Her abusive boyfriend, he is a junior, his name is Justin. He is much taller than I, and bigger, and stronger. He is live off campus in appartment, with 3 roommates. They are always throwing party, I am even go one time. Kristen tells me, you should come to party at Justin's, and I say, OK, I come. Then at party, Kristen and Justin are argueing, everybody is sad. Then they go into bedroom and close door and are yelling. I hear slapping and punching and kicking, and Justin is screaming "You are such a stupid bitch, you don't even deserve to live!!". I think he is maybe talking to Kristen, but not sure. Then she is crying. And then Justin come out and say "What the fuck are you looking at, you fucking dot-head?" I am thinking he is talking to me. Well, by now it is late, I am leave the party. I say good-bye to Kristen, she is wiping the blood from her lip and her blouse. I tell her, "are you ok?", and she says "yeah, I just fell, because I am so drunk, Im such a klutz." I am want to ask her if she fell into Justin's fist, but that is in bad taste, am I not right? Then I go back to my dorm, and play chess with next door neighbor Jacob.

             If I am boyfriend to Kristen, I treat her like a queen. I do anything for her, this I promise. I am already do most of her homework for her, and help her study for tests. So it will not be a big change. I take her out to dinner. I take her to American movies. I buy her gifts with the money I make by working at CAC lab. I try so hard for her. But alas, her heart belongs to abusive boyfriend.

             Two weeks ago, I am sitting with Kristen in HUB, and we are finishing homework. I am feeling good this day, I find out I am doing well in physics exam. I am top of the world!! So I am tell Kristen that I am liking her for long time. And she says she had a feeling. She says it is very sweet, she is very flattered, and she is sure I'd be a great boyfriend. But she is in love with Justin. I ask her, why is she in love with Justin? He is mean to her, and treat her so bad. She says Justin is complicated, and has bad parents. And he promise her he is changing. She can see, he is changing, she can see clearly. She must be seeing this with only one eye, as her other eye is still nearly swollen shut from her accident a few days ago. She is fall on chair, she says, she slip on wet floor. She is such a klutz, she says, and that may be so. I am telling her I understand, her heart belongs to another. Love is a mysterious creature, I know, for sure.

                                                                                                         - Ashraf Muraprathi (sophomore - DUS)