But the whole time, I felt like I was standing behind a thick sheet of glass. I could hear their laughter, but I couldn't feel the warmth of it. I came home to my empty studio apartment, and the silence was so loud it actually hurt my ears. I’m surrounded by people who love me, and yet I feel like I’m the only person left on earth. It’s a terrifying kind of loneliness—the kind that persists even when you’re being hugged.