If

In cartoons, there's that moment when the cartoon character realises he's two steps off the cliff.

In relationships, there's an exact moment when the breakdown begins.

And from that point on, it looms like a time bomb—

unsure when it'll combust

but certain in its aftermath. 

Some of these moments are so blatant you can't miss them. 

You see it coming, you know you'll be hurting. 

But then there are moments that at first seem "sudden" or "unexpected",

only to reveal themselves crystal clearly in retrospect. 

These are the ones that hurt the most,

not because of their magnitude,

but due to the sheer surprise of it all.

These are the ones you didn't mean to end. 

These are the ones you replay in your head as you lie on your bed at night,

the ones you watch over and over again,

seeing the hundreds of ways it could've played out,

if only you did that differently,

if only you phrased that better,

if only you

if only 

if
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