My girlfriend was having a really horrible week, and I knew a breakdown was approaching.

When she came home I asked her how her day had gone, and she didn't answer. When my girlfriend is unusually silent, I know it is usually because she is trying not to cry. She sat down on the couch so I sat down beside her, and started to stroke her back with my hand. She began to talk quietly about how a few people had hurt her recently. I just listened quietly. Her eyes filled with tears, and a few rolled down her cheek. Tears continued to roll silently down her cheeks as I pulled my arm around her. Finally, her chin began to quicker, and her bottom lip curled as she began to sob. She sobbed aloud but not too loudly, in a very steady way, with many sobs per breath. She put her face into the crook of my neck, and I gently lay down and lay her down on top of me. I held her as she sobbed and I could feel her tears wetting my neck and my shirt. I stroked her hair as she continued to cry in this way for about half an hour. When she finally started to calm down, she just stayed in my arms and asked me if we could turn on a movie to get her mind off of things.