Faith has been stuck between two men who meet opposite halves of her needs. Mont gives her the practical future she wants, but he fails her emotionally, he shuts down when she’s overwhelmed, has told her “whatever this is,” suggested taking breaks, called her asking for updates “stalker behavior,” and becomes logical instead of supportive when she needs comfort. Helia gives her emotional safety, reads her well, stays during her breakdowns, and never abandons her, but he is possessive, insecure, wanted her attention constantly, and refuses the separate home and independence she considers essential to her future. Because of this, Faith feels like she would lose her freedom with Helia and lose her emotional stability with Mont.
Faith flirted with Mont while she was still unsure about Helia, felt guilty when Mont confessed, and now feels trapped because Mont’s big promises (“I’d marry you,” “I’ll take you with me wherever I go”) don’t match how detached he acts. Mont suggested distance multiple times, disappears mid-conversations, and prioritizes everything else before her despite saying she’s important. Meanwhile, Helia still misses her deeply and clings to her friend for updates, but Faith knows choosing him means giving up her independence. She wants a year-long break from both because she feels pressured to “show up” emotionally even when she can’t, and she fears Mont might give her a symbolic gift that emotionally traps her into a promise she isn’t ready to make.
Ultimately, Faith’s dilemma is that Mont makes her feel like a burden, and Helia makes her feel held but trapped. She is terrified of choosing wrong because she needs to see the “worst” in people to know if she can walk through life with them, and Mont consistently fails those emotional tests while Helia fails the independence ones.
What should Faith do?