I had a girlfriend who went to an out-of-state college after we had been dating for almost eight months. We had known each other for a year before we started our relationship. I had been in college for two years but dropped out a year before she began. I asked her if she wanted to break things off when she left, but she said no. During her first year away, I visited her every month, and she even convinced me to restart my education at her college.
I applied, got accepted, and was set to start in September. At the end of her semester, we found an apartment together for when the new school year began. I paid the first month’s rent and deposit for both of us.
That summer was great—we spent time together and talked about our future living together while attending school.
When September came, we packed and prepared to move. Out of nowhere, she called me from our apartment, saying she had arrived early to get it ready.
Two days later, I showed up only to find the locks changed. She came to the door wearing another man’s shirt and handed me an envelope with the money I had paid for the rent and deposit. She told me it was time to break up.
Inside, I saw a shirtless man drinking beer and watching TV. My first reaction was anger—I wanted to lash out. But growing up in a rough neighborhood taught me violence wouldn’t fix anything.
Now I was in a new city on the first day of school with nowhere to stay. Luckily, I found a last-minute spot in an expensive dorm across the street. I stayed there for a year and never saw her again.
Do you think she planned to move in with that man all along after I covered the rent and deposit? Or was I just her backup plan if things didn’t work out with him?