So, I’m writing a story where the guy is in a terrible relationship that makes him a terrible person (he is just around terrible people) and is abused by his girlfriend (verbally)- a toxic person. It’s gonna be a short story where he meets someone who shifts his views and he realizes that the people in his life are toxic and that he is becoming toxic too. He doesn’t change for the person (doesn’t end up with her) but she helps him realize what really matters to him in his life, and what doesn’t.
How do I best portray this- particularly the abuse by the girl?
3 Likes
Hmm well I think she should seem nice to the outsiders but when it comes to her boyfriend she should be really judgy and ridicule him over really small things, and get angry really quick when there alone together. Oh and if she had a bad day, she should let it all out on him.
2 Likes
Yeah, in the first scene they go to the party together, he does something slightly wrong, and she gets mad at him, then walks away crying, causing a scene. He has bad relationships with his friends who are all toxic people, so they all get mad at him for making her cry. He goes home and is angry, then, she walks in, is angry, then gets sad when he is still mad at her, cries, and he feels so guilty he is forced to forgive her.
And yeah, nit-picking what he does and who he hangs out with
Yep!
Then she makes an excuse for him to go on a trip, and cheats on him, when she badgered him on not talking to ANY girls
1 Like
Oof she’s the kind of girl I would not talk to in the hallway 
1 Like
Everyone thinks he is the bad guy- because she is so manipulative and they all support her (that or they just don’t wanna cause a scene and stand up for him) or they are toxic.
1 Like
One of the things that some people do in abusive relationships is justify their partner’s behaviour. “I know how s/he is. I shouldn’t provoke her/him” or “s/he is so nice usually” etc.
So it’s good to have someone else — outside of the relationship — who can comment on how unhealthy and bad it is so that people don’t believe what he says.
5 Likes
Well i know that a lot of abusive relationships have gaslighting, like telling their partner that they are going crazy and that the abusive person did nothing wrong (like if they cheated or did something else). To make their partner feel ashamed often and to cut them off from their loved ones or other family. 
2 Likes