beyond trust

I had a boyfriend. He could be incredibly caring and sweet with me, but he had a difficult personality—he was quick to anger and terribly jealous. He didn't like it when I talked to other guys, went out without him, or simply spent time away from him.

He had a group of friends I didn't like at all. They were always throwing loud parties, drinking, and often getting into trouble. One day, they invited my boyfriend to their dacha outside the city. I immediately said I was against such a trip, but he insisted.

“Then I’ll go with you,” I said firmly.

For a long time, he was reluctant to introduce me to his friends because he knew exactly what they were like. But in the end, he agreed.

When we arrived, he introduced me to everyone and soon left to join the group. Several hours passed. He was already drunk and noticeably changed.

I was talking calmly with Kirill, one of his friends. We were just joking and chatting, but my boyfriend immediately frowned when he saw this.

He came up to me.

— We need to talk.

He took me to the second floor, where there was no one, and closed the door.

"Do you even realize how this looks from the outside?" he asked irritably.

“We were just talking,” I replied.

• I still don't like it when you communicate with others like that.

I looked at him and realized it was more than just jealousy. His behavior was starting to cross the line.

• You can't decide who I talk to.

He fell silent. A heavy silence fell over the room.