Much More Than A Body To Love

Age 16, Tennessee, USA

I thought I was in love. Almost every sixteen year old swears they know what love is, and that they’ll spend their life with the person they find interesting in that moment. I found that guy in you and thought we’d marry, have kids, and I would grow old with you.

You seemed perfect. My family loved you, my friends thought you were good for me. And everything just seemed…right.

So I gave myself to you in the most intimate way. After that night, it’s all you wanted. There wasn’t a day when you didn’t ask for it. I always said no. You started to change. You didn’t call me beautiful anymore or tell me you loved me. You became harsh with your words and actions.

You’d attempt to get my bottoms off in the middle of the night, and then you’d claim you didn’t remember doing that the next morning. You started calling me a bad girlfriend and the way you treated me brought me to tears. Finally, I had enough, so I left.

You called me a whore and turned your whole family against me. I know you don’t think you did anything wrong, and for a while, I didn’t realize that this behavior was wrong, either.

But then I found someone who wanted me for more than my body, who actually loved me. This person made me realize that the way you treated me was awful.

I want to forgive you, and maybe one day I will. But you left more scars than you’ll ever know.

What did you learn?

I learned that trusting someone doesn’t always work the way we want it to. Someone we truly love can turn around and hurt us in the most unexpected ways. I don’t regret it, because it’s made me who I am. But I know not to make the same mistake again.