I had returned to live with my mother after six months of hating university and coming out of an unhealthy relationship. I had left my hometown two years earlier with illusions of starting a new life on the other side of the country. I had all these plans, but I found university very lonely, and the course was not right for me.
My mental health took a nosedive, and anxiety was starting to overtake my life. It made dating very hard, and I struggled to connect with people. I came home, tail between my legs, and had to rebuild my confidence all over again.
Richard was one of those people who was always milling around in the background of the bar. I was quite shy, so I found his confidence appealing too. The more we hung out at bars and pubs , the better we got on, and soon, we were planning to go out and see each other rather than just meeting as friends.
Sign up to The Hook-Up and we'll slide into your inbox every week with all the latest sex and dating stories from Metro. We can't wait for you to join us! After around three months, and casual dates to places like the cinema, came the night that really changed things. Richard suggested we go back to mine as I lived closest.
There was a new film that had come out that we wanted to watch. We left the bar and waited at the nearest bus stop β chatting and getting along like always. We must have sat for half an hour, but I enjoyed talking to him so comfortably and freely. I got on and paid, assuming he was just behind me β only to turn round and see him disappearing into the distance as he sprinted away at top speed. Even though the bus was very quiet, I was self-conscious that others saw what happened.
