There is nothing in the world that should make you stay, nothing reasonable anyway. The only reason why you still do is that you think somewhere deep down he loves you.

You were so sure of this two years ago when you first started going out. He was attentive, kind, and funny. You wondered what you’d done to deserve such a sweet man. But never dared to question it for too long because you didn’t want to jinx it.

You lived in a bliss, and thought it would always be this way. You even moved in with him when he asked, only eight months after your first date because you were sure this was forever.

But then he changed. Seemingly overnight. He’d made love to you in the morning just before he’d left for work. Whispering words of love as he held you close. That night he didn’t come home at his usual time. You were frantic with worry. And nearly jumped him, when he finally entered the house well into the night.

The slam of the door didn’t scare you away, but the look in his eyes did. He looked at you with fire blazing from his eyes. And instead of explaining where he’d been all this time, he started hurling angry, hurtful words at you as if he had a right to.

You’d been too shocked to say anything, to protest, to tell him he shouldn’t talk to you that way. Instead you’d stood silently in the middle of your living room and allowed him to call you every name in the book.

It stopped as abruptly as it had started. He flew up the stairs and you cringed as the door of your bedroom slammed shut. For some reason you knew you weren’t welcome in there tonight. And so you grabbed a blanket from the closet and curled up on the couch. You’re eyes didn’t close that night, you lay staring straight ahead, wondering what the hell had happened to him and going over everything that he’d said.

You never did get an explanation as to why the sudden change in behavior. He was a different man, every day you were reminded of this.

And it became a routine. He never shared where he was going or when he’d be back. After a while you wondered if he still had a job. You guessed not.

You tried to ask him what was wrong, tried to find out just what had turned him into this complete stranger you’d come to live with, but he always shrugged you off.

Lately he’d even come to use violence to stop you from asking questions. You cried every night, wondering where your sweet caring boyfriend had gone and wishing, begging if you could please have him back. The way he used to be.

You kept up hope.

But it dimmed with every day that passed. Every time he yelled at you, every time he blamed you for all the bad in his life, every time he pushed you away and every time he hurt you physically.

It wasn’t worth it anymore. You realized.

He was never going to be the man that he once was. Something had snapped inside of him, something had died and you realized you will never be able to fix it.

Maybe at first, the idea that he still loved you deep down inside was enough of a reason for you to stay. But not anymore.

You can’t take this any longer and you know you have to leave.

You pack a few belongings, just wanting to leave before he comes home. You don’t want to say goodbye, you don’t want to risk having to see the uncaring look in his eyes as you tell him you are leaving. You want to believe, still, that he doesn’t want you to leave.

You look around the house you’d shared and where you’d once been happy. A tear tracks down your cheek and you wipe it away quickly. You still don’t understand where things went wrong. You can’t help but think it’s your fault as you step outside and close the door behind you.

You duck into the cab that waits for you and heave a big sigh.

“Where to, sir?” the cab driver asks, as he turns towards you. The most beautiful, sparkling blue eyes greet you. A small smile comes to your lips and you can’t even remember the last time you smiled.

You can’t think of an answer to the man’s answer.

“Away from here,”

The driver searches your face, and asks, “Bad?”

You just nod, knowing the cabbie really isn’t interested in your sob story.

But the man surprises you as he says, “How about I take you this little café. They serve the best coffee you’ve ever tasted. You look like you could use a strong cup.”

You sigh and smile, having to admit, “Coffee would be great.”

The driver stretches his hand towards you, “I’m Josh,”

“Justin,” you reply.

Josh smiles at you once more before he turns to the wheel and starts the car.

You slump against the seat, letting your head fall back against the headrest and you finally feel yourself relax.