Maria woke up with a slight headache in the m. She exited her room and saw Ethan sitting on the couch while watg TV.

  “Ethan! I didn’t know you were here,” said Maria. “And how did you get in?”

  “You left the door opehan replied, pointing at the door.

  “Seriously?! Why did you just barge in without telling or at least rang the bell?” said Maria, starting to get irritated.

  “Woah woah, why so mad in the m? I’m your boyfriend, rex.” Ethan replied nontly.

  “Still! You o know some manners!” Maria stated. “Anyways, do you want some coffee or snacks?”

  “No thanks for coffee but snacks would do.” Ethan replied.

  Maria grabbed some snacks and a coffee for herself. She put the snacks on the coffee and she sat on the couext to Ethahan suddenly gave Maria a shoulder embrad pulled her closer to him. Maria then became unfortable as Ethan “actally” touched her inappropriately and she pushed him away.

  “What the heck, Ethan! Why did you do that?!” said Maria unfortably.

  “What’s wrong with being close with your partners?” Ethan asked with a smug. He then touched Maria’s p which made her even more fortable. Maria pushed Ethan’s hand away and distanced herself away.

  But Ethan grabbed Maria’s and said, “Don’t be like that, Maria. Be more passioh me.”

  “What the fuck! That’s totally creepy and perverted of you! The fuck is wrong with you?!” Maria yelled.

  “Alright alright, I’m sorry.” said Ethan putting his hands up.

  Time passed by and the two hadn’t talked with each other for minutes. It was clear that the couple were currently not having a good time. Maria grew more irritated even not wanting to look at her boyfriend’s face.

  Ethan noticed and gave in, he excused himself and apologized again then he left. Maria let out a sigh of frustration as Etha away. Nowadays, Ethan became frustrated as he started to act weird around Maria. Maria couldn’t describe it as lustful or any reason whatsoever.

  Maria decided to exit her apartment to get some fresh air around the apartment plex. She sat down at a bench looking at the sky. She didn’t know what to do with Ethan. A stranger sat o her, she looked and reized the stranger.

  “You look sad, is there something wrong?” the stranger asked.

  “I’m just tired, mind your own business,” said Maria.

  “Oh… sorry,” the stranger apologized.

  Maria sighed and said, “Sorry, just ighat, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m just tired of something.”

  “What about you? You also look sad or are you just tired like me,” Maria asked.

  “Something happened…” the stranger replied.

  “What was it?” Maria asked again.

  “It’s…personal.” the stranger answered.

  Maria uood and asked a question with a different topic. She asked if the stranger lived around here, she thought they could have a chat for some time. The stranger didn’t live around Maria’s apartment but the stranger had a cousin who lived in the same area as Maria. The stranger was only visiting.

  The strahe bae without notice, Maria fot to ask the stranger’s name. Sihe stranger was o be seen, Maria went inside her apartment to get some rest for her tomorrow’s work.

  She opehe window as she was cooking, she then looked outside through the window for another fresh air. Unbeknownst to her, someone in a bck jacket and bck pants was watg her from a distance.

  Maria woke up the m and received a letter from Ethan. The letter wrote:

  My Dear Darling Maria Fidalgo Lopez,

  I sincerely apologized for my previous behavior that upsetted you. I hope that you will five me for my as and I deeply regret it from the bottom of my heart. I was wrong to get intimate without your sent and you weren’t ready. I felt disgusted at myself upon f on to you. I should’ve asked you and been more patient. Once again, please five me.

  Sincerely, Ethan Jonathan

  Maria sighed after reading the letter and she kept the letter at her desk’s et.

  “What’s with the darling and whatsoever. You try to write just like the person you don’t like,” Maria thought.

  She prepared herself and walked to work. As soon as Maria arrived at her workpce, her coworker already told her to go fix a car. Maria swiftly got on her uniform and headed to the vehicle that required repairs.

  “Oh Maria, I didn’t expect you to be here,” said Sebastian.

  “Hey, Sebastian! How have you been?” Maria asked.

  “I’m fi’s just a rge tree branch that fell on my car and almost broke the e the light was damaged so I’m getting it fixed.” Sebastian replied.

  “I see, I’ll try to fix it. You go take a rest over there.” said Maria.

  Maria began fixiian’s car then she looked up and saw the stranger who she had met before at her apartment. She stared for a few miheian snapped her out and asked about his car. She said that she’ll be done in minutes and she tio fix the car.

  She finished fixing the car, Sebastian paid the fees auro get supplies for the bakery. Maria wondered about meeting the stranger and asked for a name. She headed bae after finishing her shift. She tally met the exact person, Maria asked the stranger’s name.

  The stranger said, “My name’s Remmy. What’s your name?”

  “It’s Maria. o meet you,” Maria replied.

  “That’s nice, anyway I have to go. It was niowing, take care.” said Remmy, walking away. Maria returo her apartment ao sleep.

