It was a typical Saturday night. My boyfriend Mark and I were going to our friend Lacy’s apartment for a party, and Mark was being his normal, loveable self. But something changed that night: I saw a Mark that I never knew.
We entered the room, excited to see our friends, but as I was hugging Lacy I heard words I can never un-hear. Mark, my boyfriend of three years, the man I live with, my so-called “best friend” said, “YA BOY MARK BROUGHT THE BUD LIGHT!”
That’s right. Mark called himself “ya boy.” I could feel my stomach drop to the floor. He said this in front of all of our friends. In front of our friends and God, Mark used this ridiculous phrase. We can’t hide it, and he can’t take it back.
I could barely stand up straight. Was I just supposed to be okay with this? Before I knew it, his friends were saying, “Yoooo it’s my boy Mark!” and “It’s ya boy!” as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with what they were saying.
What happened to the man I fell in love with? The one who took me to a Fifth Harmony concert for my birthday? He was so pure and sweet. That Mark would have simply said, “Hey guys! I brought some beer.”
I miss that Mark. Now I am dating “ya boy” Mark and all his friends, and I am scared for what the future holds. We all know that a man doesn’t call himself “ya boy” just once. And we all know, once ya boy starts saying it, ya boy will continue to do it until the day ya boy dies. I’m not sure I want to be around for that.
Sure, the party went on fine for the rest of the night; Mark seemed to really enjoy himself. But now I’m left wondering what happened to the Mark I once knew. The one who was simply my boyfriend and nothing else. Is there nothing sacred in this world?
