I’m 24, my boyfriend’s 27. We’ve been together for two years. I lost my job a few months ago, my new job pays less, and money has been tight. Still — I love to paint. I poured hours into painting a scene from his favorite game, making him the central character. I thought it’d show how much I care, especially because he’s always told me my art’s good, and he loves that game.
When I gave him the painting for his birthday, expecting a simple “thank you,” I got rage instead. He asked if I got him anything else. When I said no, that this painting was his present, he told me it was “cheap and lazy,” called me cheap in general. Then he bent and crinkled the painting — trashed it. He accused me of being bad at budgeting, said I don’t care about what he wants. He mentioned some girl at his workplace who apparently bought him an iPhone or red‑velvet cake or something — contrasting her with me, as if she somehow “gets” him.
Now I’m hurt, confused, and wondering: is this relationship over? I don’t know how to approach him — I’m terrified if I try to talk we’ll just fight again. I’m already heartbroken over the painting.
