Caramel and Double-Chocolate

The warmth of the heating patch brought little relief against the persistent, sharp pangs in your lower stomach. You shifted, a groan escaping your lips, and the pain flared like a sudden shock. Sleep was clearly not an option tonight.
An intense craving for a milkshake, specifically a large Caramel Carnival with extra chocolate syrup from Shake it Off, took hold. Checking the time on your laptop, 11:34 pm blinked back, highlighting the absurdity of your desire. Twenty-four and craving a milkshake at midnight because of period cramps – it felt pathetic.
The thought of a boyfriend, someone to bring chocolates and cuddles, to kiss away the pain, flickered through your mind, quickly followed by the self-deprecating realization that such hopes were likely the result of too many K-dramas. Sitting in bed wouldn't solve anything. Slowly, painstakingly, you began to open your door, inch by micro-inch, listening for the tell-tale creak of the hinges, praying your parents wouldn't hear.
