“We still get on really well”
Rianne Mason, 22, is an accounts assistant from Kent
Stuart was never the man I expected would be my boyfriend. He wasn’t my usual type. We met on a university open day in Sheffield five years ago, and a few weeks later we had our first date. He was cheeky and laddish, but not in a bad way: he has a good heart.
We were together pretty much from day one at university. We used to go exploring: for days out in the Peak District or nearby cities. I got a bad grade once, and Stuart came over immediately with hot chocolate and films to cheer me up.
On a night out about five months into our relationship, Stuart said he loved me. I had felt the same for a while. Then, towards the end of our first year, Stuart went travelling for three months with friends. At the beginning, it was fine – we talked a lot. But slowly that changed: I’d text him and not hear back for a week. In hindsight, I could have been more understanding, but he could have made more effort, too.
Before he came back, we argued on the phone and decided to end it. We never talked it through, though, which I found hard. We’d said we’d talk when we were back in the same city, but neither one of us ever tried, and before I knew it, Stuart had become someone I’d bump into on nights out and awkwardly say hello to before going our separate ways.
I wasn’t nervous before the date, but I was relieved to find we still got on really well. It was great to catch up, especially since we haven’t talked one-on-one since we broke up. We’re both living in London now, so we might see each other more. I still fancy him, but I’m happy and I don’t want to derail that. The date was flirty, though: it wasn’t like we were just friends, so we’ll see…