Well hello there! You
probably don’t know who I am, so let me introduce myself. I’m Sammie and I normally blog over at The Pigtail Pixie. I heard about Aftab’s
blog series on successful relationships and couldn’t resist sticking my oar in
– I’m happy and proud and I want the world to know!
probably don’t know who I am, so let me introduce myself. I’m Sammie and I normally blog over at The Pigtail Pixie. I heard about Aftab’s
blog series on successful relationships and couldn’t resist sticking my oar in
– I’m happy and proud and I want the world to know!
So, the story goes like this. Picture the scene: a mostly-hermit nineteen
year old sits at her laptop on a drizzly day in December, browsing the online
forum she has frequented for years (and years).
A twist on the ‘anonymous rate me’ game is posted, and the girl picks a
handful of online members, most of whom are friends, to message for
rating. One of the members is a new
member, one of the few men on the forum, and he messages back instantly.
year old sits at her laptop on a drizzly day in December, browsing the online
forum she has frequented for years (and years).
A twist on the ‘anonymous rate me’ game is posted, and the girl picks a
handful of online members, most of whom are friends, to message for
rating. One of the members is a new
member, one of the few men on the forum, and he messages back instantly.
It was love at first click.
No, but really. He
laughed at my (exceedingly bad) jokes and we traded puns back and forth until
he had to go to bed before work. We did
the same thing every night for the next few weeks, and somehow, without even
realising it, he became my best friend.
He knew some of my deepest fears and often, I didn’t have to tell him –
he just knew, because he felt them too.
We flirted outrageously, but it was just friendly chatter because
although I managed to convince myself I was in love with him, I also convinced
myself that I was just some funny kid to him – a friend, nothing more. The forum organised a meet-up in London in
mid-February and we both decided we’d go.
laughed at my (exceedingly bad) jokes and we traded puns back and forth until
he had to go to bed before work. We did
the same thing every night for the next few weeks, and somehow, without even
realising it, he became my best friend.
He knew some of my deepest fears and often, I didn’t have to tell him –
he just knew, because he felt them too.
We flirted outrageously, but it was just friendly chatter because
although I managed to convince myself I was in love with him, I also convinced
myself that I was just some funny kid to him – a friend, nothing more. The forum organised a meet-up in London in
mid-February and we both decided we’d go.
He coached me through nerves for my university interview and
when I got a place and offered him my floor, he accepted it. I joked he might have to watch out because
readjusting to a single bed might be awkward and I’d roll right out on top of
him, and he said “I’m sure I could cope.” It got to Valentine’s Day and
we’d commiserate about being single, and how we wished a man/woman nerdy,
understanding, crazy enough existed for us – and I wanted to say, “I’m here,
I would be crazy enough,” but I never sent that message.
when I got a place and offered him my floor, he accepted it. I joked he might have to watch out because
readjusting to a single bed might be awkward and I’d roll right out on top of
him, and he said “I’m sure I could cope.” It got to Valentine’s Day and
we’d commiserate about being single, and how we wished a man/woman nerdy,
understanding, crazy enough existed for us – and I wanted to say, “I’m here,
I would be crazy enough,” but I never sent that message.
On the day we first met in person, I was fine until I
stepped off the train onto the platform – then my nerves left me so lightheaded
I didn’t think I’d make it to the concourse.
I did, of course, and when we spotted one another, he swept me into a
bear hug so fierce he almost literally knocked me right off my feet. It felt like coming home. I spent the day trying to avoid eye contact
because I knew the windows to my soul would betray me if he caught them and
losing his friendship would destroy me.
stepped off the train onto the platform – then my nerves left me so lightheaded
I didn’t think I’d make it to the concourse.
I did, of course, and when we spotted one another, he swept me into a
bear hug so fierce he almost literally knocked me right off my feet. It felt like coming home. I spent the day trying to avoid eye contact
because I knew the windows to my soul would betray me if he caught them and
losing his friendship would destroy me.
Leaving tore my heart out.
