“We burned the relationship out”
Adam, 26, is a food blogger from London
Emily and I first crossed paths at a mutual friend’s pool party. It was summer, everyone was in swimwear and the booze was flowing. There was a bunch of us in the jacuzzi, but Emily and I hit it off so well that eventually they all got out and left us to it. Afterwards, I went back to London, but a few days later I got a message from her. She said she was coming down soon, so we arranged to meet. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous – I was hoping it was a date but I wasn’t sure. She turned up in a black dress and heels, and we went to Covent Garden for dinner, then on to a club. She stayed over, then one day turned to two, two to three, and that turned into a whole week. From then on we saw each other constantly. She ticked a lot of boxes: she’s spontaneous, adventurous, and anything but boring. She has beautiful blue eyes and always looks pristine. Within a few months, we were official. Emily is the first and only girl I’ve ever loved. But after nine months, we began to bicker, which developed into regular arguments. Emily didn’t work when she was at mine, so she had too much time on her hands to think about stupid things. We burned the relationship out; it was like five years condensed into 18 months. Because the break-up was so cold – there was no closure or clarity – I was in two minds about seeing her again. Was it a good idea to revisit something I’d left behind? I don’t like what-ifs, so I needed to know. I was so happy to see her again – we didn’t stop talking. She welcomed me with open arms, and the whole meal was perfect.