Third Time Lucky?

No Getting Over It

Marie

Where the hell is he?

Here I was as pre-arranged, standing outside the Ashmolean museum gates in a pair of heels that were now killing me, shivering in my knee length blue dress, pulling my faux fur jacket tighter around my shoulders with one hand whilst the other clasped my ancient handbag in front of me.

Paula my go to stylist and fashion guru come dating mentor, psychoanalysis, therapist, you name it my BFF was it, she was the one who, pushed, pulled and cajoled me in anything and everything that was outside my comfort zone and to be truthful that was almost everything, especially if it concerned guys.

Her motto was 'live for the moment' and this was what she was trying to instill in me, I was more a 'don't do it then you won't regret' type of girl.

Well you are probably wondering why I am standing outside on the pavement of a busy street on a freezing cold January evening, ludicrously​ underdressed, in the centre of Oxford, after splashing out on a taxi from Woodstock as I had missed the bus, due to my guru not being a hundred and fifty percent happy with my appearance.

And no! I am not a prostitute waiting for my next client, though I must admit from all the looks and lurid suggestions I was getting from passing cars that contained mostly male college students, I certainly felt like one.

Yes! I was standing here like an idiot waiting for my supposed date and it was now becoming increasingly obvious that I had been stood up once again, as my date one Richard Freeman, my first ever kiss and now the man who stole my virginity it seems, was over an hour late.

I mean I hadn't ever been on a serious date before so how long do you wait before reality kicks in with a slap round the face to say.

Hey Marie the jerk he ain't coming, you've been stood up yet again by him, go home and learn from your mistakes!

One final huff and with sagging shoulders I turned and headed to the bus stop so I could get home, back to my parents house in Woodstock where I would crash on my bed shed a few tears and phone Paula.

She would be in her room pigging out on unhealthy snacks and her eyes will be glued to reality TV, normally I would be right alongside her, as this was our preferred evening entertainment, weekends we sometimes ventured out to a pub, but two girls sat on their own attracted a lot of unwanted male attention, especially Paula.

It wasn't that she was any prettier than me as everyone​ had pointed out, infact most thought we were sisters as we looked so alike, the difference was our personalities, they were the complete opposites as I already explained.

Both of us had long flowing hair, mine a golden blonde with the clichéd blue eyes. Paula's was a light brown that some say complimented her deep emerald green eyes. She was by far the more confident one and out going, whereas I was the shy and stay at home type.

I trudged up the stairs as I need time to think and get myself together before I would get the third degree from Paula.

God I was such a fool, why hadn't I learnt my lesson first time around, I know we were young and that and one kiss would not have a major impact on the rest of my life.

But I shouldn't have jumped into bed so eagerly the other night and now I was getting my just reward for my stupid actions, let's face it I was just another conquest for the mighty Richard Freeman, another notch on his belt, something to laugh and brag about to his mates.

Throwing my handbag on the bedside chair followed by my jacket, I crashed into my bed and sighed, no way was I going to cry, if he thinks​ for one moment I was going to give the jerk the satisfaction of knowing I cried because of him then he was sadly mistaken.

Rummaging in my drawer I pulled out a half eaten packet of marshmallows and deposited them on the bed next to me before trying to pluck up the courage to call Paula and deal with the barrage of questions I was going to have to endure.

Here we go, be brave

After three rings the phone was picked up and the familiar voice of my friend was heard.

"Hi this is your best friend forever if you are ringing me to tell me you didn't get laid again after your cinematic experience I am going to hang up or sing to you, your choice"

"Oh god no not your singing nothing is ever that bad to warrant listening to you crucify some poor song writers efforts"

One thing about Paula she could pull me out of depression, anger or humiliation better than anyone alive.

"So.." she asked.

"No I didn't" I sighed. "In fact he was a no show just like before"

"You mean he did the deed last night and ditches you tonight, what a bastard, you wait till I see him next..."

Then she went off on how he was going to die painfully and excruciating slowly in very vivid detail, that had me squirming on my bed and I even felt a little bit sorry for him if Paula ever got to him, but the sorrow didn't last long.

We spent a good hour dissecting the past forty eight hours of my love life and we both came to the same conclusion that none of it was my fault, it was all down to him.

Not that made me feel any better, but before we hung up, we agreed to meet up tomorrow as it was a Sunday and it would give us the whole day together to slouch around and at least I'll have someone with me if I decided a pity party was in order.

I lay on the covers of my bed eating my way through the remaining marshmallows and having a pre-pity party on my own.

This time I felt it would take a lot longer to get over Richard Freeman, but I was damn determined to do it as quickly as I could, no way was I going to fall for his shit every again, that's if I ever have the misfortune of seeing him again.