I wanted to turn around and run back, to not get on the train home, but
I didn’t. I went back to Manchester and
he to Essex, and we texted the whole way home.
I went online when I got in and we messaged back and forth and somehow, feelings
came into the conversation. Feelings-feelings. Yup, we went there. And we never looked back.
I wanted to turn around and run back, to not get on the train home, but
I didn’t. I went back to Manchester and
he to Essex, and we texted the whole way home.
I went online when I got in and we messaged back and forth and somehow, feelings
came into the conversation. Feelings-feelings. Yup, we went there. And we never looked back.
A month later – to the day, in fact – we went back to London
and had our first kiss by the Thames.
The next few months were simultaneously the best and worst of my life;
riding the high of new love and the low of long-distance was exhilarating and
exhausting all at once. He met my
parents on my birthday in April and I met his a few weeks later when I visited
him in Essex. We spent a month apart
after I accidentally gave him Glandular Fever (hey, sharing is caring!) and
then he drove to visit me – that was the first time he told me he’d marry me
someday and we’d have forever.
and had our first kiss by the Thames.
The next few months were simultaneously the best and worst of my life;
riding the high of new love and the low of long-distance was exhilarating and
exhausting all at once. He met my
parents on my birthday in April and I met his a few weeks later when I visited
him in Essex. We spent a month apart
after I accidentally gave him Glandular Fever (hey, sharing is caring!) and
then he drove to visit me – that was the first time he told me he’d marry me
someday and we’d have forever.
My visits to him happened most weekends, but one in
particular stands out most in my mind.
He asked me out to dinner in advance – our first real-for-real date! –
so I packed a nice top and jeans in my bag for the occasion. The train journey sucked, because I caught my
favourite ring on the back of a seat and snapped it – in a text, he promised me
he’d buy me one to replace it. We ate at
one of our favourite restaurants in town and then went for a walk through the
park – we walked for a while, then came to stop in a little garden with a koi
pond. And suddenly, he was saying the
sweetest things, then dropping to his knees.
It’s a bit of a blur if I’m honest, and I know the first thought in my
mind was ‘what would you do if I said no right now?!’ Yes, I did say it
out loud! I did say yes, though, and we
rode that high all the way home – to annoy our respective mothers by
interrupting Torchwood with the news!
particular stands out most in my mind.
He asked me out to dinner in advance – our first real-for-real date! –
so I packed a nice top and jeans in my bag for the occasion. The train journey sucked, because I caught my
favourite ring on the back of a seat and snapped it – in a text, he promised me
he’d buy me one to replace it. We ate at
one of our favourite restaurants in town and then went for a walk through the
park – we walked for a while, then came to stop in a little garden with a koi
pond. And suddenly, he was saying the
sweetest things, then dropping to his knees.
It’s a bit of a blur if I’m honest, and I know the first thought in my
mind was ‘what would you do if I said no right now?!’ Yes, I did say it
out loud! I did say yes, though, and we
rode that high all the way home – to annoy our respective mothers by
interrupting Torchwood with the news!
We’d been together for five months before we got
engaged. We got married a little over a
year after that, so by our wedding we’d been together for a year and a
half. We didn’t have the most
traditional wedding – and by that, I mean the only traditional thing was the
vows! I wore purple and we walked down
the aisle together, our cake had the cutest little ghost cake toppers and one
of my bridesmaids had her leg in a hot pink plaster cast. I can’t remember most of the day but it was a
perfect one.
engaged. We got married a little over a
year after that, so by our wedding we’d been together for a year and a
half. We didn’t have the most
traditional wedding – and by that, I mean the only traditional thing was the
vows! I wore purple and we walked down
the aisle together, our cake had the cutest little ghost cake toppers and one
of my bridesmaids had her leg in a hot pink plaster cast. I can’t remember most of the day but it was a
perfect one.
We’re barrelling towards the two-year mark now, as scary as
that sounds (it feels like yesterday!) and so far, no GBH has been
committed. I call that a win!
that sounds (it feels like yesterday!) and so far, no GBH has been
committed. I call that a win!
Sammie x
Thanks for reading,
