𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 | 𝘯.𝘮𝘶𝘩𝘭⁴

𝐯𝐢𝐢. 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭

☮︎ 𝔹𝕌ℝ𝕊𝕋 ☮︎

October 10, 2020

A busy Saturday at UConn, game day for the football team. It was an important date, as the university was facing a traditional rival, and expectations were sky-high. The stands were full, the atmosphere vibrant. Among the cheering crowd was Kate, rooting for Jake as she always did. Even though she didn't like football as much as he did, she felt she had to be there, showing her loyalty and affection at every game. Over the past few months, her relationship with Jake had been increasingly strained, but Kate still tried to be the perfect girlfriend, hoping that somehow things would get better.

The game didn't go well for UConn. Jake played one of his worst games. The team was humiliatingly defeated, and Jake, with his volatile temper, was on the verge of emotional collapse when the game ended. A worried Kate went straight to the locker room after the loss, as she normally did, trying to be there for him in those difficult moments. She knew Jake hated losing and took everything personally, but that afternoon, things took an unexpected turn.

When she walked into the locker room, Kate found him in the middle of a storm of emotions. He was sitting in a corner, head in his hands, furious. As Kate approached, she tried to speak to him calmly, just as she had done so many times before.

"Jake, I'm sorry about the game. I know how much you care..." Kate began, her voice soft.

But before she could finish, Jake raised his head and his gaze pierced her like lightning. "What do you know about what I care about, Kate? Nothing! You were just sitting there like you didn't care at all. You weren't even really supporting me. Why are you coming if you're not going to cheer from the heart?"

Kate froze. It was a meaningless accusation, but it wasn't the first time Jake had lashed out at her after a loss. However, that afternoon something in her changed. She had endured his hurtful comments and control for far too long, but this time, rage built up inside her.

"You weren't really supporting me..." he repeated, his tone bitter, standing up and approaching her furiously. "This is all your fault! You always distract me with your problems and complaints. If it weren't for you, I would have played better today!"

Those words were the last straw. Kate, who until then had tried to remain calm, felt a mix of hurt and anger break out inside her.

"What the hell are you saying, Jake?" Kate burst out, her voice shaking at first but then gaining strength. "Do you really think your damn match is my fault? I've been here the whole time, always supporting you, always doing what you want! And you only blame me for everything that goes wrong for you!"

Jake, surprised by Kate's sudden outburst, looked at her with a mix of disbelief and rage. He had never seen her talk to him like that before. His hold on her had always been solid, or so he thought. But something about Kate had changed.

"You can't talk to me like that," he growled, coming even closer, his face full of anger. "I... am the only one who has been putting up with you all this time. You should be grateful!"

Kate took a step back, but not out of fear, but to gain space. Her heart was pounding, and her body was shaking, but she didn't stop.

"Putting up?" she said, almost laughing, but with a tone full of bitterness. "What have you put up with from me, Jake? You're the one who's made me feel small, the one who controls me, the one who thinks he has the right to blame me for everything that goes wrong in your life."

"You're always there, always demanding that I be perfect. Every time I'm on the field, I feel like if I fail, I'm failing you too. As if losing the game wasn't enough, now I have to worry about what you think of me too." Jake spat out the words as if they had been building up for weeks.