Jack* and I were 20 when we met through mutual friends. From the word go, there were warning signs. He seemed incredibly sure of himself, with strong opinions he wasn’t afraid to voice. He seemed to get along with girls in particular, but when he belittled one of my friends for not being as politically aware as he was, I was repulsed by him.
Next time I ran into him, he was sweet and contrite, and seemed like a different person. Jack is very charming when he wants to be, and I found myself drawn to him. We grew closer, and I discovered how damaged he was from having unloving, neglectful parents. We fell in love and by 25 –
