That was when I found out he was a poor student, the only one from his village to make it to college, barely able to cover tuition and living expenses with scholarships and part-time jobs.
To be honest, Felipe wasn't my type. I had planned to finish college and then think about dating only once I had a stable job.
But I couldn't resist his relentless romantic pursuit, and just like that, we ended up together.
It was because of my lack of dating experience that I was completely deceived by him later, becoming his cash cow kept in the dark.
We were together for over a year smoothly until my senior year when I graduated.
Felipe, on the other hand, couldn't balance his part-time jobs with his studies and failed some courses, so he stayed behind at school.
With the rising cost of living in Portland and stagnant part-time wages, Felipe grew discouraged and wanted to drop out of school for work.
I comforted him for a long time, telling him how precious the opportunity to go to college was, and that I would find a way to cover his tuition so he could focus on his studies.
Felipe agreed and promised to study hard and repay me once he graduated.