Fond memories.

I was re-reading an email conversation that USHW and I had a good few years ago and I had explained to her how CAB and I had met. It provoked some pleasant memories, so I thought I'd share. I think I've mentioned a little of how we'd met, but here's the story in more detail:

I was out with BW and another friends of ours, watching one of my favourite local bands. This would have been somewhere around the start of March or end of February. BW met a female friend of his, and CAB was her friend. At the end of the night we all disappeared off to get a taxi. CAB mentioned that her friend had a crush on BW, so the two of us made ourselves scarce to see if anything would happen. I had a slight inkling that CAB might have had her own ideas, but I didn't see any obvious signs. Eventually we got a taxi and as I dropped CAB off, there was a brief kiss, that she initiated.

Back in the day, a group of us always used to go out for a Sunday night drink to close out the weekend, and this was no different... except BW brought CAB's friend out (though nothing had happened between them the previous night). BW and the mutual friend were teasing me about CAB and I mentioned that she was nice and I'd be interested in seeing her again. The friend disappeared for 5 mins and half an hour later we were sitting in CAB's house drinking tea. Between the four of us, we arranged to go out on Monday for drinks. CAB recommended a pub out of town and off we went. In the pub, we were left alone, so I asked CAB for a lunch date. She said yes.

We did lunch on the Wednesday, both of us had a good time but I was due to be going to France on the Sat morning for ten days to visit AM and QC1 and CAB was busy until the weekend, so we agreed to meet again when I came back. 

I was all packed and ready for a quiet night on the Friday when CAB called. Apparently her plans for that night had fallen through, did I fancy a few drinks? (To this day, I don't think they did fall through and she cancelled them herself).

Anyway, we went to the pub and had a great time. She said that her friend was out trying to find BW that night. I knew that BW was out with BR and that everyone would likely go back to BR's house for afterparty/somewhere to order a taxi, so CAB and I walked there, stopping every now and again for some kissing. We got there before anyone else was and stood on the doorstep having a bit of a snog. As luck would have it, Friction Guy's girlfriend lived a few doors down from BR and they were walking past and invited us in for a drink.

An hour or so later, we left and went to BR's. BW was there but CAB's friend had already gone home (BW had hooked up with an ex that night). I tried calling it a night, but CAB dragged me into a dark corner and we made out for a while. I eventually got home about 4AM, to be up at 6AM to go to the airport.

I admitted to AM and QC1 about CAB while I was visiting and they quizzed me heavily. Yes, she was cute. I thought she was nice. I saw it going somewhere, but it was too early to tell, I seem to recall telling the girls.

Nearly as soon as I was in the house when I returned, CAB phoned and arranged to meet. I was due to meet BR, BW and others, but agreed to meet for a drink first. She was very insistent on that. It turned out that while I was away, she had kissed one of her male (and supposedly platonic) friends. BW and our friend from the first night witnessed this, so she wanted to tell me before anyone else had a chance. 

I was ambivalent. I explained that we'd had one date and knew each other for a week, it's not like we were official or exclusive. She seemed happy with that and we pretty much the started dating from then.

It ended a few months later, again I'm struggling with the actual dates, but probably early June. We dated for just short of three months. I probably jumped the gun as it had an extra few months in it, at best, because she was leaving for studies in another city at the end of the summer and I wasn't ready for long distance.

She did spend a few weeks trying to reconnect, but I was too stubborn to give in.