The Digital Shadows: Love, Lies, and Longing (Part 5)

Broken Promises and Unseen Scars

A few months had passed since Jacee and Aaric’s secret meetings. It was nearing Jacee’s 20th birthday, and Aaric was determined to make it a memorable one. He wanted to celebrate with her, away from the prying eyes of family and friends. After their last secret meeting at Jacee’s house, they decided to meet again, this time outside her home. Jacee, eager for a special birthday with Aaric, lied to her parents again, saying she needed to stay at her college hostel for three days to work on a mini-project. Her parents, trusting her, allowed her to go.

As planned, Jacee took a public bus to meet Aaric. She had cleverly booked her ticket for a destination beyond where she intended to get off, to avoid suspicion. Partway through the journey, she asked the bus conductor to let her off early, pretending she was feeling sick with motion sickness and that a relative would pick her up. The conductor agreed, and Jacee got off near Aaric's hometown. Aaric arrived as planned and took her to his friend’s girlfriend’s home, where she would stay. Even though Jacee was an introvert and felt uncomfortable staying with strangers, she decided to go along with it for the sake of the surprise Aaric had planned.

The next morning, Aaric picked Jacee up, and they headed to the place where they first met. It was the day before her birthday, and Jacee was thrilled at the idea of celebrating her special day with Aaric. After several hours of travel, they reached their destination. Excitement filled the air as they hugged, kissed, and exchanged words of love, lost in the moment. They spent the day visiting places and enjoying each other’s company. Jacee had lied to her parents to get 3,000 rupees, saying she needed it for her mini-project, but she gave the money to Aaric, saying they could use it to celebrate. The first day went smoothly, and she felt a sense of happiness and anticipation for the next day.

At midnight, Aaric went out to buy a cake for Jacee. When the clock struck twelve, he wished her a happy birthday, and she cut the cake, making a wish for a bright future. Aaric, aware of his dislike for women working, jokingly asked what she wanted for her birthday. She cautiously said she wanted to work after her studies, testing his reaction. Surprisingly, he laughed and agreed, which made her feel a sense of relief. They hugged and kissed, and Jacee thought her 20th birthday had begun on a perfect note and would end just as well.

But she was wrong. The real nightmare was just beginning.

After the birthday celebration, they both went to sleep. The next morning, they got ready to go out again. Jacee, thinking of their plans, wore jeans and a top. Aaric, just out of the shower, noticed her attire. He didn’t like it and asked if she had brought any traditional clothes like a churidar or kurti. Jacee explained that she had only packed a couple of outfits to avoid suspicion from her parents. Aaric’s face darkened, and without a second thought, he began to scold her harshly, using demeaning words to insult her. He slut-shamed her, completely disregarding the fact that it was her birthday. 

Jacee was taken aback. This was the first time he had spoken to her so cruelly, face to face. She felt a deep sting from his words and was on the verge of tears. He then asked her to take a photo of him with his phone, but she, still upset, couldn’t do it properly. Frustrated, he broke his sunglasses in anger. Jacee couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She ran out of the room, overwhelmed with sadness and confusion. After a while, Aaric called her back, apologized, and tried to calm her down. Though she accepted his apology, she remained deeply hurt by his behavior.

They went out to explore the city, but Aaric’s mood hadn’t improved. He continued to berate her about her choice of clothes throughout the day. Jacee tried to hold back her tears, but the continuous insults and body shamed her. Aaric, knowing she disliked smoking, bought a cigarette and smoked right in front of her as if to punish her further. Jacee felt like crying, but they were in a public place, so she kept her tears at bay. On the way back to their room, Aaric sped his bike, and Jacee sat behind him, silently crying.

Once they returned to the room, she broke down completely, saying, "I’ve ruined my life by trusting you." Aaric ignored her tears, and instead, he took her ATM card and withdrew money. When he returned, he bought alcohol, which broke her heart even more. He drank in front of her, deliberately trying to hurt her because she hadn’t worn the clothes he liked. Jacee felt completely lost, thinking, "Do I not even have the right to wear what I want on my birthday?"

She was crying uncontrollably, feeling as if she had lost all control over her life. Aaric seemed indifferent to her tears. After a while, he came over, pretending to be remorseful, hugged her, and said, "I'm going to die; I don’t want to live this life." He threatened to jump from the balcony, but deep down, Jacee knew he wouldn’t. After some coaxing, he calmed down, laid his head on her lap, and apologized, crying and saying he was sorry. Jacee, despite all the pain he had caused her, once again believed his tears and forgave him. They went out for dinner, trying to move past the day’s events. They sang, danced, and tried to find some joy in the moment.

