So I apologize in advance for any language in this, as well as the extraordinary length, but I need to get this out.
Now, before I get into my rant, just know that there are a very rare few things that actually and truly bug me in this world to the point of me wanting to physically hurt someone. If I feel like I or someone else is being treated as if they're not a person, that's one. If someone or an animal is being verbally or physically abused, that's another.
In this case, it's the latter.
So, I moved out of my last place for several reasons. The first is because I actually do like the privacy, and I felt living there, well there was really a severe lack of it. Second is because one of my roommates is my most recent ex, and he had his boyfriend move in when I was still living there, which made me uncomfortable for several other reasons which I'll get into later. Third was because I could feel a rift happening for several reasons, and part of that was because my ex's boyfriend absolutely did not like me (although played like he did), and didn't want me there. Finally, on top of all of those, I was starting to feel so stressed that I was actually having a complete reversal in my life to where I really looked forward going to work (which I do still enjoy going to), but I always dreaded when it was time to clock off, because it meant going home and dealing with stress.
So I ended up moving out, and have been feeling much better all around because of it. The rent is a bit higher than what I was paying before...but overall I've been in a much better place, and I wouldn't ever want to go back.
This is being emphasized by the fact that things have been spiraling downward for them ever since I left: Steven (the ex) has been struggling with keeping a job, Neshia (my other roommate/close friend) has been pretty much paying for everything including rent and utilities, and Ray (the new boyfriend) has been pretty much living there rent free since June, aside from two times that he actually bothered to chip in.
Now, I've really tried to like the guy. I don't like coming off as the jealous ex that can't stand the new boyfriend, and in fact was grateful that even when Steve and I broke up, we were able to still live together as friends. However, from day 1 of meeting his new boyfriend, I've had a difficult time with trying to get to like him.
Now, another thing to keep in mind, the place I left was a two-bedroom apartment. Ray and Steven had their own room (which was mine and Steven's when we were dating), and Neshia had her own room, and I slept in the living room, which I was alright with...though since I didn't have a closet at the time (since the living room closet was completely full), all of my clothes were taking up half of Steven's closet since we used to share the room. Though this changed instantly after this next bit to where I personally grabbed everything that was mine out of Steven's room and moved it.
Date #2 between them is when I should have realized that things...well...I was going to have to get over my feelings REALLY fast (because Steven was someone I actually had a lot of feelings for). I had my headphones on and was playing a game, and went to get out something from the fridge. Steven's door was completely wide open and they were making out on his bed. Since I still had a lot of feelings for him, it was hard for me to see, and made me a bit upset, so I waited until they were done, stormed in and grabbed my jacket and keys, and took off for a walk. I mean, hell, I wasn't going to say anything...considering we weren't dating anymore, he was free to do as he pleased. I just had to deal with the fact that he obviously got over me very fast, and I had to do the same. So I walked a little ways out, sat down outside in front of the church (because it was a nice little area, I'm actually not a church-goer), and reflected for a bit. I came home about...maybe 10 minutes later because I decided to just drown everything out in video games like I normally do to calm myself down, and from the living room I could hear them through the wall going at it (and there's a bathroom separating the living room and his bedroom).
That was the point that I walked out of the house and took another good long walk and cried, angry at myself for even letting myself feel like that since things were over, and upset with him for being what I considered a crappy friend. He KNEW I was pissed off (I don't hide it well), so his first thought was "Hey, he's gone, so let's have sex!" ? I mean really?!
Anyways, that semi rant is still going into the main point as to a few things. Over time I eventually began to lose whatever feelings I had because being with Ray started to change Steven a bit. He started to care less about everything, to throw an example of him once being a complete neat freak, and then when they started dating, the whole apartment has been a huge mess for the longest time.
Not to mention, there have been rifts in Steven's and my friendship, as well as Steven's and Neshia's friendship because of Ray. Neshia and Steve have been friends for god knows how long, I think a decade now, and it's being constantly threatened now because of Ray and his dumbass decisions (such as using his student loans for stuff he doesn't need, rather than, you know, helping with rent), his outright temper over stupid things (he's broken many a laptop because he gets super pissed if he dies in League of Legends), and his complete disregard for Neshia's dog (who was living there for 6 months before Ray came into the picture)...which brings me into the whole point of this rant.
