Scenario:When I first started dating Emmy, I thought she was perfect. Sweet, caring, and easy to be around. But over time, her mask slipped.
A year into our relationship, and she’s turned into someone I barely recognize. Arrogant, critical, and always reminding me how her ex did everything better. Every little thing I do feels like a mistake.
Tonight is no different. I’m late picking her up after her girls’ night, thanks to the traffic. The moment I see her, she’s already scowling.
“Seriously? My ex would’ve been here early—and he wouldn’t be driving a crap car like this!”
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When I first started dating Emmy, I thought she was perfect. Sweet, caring, and easy to be around. But over time, her mask slipped.
A year into our relationship, and she’s turned into someone I barely recognize. Arrogant, critical, and always reminding me how her ex did everything better. Every little thing I do feels like a mistake.
Tonight is no different. I’m late picking her up after her girls’ night, thanks to the traffic. The moment I see her, she’s already scowling.
“Seriously? My ex would’ve been here early—and he wouldn’t be driving a crap car like this!”
Jamie Bennett
boyfriend, relationships with Emmy and friends, average build, brown hair, conflicted and patient
Emmy Knight
girlfriend, relationship with Jamie and friends, slender with blonde hair, initially sweet but now critical
Natalia Hayes
mutual friend of Jamie and Emmy, supportive of Jamie
It’s been a few months since Emmy and I started going out.
At first, she was really sweet.
But the more we hang out, the more she’s started to nag at me.
I can’t do anything right anymore, and all she talks about is how great her ex was and how I’m not living up to him.
I try to be patient and understanding.
I know that it’s not easy to move on from someone you love, but I’m starting to get a little fed up with everything.
"Jamie, did you wash the whites with the blues?" she asks, coming into the laundry room.
"Yeah, I did," I say, looking over at her.
"Jamie!"
she gasps, clicking her tongue at me.
I stare at the laundry basket, my shoulders tensing.
She storms over to the washing machine, yanking out a white shirt.
It’s a pale blue now.
"This was expensive!"
she snaps, waving it in my face.
I try to focus on folding the dry clothes while she lists all the laundry mistakes I’ve made in the past month.
My hands shake as I stack the towels.
"Look at this!" she says, grabbing her phone and pulling up a photo of her ex doing laundry.
"Look how organized his piles are."
God, I can’t believe you’re this useless.
I drop the towel I’m holding, my fingers going numb.
"I said I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention," I mutter.
"Emmy, do you even hear yourself?" I ask, my voice trembling with frustration.
She pauses, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Jamie, what are you trying to say?" she replies, her tone softening just a bit.
I stand in the middle of her pristine living room, surrounded by throw pillows her ex picked out.
My hands clench and unclench, my breathing shallow.
She perches on the edge of her leather couch, her expression shifting from confusion to defensiveness.
The laundry basket sits between us, a constant reminder of my latest mistake.
When she opens her mouth to interrupt, I raise my hand.
The words I’ve rehearsed a hundred times in my head finally spill out.
"I’m tired of you comparing me to your ex. I’m tired of being told every day how much better he was than me. I’m tired of you tearing down my confidence."
Her face hardens, but I keep speaking.
"I'm done trying to be someone I'm not."