  The m, Maria opehe door as she was running te and suddehan appeared. Maria told Ethan that she was runni Ethan stopped her. Ethan told Maria to rex while calling her ‘Darling’. Maria sternly asked Ethan to cut it out with that. Ethan suddenly pinned her to the wall and gave a dead look in the eyes.

  “I say whatever I want and you have nht to trol my mouth. Besides, is the word ‘darling’ really that offensive?” said Ethan.

  “Wh-what… are you-, you’re sg me, Ethan!” said Maria fearfully.

  Ethan instantly turned his threatening frown to a smile and said ,“Ighat, sorry. I’m just kidding with you, haha. o be scared. Anyways, I e with you too? I wanna see your work area.”

  “Su-sure…” Maria replied.

  The two went to Maria’s workpce at the automobile repair shop. Maria felt unfortable walking with Ethan after what happened. She didn’t have any idea that he could be that terrifying.

  Her boss met Ethan and greeted him. He asked if Ethan was Maria’s boyfriend which she said yes. Then her boss left to do some paperworks as he told Maria to go to the station. Maria felt uneasy w with Ethan around, she was still afraid of what happened. She questioned herself if she made the right choice datihan.

  For now she would pretend that it never happened. However, she would grow more unfortable with Ethahan told her that he would be attending his graduation and he wanted Maria to e. She couldn’t refuse his offer so she asked her boss to have a day off on the day of Ethan’s graduation which she was allowed.

  Maria attehan’s graduation, she saw him being handed a diploma. She cpped and cheered for him. She went to Ethan to hug and gratute him. Ethan wanted Maria to e celebrate his graduation with his friends and also asked her for a date tomorrow after his celebration as a personal one. Maria agreed to his invitation, she thought the date would go well.

  However, it was the opposite of her expectations. Suddenly, Ethan became maniputive and narcissistic especially when he was aloh Maria.

  “Maria,” Ethan called.

  “Yeah? What’s up?” Maria asked.

  “I’ve been thinking… something feels off about us and I want to talk about it,” Ethan replied.

  “Us? I don’t feel like there’s something off,” said Maria.

  “Don’t try to lie, Maria. You know something’s nht,” said Ethan. “You’ve been distant towards me.”

  “Uhm… I’m not sure what you are talking about?” said Maria nervously.

  “Really? You used to be close to me but now you seem to be trying to stay away from me.” Ethan replied. “Are y to say that you still have feelings for him?”

  “Him? Who is him?” Maria asked fusedly.

  Ethan sighed and said with a deeper tone, “A, you are being dismissive. Am I not worthy to be heard?”

  “Ethan… this isn’t funny…” said Maria.

  “But oh well, maybe I’m not just good enough… I guess you should just go with that “Noelia” even though he probably doesn’t love you,” said Ethan in a passive-aggressive voice. “You’ll probably have more fun with him.”

  Maria smmed her hand to the table and looked at Ethan with a furious face. She stood up with a lot of anger ing from her heart. Maria had really snapped, she was tired from Ethan’s mannerless and maniputive attitude. She was ready to let out all the pent up anger.

  “ETHAN, SHUT THE FUCK UP!!” Maria yelled.

  Everyone became silent as well as Ethan, he was fused on why Maria acted like this. He thehat his pn didn’t work but he ersistent on having Maria. He then tried to use a different move.

  “Maria? What are you doing?” Ethan asked fusedly.

  “Don’t TRY to be fug fused. You’ve been a total asshole tely and I ’t stand it anymore!” said Maria with rage. “YOU treated me without respect, toug me inappropriately and without sent! You talked bad about my friend and now you are trying to gaslight and manipute me!”

  What? Maria, don’t say nonsehings.” said Ethan.

  “You know what?!” said Maria. “We are FUG DONE, WE’RE BREAKING UP!!”

  Ethan was left stunned, Maria furiously stormed off a Ethan alone. Maria entered her apartment and began to throw things in rage. She screamed loudly, hitting the wall as well. Maria teared up letting out all the pain she endured.

  She lied down on her bed and cried for hours. After breaking up with Ethan, Maria rarely went to work with the excuse of not feeling well. Maria felt really dead inside and depressed, she wasn’t even taking care of herself.

  Maria spent her days inside her apartmeing, drinking and sleeping. She became pessimistid short-tempered, she even oftenly cried randomly. She had isoted herself from the world, rarely going outside.

  When Maria was outside sitting alo a bench with a hoodie c her face. Remmy passed by and saw Maria’s depressed face.

  “Woah Maria, you don’t look so good,” said Remmy.

  “Go away… I don’t want to be bothered,” Maria replied.

  “How about I bring you to hang out with my friends, that could cheer you up!” said Remmy.

  “No, I don’t want to,” said Maria irritatedly.

  “, don’t be such a sad potato!” Remmy insisted.

  “Fine… I’ll e,” said Maria, relutly joining in.