Nine months into our relationship was the start of summer break. It was the first time I really noticed I was feeling trapped. Just like at school, she was always around. I think she came to my parents’ place and slept in the guest bed more days than she was at home sleeping in her own bed. Which I understood, because her family is a bunch of freaks.

But, summer was different than the school year for me. I was coming home to 3-4 really really close guy friends, all of whom were single, and guys I’d known since 5^th grade. They didn’t understand me needing to split so much time off for Stacy. It was always poorly received. And then, when I was with her, I’d be bummed that I wasn’t with them… they were probably playing poker or sitting in someone’s basement playing some 2-on-2 Halo 2 or something. And I was on my parents’ couch with Stacy. Blah.