This is not my story- my story is boring. It’s my ex’s. We shall call her Hannah. And me Samantha. I don’t need a fake identity as I’m out, but it has some sort of symmetry.
Hannah was almost 18 at the time. She didn’t quite realise she was not-straight before. She had girl-crushes and various clues I shan’t delve into, but she didn’t accept it.
We were inseparable from the moment we met, before we started dating. I won’t elaborate on how we got together- although a heartwarming sweet story, it’s beside the point. We spent 3 months together. The best of my life. And hers too, is what she used to say. She loved me. I loved her. I love her. We were happy.
Then, her parents found out. It was awful- they screamed and cried and withdrew her from university that very day, right amidst exams. They took her phone, her money and her computer, and banned her from talking to any of her friends, so we had no way to contact each other. They said if she is out, she is out of the house. She said she wants out. In response, they locked her in, literally.
2 days later, she found a way to contact me. She told me her mother had hit her. When she fell to the ground, her mother kicked and threw a laptop at her head. She wanted to run away. Of course I said she could stay with me.
That night we ended up staying at a friend’s, knowing they could come knocking at my door (they did, until 2am). They left about 15 voicemails on my phone, one of them claiming “you killed your father” (because of the stress- he suffered high blood pressure as it were). Even that didn’t make her want to call home (we checked all hospitals and it was a blatant lie. What sort of parents do that?!). She was terrified, flinching at any quick movement, scared to leave the room in case they would pass by with the car, as low as the chances were.
In the morning the police called. A year younger than I, Hannah was a minor and I wasn’t, they said, and it would technically be kidnap if they couldn’t see her. Once they did, and seen the plate-sized bruise she got from her own mother’s kick, they convinced her to come to the station. She was scared to press charges, and so they said she had to go home. Her parents forced her see a psychologist - they are wealthy, and have been threatening to bribe one to “knock the gay out of her”. If she tried to run, they said, they would press charges against me for statutory rape (I should mention it isn’t according to the law here). I didn’t care- it wouldn’t have worked. But she cared for me too much to allow it. She planned to leave the day she turns 18, 4 months later.
We found our ways to get in touch for 2 more months, despite the huge risk (losing the little freedom she had). But the parents realised, tightened their hold, and after a month of silence she managed to get me a message saying she loves and misses me, but can’t do it to her parents any more (both of them and her grandmother’s health has been deteriorating since the beginning of this).
That was ~3 months ago. I hear she is fine, got closer to her family (they were torn apart before this thing, too). I’ll always love and wish her the best. I’m almost sure someone “helped” her make this decision. Just upset and frustrated at how society can twist the view of such a pure thing as love. And sad that she had to get rid of a part of herself (deactivated her Tumblr- her pride and joy). I wish things like this never have to happen to anyone, and I hope that having told this story I have done something little to help.
Han, if you ever read this- I love you. I miss you. And thank you. I sincerely hope you’re happy, you deserve it. ~Sam
Reblog this if you can, please. People need to know. And I hope she sees it, eventually…
