Back in the day, whenever, I got bored in the house I went out for a walk with my headphones in my ears, putting the best music on and walking. 

I put on the best music that was popular that time and walked for hours on end. I would love to see the hawkers display their products. It was nothing short of a dreamland. The products were not essential but you you enjoy and for about the grim reality by indulging in the colorful sights and array of people excited to purchase their dreams from the dreamland. 

I met a guy in college, who became a close friend and eventually like all college kids, we thought the idea of a relationship was all we needed. Things changed a year later. He was a tall guy, who constantly liked to pick on my short height and body shamed me for not being in best of shape and my not so affluent status. I was from an middle class family and he was better off than I was being constantly picked on because of my status and the way I dressed and looked and at that time,  it made me realize that, this is not who I want to be with, I really needed to move on. My thoughts were blocked with constant bickering and the toxicity of the relationship was nearly paralyzing. I had thought to myself that I must free myself from the chains of the dungeon I was into. I did not want all that poison in my life. I was desperate to to be free. I wanted to be happy. 

It was my third and final year of graduation. I was challenged or rather threatened that I would not survive the exams, if I left the same tuition classes. I was told in an intimidating way that, I would do really badly in my exams. I was a loser. I was even called by the Tuition teacher not to discontinue the classes. I rather found that very grim, of a teacher to tell me that, on the request of a student. It seemed like Coercion to me and that moment I realized that I am never going back again and I needed to cut away. 

I chose to listen to heart and needed positive encouragement from my friends, which I got and I broke all chains and followed my gut instinct to steer myself away from all that toxicity. I was done with everything. 

I DID EXACTLY WHAT MY BRAINS SAID AND I DISCONTINUED THE CLASSES. I COMPLETED MY GRADUATION WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A NEW AND DEDICATED TEACHER, MADE NEW FRIENDS AND SCORED WELL IN MY EXAMS. THERE WAS THE END OF A PHASE THAT NEARLY LEAD TO MY DESTRUCTION. IT WAS INDEED A MENTALLY ABUSIVE REALTIONSHIP AND I DID NOT WANT TO BE IN ONE LIKE THAT. 

Then one day, my friend called me and said she saw him with another girl, whose description matched with the school friend he always wanted to be around and there were rumors of sparks between them since their school. The sparks that were dampening my spirit and hope and faith in love altogether. 

I just kept the phone .. I immediately went to see my friend at her residence.. I couldn't bear to be alone that minute.. there were many questions to which I did not want to seek answers.. not even why me?

because I WAS FREE. Two years of suffering ended followed by a long recovery period..