Kevin Anderson had always believed that life was a matter of endurance. Born into a modest family, he'd known the grind of hard work since his early teens. His father, a factory worker, had suffered a severe back injury when Kevin was only twelve. Since then, his father's ability to contribute to the family income had dwindled, leaving the burden on his mother and, ultimately, Kevin himself. The two part-time jobs Kevin juggled after school weren't enough to pull his family out of debt, but they kept them afloat. He couldn't complain, not really. Life wasn't fair, and that was just the way it was.

But amidst all the hardships, there was one thing that gave Kevin hope: Jenny.

Jenny had been Kevin's girlfriend for over three years. She was beautiful, kind, and smart—everything Kevin had ever wanted in a partner. They had met in high school, and while Kevin was working two jobs to make ends meet, Jenny had been his source of joy. She often spoke of their future together, of how things would get better once he finished college and found a steady job. He had clung to her words, finding solace in them.

But now, sitting across from her at the local café, Kevin realized something was terribly wrong.

Jenny wasn't smiling like she usually did when they met after one of his shifts. She sat across the table, her hands resting in her lap, and her gaze was fixed on the steaming cup of coffee before her. Kevin had been talking about his day—how a customer at the grocery store had complimented him for his patience, how his sister, Emma, had aced her math test—but Jenny didn't seem to be listening. Her silence unnerved him.

"Jenny?" Kevin asked, his voice tinged with concern. "Is everything alright?"

Jenny looked up at him then, her brown eyes filled with an emotion he couldn't quite place. For a moment, Kevin hoped that maybe she was just having a bad day, that whatever was troubling her could be solved with a few comforting words. But her next words shattered that hope.

"Kevin, I... I think we need to talk."

Kevin's heart sank. Those five words were never followed by anything good. "Talk" always meant trouble. He forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. "We're already talking, Jen. What's on your mind?"

She didn't smile back. Instead, she sighed and pushed her coffee cup aside. "Kevin, I care about you, I really do, but… I think we should end this."

For a moment, Kevin wasn't sure he had heard her right. The café around him seemed to blur, the noise of clinking dishes and muted conversations fading into the background. His brain struggled to process what she had just said.

"Wait… what?" Kevin's voice was hoarse. "You want to end this? What are you talking about, Jenny? I thought we were good. I thought we—"

"I'm sorry," Jenny interrupted, her voice strained with emotion. "It's not that I don't care about you, Kevin. But… this just isn't working for me anymore. I can't keep pretending like it is."

Kevin stared at her, his mind racing to find the right words to say, something that could change her mind. "Is it because of Steve?"

Jenny's eyes flickered, and Kevin knew he had hit the mark. Steve. Of course, it was Steve. Kevin had seen the way Steve, the tall, rich guy from her college, had been looking at Jenny lately. And Jenny, too. She had started acting distant, taking longer to reply to Kevin's texts, being "busy" more often than usual. He had tried to ignore it, to convince himself it was just his insecurity talking, but deep down, he knew something was wrong.

"It's not just about Steve," Jenny said softly, but Kevin could tell she was lying. "It's about my future. I need stability, Kevin. I need to know that the person I'm with can give me the life I want."

Kevin felt the sting of her words like a physical blow. He had always known that Jenny came from a wealthier background than he did, but she had never made him feel lesser because of it—until now.

"I'm working on that, Jenny," Kevin said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm going to college, and after that, I'll get a good job. You know that. I'm doing everything I can."

Jenny shook her head, her expression pained. "It's not enough, Kevin. I can't wait around for 'someday.' I'm sorry, but… Steve can give me everything I want, right now."

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and final.

Kevin's hands clenched into fists under the table. He wanted to yell, to scream, to beg her to stay. But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Jenny had made up her mind, and there was nothing he could do to change it.

"So, that's it?" Kevin asked, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and heartbreak. "You're leaving me for him? For Steve, the guy who's never had to work for anything in his life?"

Jenny winced, but she didn't deny it. "I'm sorry, Kevin. I hope… I hope you understand someday."

Kevin stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair in the process. The other patrons in the café turned to look, but Kevin didn't care. His chest was tight, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the café, leaving Jenny behind.

As he stepped out into the cold evening air, Kevin felt as though the ground had been pulled out from under him. Everything he had worked for, everything he had believed in, was crumbling around him. He had lost Jenny, the one person who had made the struggle bearable.

And now, he was truly alone.