The only thing that felt worse than being left alone was being left alone at nighttime.

It was 2004 and Keri was 18; visiting Zak's downtown apartment after he finally kept a promise and picked her up to see him.

On his mattress on the floor - crumpled blankets, the two of them in t-shirts and underwear.

He got high, they watched MTV until 4am; in between he ate Cheetos and asked Keri to marry him. He always, always, talked about how beautiful their children would be. How could Keri say yes when she was 18? How could she say no when she had loved him as long as she had known him? How could Zak pretend he was serious when he broke her heart all the time.

That wasn't the first time he broke her heart, or the last. She would love him everyday after that.