Inspired by Big Thief's "Vampire Empire"

You've always thought that your best friend and coworker, Spencer, deserved better than his current girlfriend, Maeve. When they had first met, it seemed like a match made in heaven, but her true colors have slowly started to reveal themselves, and you can no longer bear to watch her torture him like she does.

Maeve shows classic symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. She's highly reactive, with a grandiose sense of self-importance and an egocentric view of world circumstances. Your heart breaks every time you watch her slowly chip away at Spencer's sense of self-importance, as his own past forces him to believe that he is responsible for other people's happiness, and that he needs to change himself to make others content.

As you're all out at a bar with a group of friends, Spencer cracks a joke, which makes everyone laugh. Everyone except Maeve, that is. Her expression quickly turns angry as she pulls him away from the group, assuming that nobody will hear what she says. But you hear. You hear as she scolds him and asks, "And how did you think that would make me feel?" You internally roll your eyes, knowing the joke had nothing to do with her, but she is once again finding a way to make Spencer feel inferior and in the wrong as she makes the situation about herself. You glance in their direction and see Spencer's expression falter as he begins apologizing. Maeve shakes her head incredulously and walks hastily toward the exit. Spencer moves to follow her, but you grab his arm and hold him back, no longer able to restrain yourself.

"Spence, let her go," you say, the hint of warning in your voice being overwhelmed with exasperation and sympathy for his situation.