Anatomy of a Toxic Relationship: Part I

by Anonymous

I Should Have Left

I should have left, but I loved you.

I should have left, but you said you loved me too.

I should have left, but I didn’t want to be a coward.

I should have left, but I was waiting for it to get better.

I should have left, but I was afraid no one would love me the way you did.

I should have left, but I thought I owed you everything.

I should have left, but you said you were sorry.

I should have left, but I didn’t think I deserved better.

I should have left, but I thought you were the one.

I should have left, but I didn’t want to hurt you.

I should have left, but I was afraid you would humiliate me.

I should have left, but I thought everything was my fault.

I should have left, but I wanted us to be happy together.

I should have left, but I was afraid you would self-destruct.

I should have left, but no one knew me like you.

I should have left, but I gave up everything for you.

I should have left, but I didn’t think I had a good enough reason.

I should have left, but I didn’t want to overreact.

I should have left, but I started to believe the things you said out of anger.

I should have left, but I lost sight of the person I was before you.

I should have left, but I could be terrible too.

I should have left, but I was afraid of being alone.

I should have left, but you said our relationship was more important than my dreams.

I should have left, but I thought this was normal.

I should have left, but I liked your family.

I should have left, but I didn’t want to fight.

I should have left, but you told me I shouldn’t always listen to my mother or my friends.

I should have left, but we never raised a hand to each other.

I should have left, but I didn’t know I was being abused.

Read Anatomy of a Toxic Relationship: Part II and Part III.