Sometimes I wonder if me deciding to take care of my mental health was what provided that avenue for Sofia to leave. I don't think it was the deciding factor, but I'm sure it helped. I can't say that things ever got bad between us - they didn't. But the last few months of our relationship were decidedly different.
On one hand, I was still feeling a little bit insecure about Sofia not introducing me to her family - not even his brother. This will be important in a bit, bear this in mind. On the other hand, and because she still hadn't found a job, though she'd already finished her master's degree, all financial responsibilities still fell on me. If we ate out, I paid. If we went to the movies, I paid. If we went shopping, I paid. I paid for everything - even our sexual escapades when we'd get a room. I never once complained, and for a while when I was paying for her train pass, I had to stop buying my own pass, because I reasoned I could walk to work anyways - I lived about thirty minutes on foot from where I worked.
But I was now on a more limited budget... my medical leave made it so that I only got paid about half - or even less - of what I usually got from my regular wages. And she started showing me a side of her that I'd not yet seen. You see, limited as I was financially, my first priorities were always to pay my bills first, then manage what little money I had left for the rest of the month. But being with Sofia usually meant expenses, and she did like to have her a breakfast at a caffee rather than at home, and we were still eating out more often than not. But what she started doing was whenever we'd be out, and we'd go the shopping centre or a despartment store, and she saw something she fancied - but couldn't afford - she'd... how shall I put this... I wouldn't call her manipulative, but she kinda was. She'd look at the object of her affctions longingly, audibly sigh how much she wanted it, and then she'd look at me as if I should be the one to buy it for her. The trouble is, I couldn't afford it, too. How could I? What little money I could keep every month disappeared. But I... I felt like I had to get it for her. So what did I do? I started selling some of my collectibles - the first series of Lego Star Wars, some statues and busts I had of superheroes - and the loot I made I used to get her whatever she wanted. A ring. Sneakers. A Lego Darth Vader alarm clock. I couldn't not get something if it made her happy.
Quite close to where we broke up I asked her again whether or not she was going to introduce me to her family. She gave me some excuse, and my reply - after a few seconds - was that I was feeling like she was taking me for granted.
Do you know how she reacted to this? She suddenly decided it was best if she went back home.
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