My boyfriend's female best friend had been in his life for ten years, so I tried very hard not to be the jealous girlfriend.
I didn't complain when she called him late at night.
I didn't complain when she came over without warning.
I even ignored it when she referred to our apartment as "our place" once.
But then she started doing something different.
Whenever she visited, she'd sit beside my boyfriend and completely ignore me.
If I joined the conversation, she'd change the subject.
If I made a joke, she'd say nothing.
At first, I thought I was imagining it.
Then one evening, she came over while we were having dinner.
She sat down beside my boyfriend and said,
"You didn't tell me she was coming."
I looked at him.
He looked confused.
"I live here."
She laughed.
"Of course you do."
Then she turned back to him and continued their conversation as if I wasn't sitting there.
That night, I finally told him,
"I don't have a problem with your friendship. I have a problem with how she treats me."
His response wasn't what I expected.
"She's been like this with every woman I've dated."
I stared at him.
"Every woman?"
He nodded.
"She doesn't like anyone I date."
"Then why have you never said anything?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he admitted that he'd always avoided confronting her because they'd been close since college.
I asked him a simple question.
"So if she keeps treating me like this, what are you going to do?"