I was a junior in high school and just broke up with the boy I thought was the love of my life. He went to my high school and I really didn't think anyone else added up to him there, so I decided to look elsewhere. That's when I met Nate. He went to a school a little farther away and I didn't know much about him other than he seemed perfect. He was the star athlete at his school. The running back with all the touchdowns. Every girl at his school wanted him (at least I thought so) and every guy wanted to be like him. He was his parent's pride and joy and they practically worshipped the ground he walked on. The boy could do no wrong. He was built like a college football player. Jacked. He was dark haired, tan, big smile, friendly, drove around a Firebird sports car, and was completely in love with me. Or so it seemed. He also had an arrogant air about him that strangely reminded me of Gueston from Beauty and Beast.
I remember the warning signs that told me he was too into himself. For instance, he showed up at my house to take me to prom and when I came around the corner in my gorgeous dress that I had spent countless hours finding, he said, "How do I look!?" At his prom, he took off his shirt and put his vest on over his bare chest while dancing up on stage. But still he seemed really in love with me. His mom loved me too and told me he had plans to marry me and take me wherever I wanted to go after high school. This kind of creeped me out since I wasn't ready for any level of commitment like that and still secretly was trying to get back at my ex. Nate and I dated for about a year and some months and looking back I regret ever part of our courtship. He slowly began revealing more of himself month by month and it kind of snuck up on me that he was a jerk. I wasn't looking for it. My extremely low self esteem and willingness to settle didn't help matters. He continued to push my sexual boundaries and I let him. He was a good talker and liar. Every time he lied to me he sent me a dozen roses at school. To my delight, it caught the attention of our entire class and I was hoping sparked jealousy in my ex. Nate slowly started raising his voice to me, then yelling at me, then cussing at me, then throwing things at me. I remember the day he chucked a video tape at my head while yelling at me. It missed and he immediately apologized saying he didn't mean it and he would never do it again. At that moment I realized he was abusive.
At my birthday celebration in front of my whole family he fought with me, whispered "F*** off," and refused to sit with the family while we were out to eat. I'm so thankful I had the guts and self worth to break up with him over it. I knew the relationship was spinning out of control and it wasn't a good thing. This devastated him and he called me and came over repeatedly trying to win me back. I thought I had finally convinced him I was done with him and he couldn't guilt me back by buying me roses. He apologized for his behavior and told me he wanted to make it up to me by taking me out as "Friends." He swore it was just as friends and he owed it to me.....
He came to pick me up in a stretch limo he had rented from Indianapolis. I was shocked and upset since it wasn't supposed to be a date. It drove us to Indy and on the way down he had prepared a slide show he put together of all of our pictures from our relationship set to sappy romantic music. This infuriated me since I had told him time and time again we were over. Once in Indy, we ate at my favorite restaurant (Cheesecake Factory) and then went to Beef N Boards dinner theater to see my favorite play, Westside Story. After the play it was about 11:00pm. As we were getting back into the limo, he proceeded to tell me he had rented the limo until 6am and told the driver to drive around in the country! This sent fear down my spine. What would we do for the next 7 hours?! I felt trapped.
He started explaining that after a night like that, he was thinking that we would get back together. I told him I could not even consider it and he knew that before taking me out. He instantly was angry and was screaming in my face. He got in my face yelling a bunch of stuff about me and him and how he went out of his way for me that night and he deserved "something" in return (if you know what I'm saying). He was cussing and grabbed my face around my jaw, squeezing it like he wanted to crush it to make me look at him. What he said was a blur since I couldn't believe what I was seeing through my tears. I remained silent. He went into a full blown temper tantrum where he laid down on the couch in the limo and started kicking and punching the seat yelling "WHAT ABOUT MY NEEDS?!" Meaning sexual needs. That's when I almost started laughing. The audacity of this boy. I ordered him to take me home, but he didn't listen and I still felt trapped. Some time later we finally arrived at my house and I had a huge sigh of relief to get out of the limo. I ran in crying and told my parents and best friend. In one night, Nate managed to ruin limos for me. And in that one relationship I realized how easy it is to let boundaries be crossed, compromise a little here and there, and end up on dangerous, shaky ground. I honestly could have been raped that night. I thank the Lord that he stepped in when my judgment was horrible. I guess you just NEVER think you could be that girl....
This story was written by a friend of mine who is now a very successful woman, wife and amazing mother.
Thank you for sharing!
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