Brighter Days

“How could you?!” I say. Over the last hour this argument between my boyfriend and I has been simmering over.

“Do you understand how you’re making me feel?!” I say exasperated with going in circles with this mess.

“Of course I understand!” He replies. “Do you?!” I told you weeks ago I want to go to my best friend's birthday and I’m going alone. I told you this, and you acknowledged it. What I’m trying to understand is the sudden change of heart and not allowing me to go now.” Between how busy we both are and how little time I’ve spent with my girls recently I wanted it to just be a girls day. No boyfriends, no husbands allowed.

“You’ll be around other men.” I scoff. “You know you sound really possessive and controlling right now.” I say. We’ve been in a relationship for the last year now but we have been friends for the last 3 years since my best friend, Emily, introduced us to each other, but recently this angry tension has simmering over.

“Me! I’m possessive and controlling?!” He exhales like he’s been holding on to something for longer than I’ve been aware of. “That’s rich coming from you.” It feels like I’ve been doused with a bucket of cold water.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask. “You text me every. single. day. Checking in on me, asking me if I’m okay. You’re not my mother, you don’t need to check on me every second of every day.” My throat starts to feel tight. How can he do this to me after everything?

“So what, I'm not supposed to care for you?! Cause that’s what I’m doing I’m checking in on you cause I care. You never do that for me, and honestly I’m starting to think you never really loved me to begin with.” A sad laugh escapes me. “I cannot believe they were right. Wow and here I was defending your name against all of them.” I mumble to myself. “What.” He says and something in me just snaps. “You know I should have realized it when my friends started pointing it out to me. He’s messaging other girls and I would say they are your friends, or how I haven’t seen them in months but I lie to them and say I can’t cause I’m busy and it’s normally because we planned a date night, and now I’m beginning to realize that we haven’t had a date night in god’s knows how long. You’re so manipulative and you don’t even realize it. You have been controlling me our whole relationship and you know what I’m done with feeling like this over and over again.” I say exasperated as a head down the hall till his hand catches my wrist. “You don’t mean that babe.” There it is the pet names that usually make all my anger melt away instantly, but this time it’s different. I tug my wrist free and turn towards him. “Yes I do. I’m breaking up with you too. I’m doing this for me cause I can’t keep going on like this. It’s like something in me has finally led me out of this toxic circle we have been going around for months. So yea this is final and I’m leaving tonight.” I say and it’s like a weight has finally been lifted off my shoulders. I continue down the hallway towards our room and grab my suitcase as I start to pack my stuff. “I’m sorry.” A voice says. I shake my head but I don’t face him. “It’s too late for that now, all the trust that I’ve had in you is gone and there’s no way to fix it.” I said. “Can you just leave me alone? I need to pack.” I say. I hear footsteps retreat down the hall as I turn around and shut the door quietly as the first sob breaks through my lips and the first crack in my heart bursts open. I realized too late how much I cared for him and how much he meant to me, but I also realized how much I am beginning to change and even though the sadness will probably be there for a while, brighter days are ahead.

A couple hours go by as Emily arrives to pick me up. I grab the handle of my suitcase and walk away from the house that was our. I hear the door creak open as I continue to walk I can feel his eyes on my but I don’t turn around I walk forward away from the life I once knew. I put my things into Emily’s truck. Once the back of the truck closes I get into the passenger seat. Emily is sitting there smiling at me with a sympathetic smile. She turns to start the car but locks eyes with him and proceeds to get out of the driver’s seat. With a fury like I’ve never seen before she strides over to him, shouts at him for a few minutes and then slaps him across the face. My jaw hits the floor and when she finally gets back in the car she switches into reserve as we finally leave. A laugh bubbles out of me.

“What’s so funny? She asks but she has a smirk on her face.

“I can’t believe you slapped him.” I say a laugh still bubbling out of me

“Yeah well he deserves it after treating you like shit and cutting me off. He better believe I won’t ever talk to him again after this whole mess.” She replies.

Emily has known him longer than I have. To her she was like her little brother. Her parents and his parents have known each other since high school.

“He hasn’t talked to me in the last couple of months, it was like something changed.” She says

“Well you already know what he’s doing to me being all cold and manipulative to me. So it’s not like he’s telling me his feelings either. I don’t want to think about it anymore, so let’s just drop it. Can you drop me at my parent’s place please.” It’s silent for the rest of the ride. It isn't awkward it’s actually very peaceful. The rays hit my face as we continue to drive and in the depths of my mind I realize that while it’s going to be hard to move on I have support with me and I won’t be alone through this. Emily grabs my hand by the console and squeezes. Our quiet sign to each other that she has my back. The future is bright for me as we set towards a brighter future of hopes, dreams, and endless possibilities.