But the night took another dark turn. Jacee received a notification on her phone from Snapchat. Aaric, curious, asked if he could see her phone. She agreed. The notification was a snap from one of her school friends. Aaric opened it and noticed she had a streak with a few of her schoolmates. His demeanor changed immediately. He punched her on the cheek, demanding to know why she was keeping streaks with other guys. Jacee, in tears, explained that just to maintain the streak numbers. Aaric, filled with jealousy, pushed her off the bed, and she hurt her back. 

Jacee cried, trying to explain, but Aaric wasn’t listening. He was about to slap her but stopped himself. Jacee then brought up a girl Aaric had met on Instagram, but he gave some flimsy explanation that she didn’t want to hear.

That night, Jacee cried more than she ever had. The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional betrayal she felt. She kept asking herself, "How could someone who says they love me hurt me this way? How could he even think about beating me?" Her birthday, which she had hoped would be special, turned into the worst day of her life.

Somehow, she managed to get a few hours of sleep. The next morning, she woke up at 4 a.m., unable to rest any longer. She sat on the balcony, shivering in the cold, her mind replaying the events of the previous night. She couldn’t believe what had happened. Aaric woke up and saw her outside, asked her to come in, hugged her, and apologized again. He claimed he had felt a paranormal presence in the room the night before, which he blamed for his behavior.

He picked her up and laid her down on the bed, trying to make her feel safe. But as soon as they lay down, he started to touch her inappropriately. Jacee told him she wasn’t interested in having sex, but Aaric didn’t stop. He continued to touch her, ignoring her protests, and forced himself on her. During the act, he asked her to slap him on the face to release her anger. Jacee, despite her pain, slapped him several times. Afterward, he said again that he felt a strange presence in the room and insisted they leave. 

A few hours later, an argument broke out again. Aaric demanded to see Jacee’s phone. She handed it over, and he started scrolling through her messages. Jacee took Aaric’s phone and found conversations with other girls. She took a screenshot, which alerted Aaric. He snatched his phone back and kept hers too, scrolling through her WhatsApp chats. During the lockdown, Jacee had helped some of her classmates with online tests. Aaric saw this and became furious, asking why she had helped boys and why everyone had asked answers with you? in your class there are no other girls? why they need to ask only to you. He accused her of having an interest in them, showing her a photo of one of the boys who had a shirtless profile picture. Aaric slapped her multiple times, eight to ten times in total, pushed her against the wall, and choked her neck. 

Jacee was terrified, but she knew she had done nothing wrong. Despite this, Aaric’s anger and accusations continued. At one point, he sat on top of her and choked her again. Jacee begged him to stop, saying she would leave him and never come back. She even suggested he needed psychological help, pleading with him to see a doctor. 

After he dragged her from the balcony back into the room, he almost choked her to death. In a sudden change of mood, he started crying and begged for forgiveness, saying he didn’t know what came over him. His tears and words were full of regret, and for a moment, she wanted to believe him. But she couldn’t forget the fear that gripped her heart just minutes before.

They left the room to return to their hometown, but she was unable to escape the weight of what had happened. As they traveled back, she felt numb, her mind racing with questions about her future. She couldn't make sense of the violence and love that seemed to intertwine in his actions. At one point, they stopped to watch a movie, "Jungle Cruise." It was supposed to be her first theater experience, something special. But instead, she sat there in the dark, unable to focus on the screen, wishing it was all a bad dream.

After just 11 months of being together, their relationship had already reached such a low. Once they arrived back at the station, she took a bus to her hometown. When she got home, she felt completely alone, unable to share what had happened with anyone. The thought of ending her life crossed her mind more than once, but something held her back. Deep down, she knew she needed help but didn’t know who to turn to.

He kept calling, begging for another chance, promising he would change. Even though this was her third relationship, she felt a deep connection to him because he was the first person she had shared such intimacy with. She decided to give him one more chance, hoping desperately that he wouldn't hurt her again. But the fear and shame of what happened made her feel like she was trapped in a cage of her own making.

Wanting to talk to someone, she decided to call his mother. She confided in her about everything that happened, hoping for some comfort. His mother was shocked and told her to be careful, warning that he might be dangerous. "Don't go out with him again," she urged. "He’s unpredictable, and you never know what he might do."

Just a few hours later, he called her, angry again over the Snapchat incident. Her mother overheard part of the conversation and, concerned, called her back. She advised her to stop talking to other guys, suggesting that his jealousy was the root of the problem. Her advice left her feeling more confused and lost. How could she possibly navigate such a situation? 

Even now, she struggles to forget what happened. Every birthday since has been a painful reminder of that night. No matter how hard she tries, she can't escape the memory. She knows she should have left him that day, but her love for him and the guilt of being intimate with him made her stay. She still wonders if she made the right choice, haunted by the question of whether this is what love is supposed to feel like.

Moral:

"Love should never hurt, and no one should have to endure pain in the name of love. Trust your instincts, and don't let guilt or fear keep you in a toxic relationship".