Ann was perfect, and I was a shadow. If Ann messed up, it was a small mistake. If I did the same thing, it was the end of the world.

That’s why when I went away to college, I felt like I could finally breathe. I met Peter, fell in love, and for the first time, I had someone who made me feel like I mattered. We had plans—big ones. After graduation, we were going to get jobs, save up, and buy a place of our own. But reality had other plans.

Rent was expensive, and even though we both had full-time jobs, we were struggling. So, we made a tough decision. We’d move back in with our parents for a year, just to save up enough for a down payment