Trapped Bird
By María Horna
Whether or not to get involved in a romantic relationship
during high school has always been controversial. Some will
say this is a waste of time because it won’t last forever. They
consider high school dating a distraction from their studies.
Idealists offer examples, like their own still-happily-mar-
ried grandparents or parents, to support the claim that even
young love can sometimes last forever.The problem isn’t the age but the way people behave. A toxic
relationship can damage someone seventeen as much as
someone twenty-seven. And abusers are dangerous regardless.
Hostile, manipulative young people usually carry those traits
into adulthood. People don’t change until they realize the
harm they cause and choose to get help. I was just seventeen
when I met the person who changed my life.It started like many stories; boy-meets-girl
through an app called Snapchat and they fall in
love. It was perfect. “Joey” was sweet, funny,
sincere and he listened to me. Days after we
met, he asked me out and I said yes.But almost immediately, it all went wrong. During the two
years we were together, he cheated on me four times. What’s
more, pretending to be devoted, he was incredibly jealous.
I couldn’t speak to any boy, not even in class, unless I ex-
plained later. I had to give him all my passwords from every
social media account I owned because he “trusted me but not
others.” Like a puppet, I did everything he said. I became
quiet. I changed the clothes I wore and turned into his shad-
ow. People started to refer to me as “Joey’s girlfriend.” It was
like I had lost my name. Nobody knew me.It started like many stories;
boy-meets-girl through an app
called Snapchat and they
fall in love. It was perfect.Photo credit © Raymond Perez