Without Mia even knowing it, Hayden had caused a slight barrier between her and Vincent’s friendship. It irked her that she had allowed him to have so much control over her, and she just wanted to be free. She wanted to be able to laugh, to genuinely smile over the smallest of things, and she wanted to feel at ease with herself, but it was difficult doing for her to do so because of him.

Because of Hayden Matthews.

As much as Mia claimed to love him, Hayden was causing her soul more heartbreak than he was serenity. When Mia was around her boyfriend, all she could feel was uneasiness, and never be able sit still.

She was fearful of him, but you’re not supposed to fear the person you’re in love with. You’re supposed to be yourself when you’re with them, but, in her case, it was impossible for her to do so. Mia was yearning to let someone know what was happening in her relationship with Hayden, but she kept on telling herself that he would eventually change. She knew she was only hoping for the impossible, but one can only dream right?

They say ‘wishes come true,’ and Mia hoped that her one and only wish of Hayden’s relentless emotional abuse ending would come true too. She just wanted his love in return, and not his punches, which always felt like rocks being thrown at her.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break me, and names will never harm me. . .” In Mia’s case, literal sticks and stones were never used to physically harm her, but it was Hayden’s words that affected her the most, and they always felt like a countless number of heavy stones being launched at her. His name brought immense fear into her heart, but, throughout the torture she endured from her boyfriend, she never once stopped loving him. She was a definition of a fool in love.

Mia knew it was stupid for her to still be in love with someone who only used her as their punching bag, but she believed that love made people do the craziest of things, even if Hayden’s brand of crazy was on a whole other level.

“So tell me, Munch, how have you been since we last spoke?” Vincent asked.
Mia felt relieved that Vincent had brought her out of her thoughts, mainly because she didn’t know what she’d do if she stayed cooped up in there any longer. Her mind wasn’t stable, and she didn’t know whether it would ever change for the best.

“Well, I guess I’ve been okay,” Mia said. “School’s just been taking a toll on me, and it’s honestly really exhausting.”

“Been there, done that, and I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with any of that unnecessary stress anymore. But don’t worry, Munch, soon you’ll be graduating, and you won’t have to feel so worn down anymore. I promise it will eventually get better, you just gotta have patience.”

Mia silently agreed with her older friend because she knew he had a valid point, but she couldn’t help but linger on the fact that school had only become a problem for her after she got involved with Hayden. She would never admit it, though, because her blinding love for slender males was what made her weak. Hayden was her weakness, and she loved him in spite of all the trauma he put her through. She couldn’t just up and leave him; it was a difficult decision that she didn’t ever want to make.

Tell us: Do you think Mia should leave Hayden?