nos. 1-4 red wine and the blues in bed

1. I went to Scotland with the wonderful Stephanie M. We were both nursing broken hearts, and we bled out all sorts of memories during picnics and drunken adventures. Darren didn't take Edinburgh from me. St Andrews was brilliant, and I'm actually going back next weekend. Darren found out I'd been in the city, and texted me just as I was getting on a plane back to Oxford. 'Heard you were in the Burgh. Sad you didn't tell me, but I understand. X' REALLY?

2. My parents came to visit, and we walked around Oxford having pints and burgers for a week.

3. Spain. Spain was complicated in a way I can't write about here, but in the end was really good. I spent a week reading, eating picnics on clifftops and walking around the hills. I sent Darren a letter, basically telling him that, while it sucks that we can't be friends, that he couldn't love me still hurts more than it sucks. (if that makes any sense.)

4. Remember that boy I kissed all night, who made my knees weak? Well, we kept seeing each other after that first night. He is my new stranger. And all of that pain and unhappiness I was going through with Darren, I was up-front with him about it.
"My heart's not ready," I said.
"We're involved," I said when we had sex for the first time, "We're not together."
He just said, "Ok," and looked at me like I was the prettiest girl in the world.
So I went to Spain and figured out my heart and came running right into my stranger's arms.