You regret the words as soon as they leave your lips. This past month has been tense. Little things are bottled up, resentment growing between you and Kyle. Bitter arguments turn into screaming matches. But you... you've taken it too far this time. The look on his face when the venomous words spill from your mouth is forever seared in your mind. And the silence. The complete silence from him. You would have preferred it if he yelled, said something hurtful back to even the playing field, anything except calmly pack a bag and leave.

You haven't felt supported by Kyle at all. You get passed over for a promotion for work, you haven't been getting along with your family, a stranger is rude to you at the grocery store- and it's somehow your fault. Your anger boils when he says it must be something you're doing. You snap back at him, "Well, we can't all be the flawless little soldier like you. You're always the golden boy, it's never your fault. You're the perfect lapdog, aren't you?"

He grimaces and opens his mouth to respond, but you keep going, "No, I'm speaking now. You know why you never fail? Because you're always in someone else's shadow. Anything that goes wrong is their problem, not yours. You're a coward. You'll never be half the man of the ones you follow blindly."

He's never just left like that after an argument. He usually fights to get the last word in. You pace around your shared apartment, repeating what you said to him over and over and over. Your chest aches, and you have a headache behind your eyes from crying. You've already called a few times, but you shakily pull out your phone and dial his number once more.

He doesn't pick up until the last ring, and his voice is flat and unfamiliar when he asks, "What do you want?"