73

It was official. And just like that, we were official. I was now James's girlfriend.

It only took a single evening at the snack restaurant to turn the tide of our relationship. The conversation had taken a new turn after I said "I want you too" to him. He asked me out again and I agreed to be in a relationship with him.

It wasn't out of pity for him, or a desire to avoid hurting his feelings. I truly wanted it, as much as he did. I could think of no one who had treated me with the care and respect James had shown me since the moment we'd met.

I knew that my relationship with James could work, if I could put the past behind me and stop dwelling on my history with Romeo. And I had been able to do that. I was done with Romeo, done thinking about him and what we had. What we'd had was over, and all that remained were the lessons I'd learned from the experience. Lessons that would help me become a better person, and a better partner to James.

I had even gathered up everything that still be