She caught me staring through her kitchen window and instead of screaming or calling the cops, she just smiled and said words I will never forget. I am Jake. I am 34 years old. 6 months ago, my life cracked open in the quietest way possible. Rebecca stood in our apartment living room, slid the engagement ring off her finger, and placed it in my palm like it was nothing more than a loose coin.
We had been together for 2 years. Somewhere in that time, we forgot how to be kind. Every talk turned into a fight. Every silence felt heavy. When it ended, I did not cry. I did not beg. I just felt tired. I packed my clothes into two suitcases and found a cheap house on Maple Grove in Portland, Oregon.
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