Jayda, Neshia's dog, is a pitbull, and one of the sweetest pitbulls I've ever had the pleasure of being around since her and Neshia moved into the place. She's also Neshia's service dog, so she's a big part of Neshia's life. Since Neshia rescued her, she's never had a problem around strangers, even though Neshia is still careful around letting her be alone with them. And even when Ray moved in, she never had problems, and was always just a really happy dog that always wanted to play, and always let you know when she needed to go out, and was trained enough to be able to go outside without a leash.
So imagine my surprise when I come to visit yesterday. Neshia and Jayda were the only ones home, and Jayda as usual was really excited to see me, and I her since she's like my niece. Steven and Ray come home several moments later, and Jayda instantly darts under the table and starts shaking. This is something I've never in my entire time living there have ever seen her do unless you say the word "Bath" or turn on the tub. I was completely dumbfounded as to why she was hiding and shaking under the table, and she only came out when Ray left the room. But the moment he came back in (and was yelling at people on the phone), she went right back under the table.
Today, I went to give Steven back his CD that I borrowed, and Ray walked in, and Jayda immediately went under the table again. We tried to get her out, but she refused to move an inch. Ray grabbed a PVC pipe (since Neshia likes to build things, so she owns a few) and tried to get Jayda to play with it, but every time he put it near her, she would back up further away.
I finally got Jayda out from under the table and played with her a bit, and Neshia and I let her out and talked for a bit. Neshia is pretty sure that Ray has been beating Jayda because of how scared she is of him, and I'm believing it.
This is further believed when we come inside and Ray is holding the PVC pipe and playing with it again, and Jayda starts to take off. Neshia gets the pipe from him and holds it, and Jayda walks up to Neshia and sniffs the pipe, and tries to play with it.
Neshia and I have a long talk about it, and I do the same thing she did. I grab the PVC pipe and hold it, and Jayda walks up to me, curious about what it is, and starts biting on it. I give it to Neshia, and she and Jayda play with it a bit, and then Jayda sits down like she does when Neshia throws something for her to catch.
That right there told me that she wasn't scared of the pipe, she was scared of the fact that Ray was holding it, which told both Neshia and I that she was terrified that he was going to beat her with it.
Neshia is super pissed off now because it's 99% likely that Ray has been beating her dog, and worse: he's been specifically doing it when Neshia isn't home. He's putting himself in a position that Jayda, being a big pitbull, is going to feel backed in a corner by him, and she's going to retaliate. And the worst part is, he doesn't care. Neshia has tried talking to him about it, and he's already said that he doesn't care if Jayda is scared of him.
And it just pisses me off both the fact that he's putting himself in a position to get himself hurt (not because I'm worried for him, but for Jayda), and the fact that he feels the need to verbally SCREAM (not firmly yell, but scream angrily) as well as beat (such as punching her in the face because she woke him up) a dog. It's a fucking dick move for someone to do, and his actions are going to cause a huge rift between Neshia and Steven for many reasons:
1) If Jayda DOES retaliate, that's Steven's boyfriend that just got attacked.
2) If Jayda has to be put down because she attacked someone, Neshia loses the one thing that has kept her sane.
3) If it comes down to it, Steven will have to choose between Neshia and Ray, and that's one thing I hate to see.
4) If Jayda doesn't retaliate and Ray continues, then Neshia has already threatened to retaliate instead.
And honestly, with #4, I already told Neshia that I'll be glad to help her. Anyone who feels the need to physically and verbally abuse a person or an animal to the point that they're terrified of you deserves to be beat up themselves. It takes a real coward to push an animal to fear you like that.
And that's the end. Sorry for the long read, but it was a long time build up and this whole thing between yesterday and today just really set it off. Neshia and I talked for a good two+ hours about it, her to the point of tears because that's how upset the whole thing was making her, which goes into the final thing mentioned at the beginning: If you make my friends upset to that point, then I want to fucking punch you in your face and put you in your place.
