Confronting a cheater is an agonizing, unbearable pain, but watching someone confront someone else who cheated on them is a different sensation of discomfort and catharsis altogether. That is something Twitter has suddenly learned all too well.
On Thursday night the Twittersphere went in on a video of a woman named Kourtney confronting her ex-boyfriend Leonard about their past as a couple, and, more specifically, why he cheated on her when they were together.
He cheated on her. Now she wants to know why. pic.twitter.com/5hdlpKisjZ
— mixed feelings (@mxdfeelings) February 15, 2017
“Broken,” a nearly-seven-minute video produced by Condé Nast Entertainment’s video conglomerate the Scene, opens with Kourtney asking Leonard, “what did you do?”
“I did everything,” he replies.
“Like what?” she asks again.
“I had sex with other girls. I did everything,” Leonard clarifies. And that’s just the beginning.
A day after video went live on Twitter, viewers began tweeting responses with the hashtag #HurtBae, a clear allusion to Kourtney, who teared up throughout the video, and even left once after asking Leonard how many times he cheated. His response? He didn’t know, and he wasn’t keeping count.
https://twitter.com/dianelomeli/status/832133351418912770
#hurtbae : “How many girls you cheat on me with”
“I didn’t keep cou-” #bae pic.twitter.com/Y4RO368cz3
— Nelson McGrew Jr. (@McGrewwwjr) February 16, 2017
how she should’ve came back to that chair #HurtBae pic.twitter.com/FwCHEQCfqo
— ˏ★ˎ (@tweetsfromshaun) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/mochaajaja/status/832080640099098624
Some responses were rooted in empathy—Kourtney said she forgave Leonard because he was her best friend, a difficult decision that many people who have been cheated on can understand and have probably warred with themselves.
https://twitter.com/Gecumi/status/832208083543801857
#hurtbae
“Because you were my best friend”
me: pic.twitter.com/BXb26yECws— Not Ashley Joyner (@ItsAshleyJoyner) February 16, 2017
The worst thing a/b the #HurtBae vid was homegirl was truly hurt to her core & he looked her dead in her face w/ no remorse.
— Shug Avery, M.A. (@averylondon_) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/elle_weezyy/status/832056267422171136
Others went all in on Leonard, who seemed to show little remorse for his actions despite vocally apologizing. He even asked Kourtney, if she had such little trust in him and wanted to snoop through his things, why didn’t she just leave—like hold it right there, man! IF YOU DIDN’T WANT TO BE IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP, WHY DIDN’T YOU??
An accurate representation of my facial expressions when he said “I didn’t count” #hurtbae pic.twitter.com/LugDtCBgOb
— Linette Ray (@linetterayy) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/veIvetangel/status/832190500635549702
https://twitter.com/JayJayDailey/status/832052622345519105
https://twitter.com/AdrianNeenan/status/832060141025497088
“i hope we can stay friends and i can watch the woman you are becoming” #hurtbae pic.twitter.com/PI9IgRWujr
— virgoat. (@tamaratenisha) February 16, 2017
But the gag is…since this went viral he ain’t gon have no girl for the rest of his life cuz the whole world kno he cheated. #HurtBae pic.twitter.com/0FbVsJQm7X
— DwaneCenque (@DwaneCENQUE) February 16, 2017
And some saw #HurtBae as a cautionary tale of someone who should have learned to let go.
Some of y’all #hurtbae right now but don’t kno it yet pic.twitter.com/kjuzkY72gS
— Been one (@rvrewuan) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/supanovagirl/status/832059685008195585
https://twitter.com/NawRob/status/832097717480480770
https://twitter.com/shychuckles95/status/832176068580683776
#hurtbae is just proof that low self esteem & the fear of being lonely is the worst combo you could enter a relationship with
— Nonso X (@NonsoHendrix) February 16, 2017
We as women have to grow up. Just cause you love a man, does that mean he deserves you? It must be reciprocated or it means nothing #hurtbae
— BIG Riss (@MissRissaB) February 16, 2017
Nah some of you males are absolute trash. You don’t even realise the psychological damage it has on a girl. So useless #hurtbae
— NIKKITEA (@nikkitea_) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/precolonialmrym/status/832205477484302336
https://twitter.com/Sweet_Cynsation/status/832154363921444864
The video ended on Kourtney hanging her head while Leonard looked at her, feigning emotion. Supposedly the two live in different states and still talk. However, there’s an amazing silver lining—Kourtney is now with someone else, and someone who, by her word, treats her the way she deserves.
Though she may have accidentally, accidentally tweeted out his Twitter handle. (Sorry to those of you who wanted to attack Leonard—his account is understandably private.)
#hurtbae ain’t hurt no more pic.twitter.com/kon37hXDdZ
— Elle (@thatsellle) February 16, 2017
Kourtney did not immediately respond to an interview inquiry.
