he told me [a short story]

three

he told me
| three|

He started telling me that I should change. He didn't like that I wore shorts and t-shirts when it got hotter outside. He told me that he didn't like the way other men looked at me. My defense was that it was my body and I could wear whatever I want. He said that I looked fat in certain outfits and no other guy would want a girl who looked at me. I had taken his words to heart and bought new clothes, stuff he thought was appropriate for me. He said I was lucky to have him.

Instead of staying in my stuffy dorm room, most days I would stay at his apartment. He told me it was better because he can keep an eye on me. He said that in order to stay around I had to help around the apartment, which hadn't bothered me at all. But if I didn't do something right he called me dumb, useless, and a typical woman. My self-esteem was slowly being destroyed.

But I believed him.