LOPE

tarted li

d had for the past month. Maybe today would be different. Ma

thanking me for my time and letting me know they'd gone with someone "more qual

dnesday

ked part-time as an accountant. My manager wouldn't even look

," he said, his voice

ha

the back of his neck. "It's not ab

ce? Right. That made m

ck clenched in my fist, already calcula

apartment door. One week. I had one week to pack up and leave because I was

ce of paper, my feet giving up on me. E

terview, another shot at turning things around. I put on my best blazer, forced a sm

ring manager seemed nice, even laughed at one of my awkward j

rs later, I g

t to info

p before I coul

ob. No income. No

st I had o

ste

that felt solid. While the world kept kicking m

of the world disappear. Some nights, he'd cook me homemade meals that felt like comfort. He'd kiss my forehead without saying a word, as if that alone could

. I didn't want to be a burden. I wanted to be strong, to stand on my own two feet. But the truth

I though

essing the week had been, I came home from my final rej

ut this isn't working. I think it'

d went

again. This had to be a mistake. Or m

him. No

n. Straight t

shaking as I

going on? Pleas

er, pi

eas

hin

media. Clicked

cke

is couldn't be real. I grabbed my coat and ran out the door without sparing mys

. I was never the type to speak up, always shy and keeping my feelings to myself. But

door, I was shaking. Whether from the

ed on t

ice cracked, but

en

enc

door again

to God, if you don

ent inside. A

against the door,

. just ta

hin

s. A door clo

in a shar

heard me. And he

At some point, my knees buckled, and I slid down ag

was r

y that much of a burden to him that he had to

s all m

g myself off the ground

was dry. I was exhausted. Empty. I pulled out my phone, scroll

le

e before sh

e sounded h

wrong? Why're you

hed, and for the first time since this whole nightmare starte

lowed

can I co

half a second before

e. Are yo

o

d to get out of he

e are

ster

le. Then ste

n Uber. Just wai

though she co

ka

t, babe. I