I was a sophomore in high school when I met you. You were a junior at the time, and you seemed like an angel sent out of the heavens. But suddenly, I felt like I had to have your permission to talk to my friends, or even just to look at my phone. You never hit me, but you wounded me in ways that took me forever to recover from.

You made me scared of being myself because everything became a fight. I had to answer to you for the silliest things, and it took a toll on my mental well being. I spent nights going through my every action, wondering why I wasn't trustworthy and why I wasn't enough.

I think had it not been for band camp, I would never have left you. The summer before my junior year I went to band camp and lost my best friend. Somehow, despite you never liked him, you were at the funeral, to "keep an eye on me." Because somehow my grief translated into "she's gonna cheat."

To the point where you asked my friends in the band to keep an eye on me for you. But of course, they reported your request to me, and I was hurt. You chose to have no faith in me, and I tried my hardest to prove to you that I was trustworthy. This was the beginning of my friends distrusting you.

Suddenly, you were kicking it into overdrive, trying to drive a wedge in between me and my friends so that they couldn't force me to see what you were doing to me. Fortunately, for me, they got through to me before you.

Suddenly, I was made crystal clear that you wanted me alone and dependant. You wanted me to be sad because a sad me wasn't able to question your motives. You liked me feeling worthless because I wouldn't fight you. You wanted me submissive.

You struggled and fought me the entire time, even going so far as to try and guilt me out of going to my junior year homecoming dance. You hated my friends, and they hated you. I found myself isolated and angry.

So I started contemplating ending us. One of your friends found out somehow, and it was a screaming match for two days straight. Ending in you dumping me because I was a "traitor and a cheater." You made me feel guilty for trying to be happy, and still, I cared for you.

So it ended with us, by your choice ultimately. I am a fighter, however, and fought every urge I had to crawl back to you for those first couple months. I spent my free time crying and eating my feelings with friends while they repeatedly trash-talked you and complimented me. I dated guys I didn't care that much about to help myself move on, and I regret that.

At the end of the day, I learned a lot about who I am as a person and I learned that I am stronger than any asshole who wants to hold me down. I am a strong woman, and I won't let anyone keep my feet on the ground. I only want to surround myself with people who want to help me soar.