Losing A Friend

LETTER 3

He woke up, feeling wholly tired and disgusted at himself. He looked over at his room, finding many empty bottles and cigarette butts.

He rose from his bed and slowly walked to his bathroom, he lazily removed every article of clothing and turned on the cold water. He flinched as it fell on him. The cold water felt like icicles gliding down. He wanted to jump out of the water but knew that if he did, he wouldn't wake up.

Soon the cold water didn't feel so cold, and he relaxed.

After showering, he dressed and started cleaning up the mess he made. He dragged his trash can around his room and through all his empty beer bottles and cans away along with some broken glass.

As he walked towards his kitchen and dining room, a trash can in his hand, he ignored the metal box that was open and showed many unopened letters. The second letter was still facing down on the table, exactly where he had left it. He placed the trash can down and checked his fridge.

Empty shelves stared back at him. He sighed and turned around.

Time for some grocery shopping. He thought to himself.

Just grocery shopping tired him out. He didn't seem to have much energy for much. He put all his groceries away and organized everything else that he had gotten. He sighed and sat down. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, resting them for a couple of minutes.

He leaned his head forward and looked over at the metal box. He narrowed his eyes before reaching over and opening the third letter.

Dear,

It always starts slow.

Months after we started dating, we moved in together. I know. "That was quick."

In all seriousness, I thought that it was okay that things were going fast. I loved him, and he loved me. We loved each other. We didn't fight; we didn't argue. We were happy. I felt happy. Every day he got paid, he would take me flowers and some of my favorite candy. Then he would tell me to dress up, and he would take me to out to have dinner. I felt so happy.

And then it started.

He slowly started isolating me from everyone else. One by one, he would tell me reasons why I should stop talking to my friends. I fell for those stupid reasons, and I decided it was best for me to stay away from them. From you.

He even went as far as to tell me we couldn't see my family because we were so busy. He would promise me that we would see them eventually when we had time. But we never had time. I blame myself for falling for his promises.

When it came to social media, he started telling me to unfriend or block many of my friends. Especially the guys. I listened to him and started blocking and unfriending many people.

I couldn't text anyone unless it were him or my boss. And even if I were texting my boss, he would watch over my shoulder. I would laugh it off and call him a dork. He would give a smile. A fake one that I thought was so real. He was very smart with the way he treated me and made me do these things. He would be so innocent and caring. 

He would become jealous of guys, even girls that came up to talk to me. And every time he did, I would reassure him and laugh it off.

He was so controlling and manipulative.

But I was too in love with him to see it.

With much love.

He shook his head in frustration. Was she really that in love with him that she couldn't see how he was becoming controlling and isolating her from everyone?

Then he thought back to when he started seeing her less and less, till the point that she just disappeared. And every time he tried to contact her, it would go to voicemail, or she only wouldn't respond.

He figured she was busy with school and work. He didn't even know she was with someone. And that hurt him even more because she always told him everything. She told him about the people she had had a crush on or had gone on a date with. She would say to him every detail and explain how she felt towards that said person.

Yet she kept this guy hidden.