FIRST LOVE Can two university exes learn to love again?
Lauren Tabbinor, 23, is an MA student from Stoke
Philip sat next to me on our first day at Cambridge University – we both studied criminology and bonded over a love of ’90s R&B. Soon we were spending all our time together as friends – we’d eat out in our free periods and go on long walks to chat.
Our first kiss was after one too many tequilas in the second term. A month later, we were boyfriend and girlfriend. We said we loved each other straight away, met each other’s families and by September we were living together. Our relationship was intense, but I was happy.
Then one night, after nearly two years together, I was using his iPad to watch Netflix when a message popped up from a girl he worked with that said,“We won’t tell Lauren what happened.” I felt humiliated. I packed a bag and went home for a week. When I got back he admitted he’d kissed her.
I still loved him, but I was so angry. He offered to quit his job, but it was too late. We never stopped talking though – we went on living together and our families even had lunch together at graduation. Then I found out he was moving to Thailand to teach. Mum said I screamed like I’d had a limb ripped off. I haven’t liked anyone else as much since.
The thought of seeing him again after nearly three years made me nervous, but it felt like we’d never been apart. He made us play a game where we’d grin at passers-by and tally up who got the most smiles back. He wanted to talk about the past, but I’ve forgiven him. After six hours, he walked me to the station and I started crying. I still cry when I think about him because I know I won’t see him for a long time.