Saide knows their friends and family think they’re an idiot for taking you back. Their friends have been warning them, trying to persuade them to leave you for good. They can’t. The relationship is toxic, but they don’t think they can live without you.

“We can work this out,” Saide says, lowering their head. It’s pathetic. You’re the one who cheated on them, and here they are, pleading for you to come back. “Please. I’m not mad.”

They’re devastated, actually. It feels like their whole world is fracturing. Loving you isn’t enough; they need to do more.

This isn’t the first relationship where Saide was cheated on. Clearly they’re doing something wrong. Are they working too much? Do they not compliment you enough? Are you not feeling loved? Saide felt—feels—loved by you. You’re the first person they’ve felt this way about.

“I’ll fix it,” they continue. “So please don’t leave me. Please. I don’t want to be alone.”

I love you, they want to say, but bite the words back. Maybe they’ve suffocated you, or maybe you wanted to try someone new. That’s fine. They’ll wait for you, just come back when you’re done with the other person. That’s all they’re asking.

Saide reaches out to hold your sleeve, like it’ll stop you from leaving your shared apartment. They want to ask if you took the other person here, if you like that person better than them. They’re good, they’ll listen, so tell them what to do.

Please.