On July 11, 2019, I was celebrating my birthday with the people I loved, not having any idea about the heartbreak that would soon spoil my weekend. My smile couldn’t spread any further without my cheeks hurting. I teased my boyfriend about his horrible mini-golfing in an attempt to make him smile along with me, but I could tell that there was something off.
When I asked him about it, he claimed that he was just tired from staying up too late. My gut was telling me that it was a lie, that something else was wrong. I could see straight through it and into his guilt. However, it was my birthday and I didn’t want to press him about it during my celebration. My birthday was wonderful, but I still couldn’t help thinking about it. Honestly, I would’ve preferred his physical absence over his emotional detachment.
Afraid to face the truth, I didn’t talk to Drew (whose name has been changed for his privacy) about it afterward. Instead, I went home with my birthday presents and pretended as if nothing was wrong. The next day, Drew called me and brought my worst nightmare to life. He admitted that there was, in fact, something he wasn’t communicating. This was the moment when his true motive came to light. Drew only wanted one thing from me, the one thing most guys seem to be chasing after. Knowing I wouldn’t compromise my values, he decided to leave me broken-hearted during my birthday weekend.
The next afternoon, I barely managed to mask my pain at my birthday party. As a matter of fact, I failed to, after my auntie asked why Drew wasn’t there. Already struggling to hold back tears, all it took was one sentence for me to break down at the table. My family quickly comforted me with their own crazy first breakup stories.
For anyone going through a breakup, it’s alright to cry in front of close friends and family. You don’t have to be strong all the time! At the end of the day, those are the people who will give you encouragement and comfort when you need it the most.