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Quixotic

On July 28, 2020, I went to meet my boyfriend of four years at a place he’d wanted to meet. Prior to this, I wasn’t happy in our relationship. He was very abusive and controlling, and I wanted out. I had been staying with my mom since July 18.

I went, thinking nothing of it. It was 11 p.m., and I was waiting in a dark spot — pitch dark, not a car in sight. As I called him, he didn’t answer. By this time, he was standing at my window with a gun. Within a blink of an eye, he was shooting at me, point blank. I was able to drive off and make it to the hospital, where I found out I was shot five times: Once in my face, my shoulder, my back, thigh and abdomen.

He’s in jail now. My scars are healed on the outside. Now I’m working on my scars inside.

Reacting shows support for gun violence survivors.

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