A few months of us dating had passed. In the chaos of those months, he managed to get incredibly drunk one night while I worked a shift for our university's safe-walk program, and kiss another girl. Embarrassed and feeling guilty, he went home instead of meeting me after my late shift. He confessed a few days later and I decided that we couldn't see each other if this is the way things were going to work. It was the first time that I had let someone into my life like this and to be hurt like this was distressing. I didn't know what to do at the time, so had called a friend and asked her to yell at him for me. Was this normal? Was this acceptable? He seemed genuinely distraught at having hurt me. I didn't know what to do and left for the holidays without reconciling.
I went to Mexico on a family vacation over Christmas. I mailed him a postcard that simply said "Joe, I am writing to inform you that I am now engaged. Best wishes, Anika". It wasn't at all unrealistic. My parents were keen to find me a husband and it was the most common joke amongst Indian women - you go away for holidays (albeit it's usually India rather than Mexico), and when you come back, the first question most of your Indian friends ask is "Are you engaged?".
So the postcard was sent and after flight delays that saw us spending New Years in a Mexican airport with no food or drinks, I was finally home. Joe and I briefly chatted on ICQ a few days later, and he asked to see me. He begged that we meet and that he really wanted to be my boyfriend. He had apologized. I really wanted to be his girlfriend, too, I said, but how could I trust him again? I agreed to meet him once I had gotten back to my apartment.
He came over with bottle of sparkling apple juice, chocolate and flowers. He got down on one knee, apologized and begged for my forgiveness. People make mistakes, I thought, and everyone deserves a second chance. So, we were back to dating and all seemed to move forward fairly well after that...
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