Sweat beads in every crevice on my body.
I felt like I just had the biggest release, everywhere.
Chills ran down my spine, and i was invigorated at the same time.
When I closed my eyes, all was right in the world.
When I opened them, I had no fear.
He lead me to Bikram Hot yoga. I reliazed this at the end of one of many Hot Yoga classes, the year 2010.
He was funny, hilarious.
I got a few looks at his washboard ab's during the bootcamp fitness class I taught.
I was more or less his personal trainer.
He wasn't my type.
Caucasian, brunette, shorter, stalky.
Nice abs though.
Have I mentioned he was funny?
I did the math.
He had a great job, career, owned his own home, and seem well liked.
He was so damn funny.
My co workers started noticing that I would light up when he was in the room.
I ignored it.
I went to a social yet work function.
The rest was history.
He made me dinners, and they were amazing.
He re modeled his house.
I was young, 24. It was 2004.
I was into the idea of us.
He cracked me up.
He noticed the little things, like that I have three freckles on my tummy that make an obtuse triangle.
There was chemistry, and fun, and humor, and dance parties in his house.
Correction, "dance off's".
He had flavor, for a ...
He took me to places I had never been.
My first white boyfriend.
I felt at ease, in control, and adored.
I was so happy.
One day he told me, he was having second thoughts, an old college fling was moving into town and he may still have feelings for her.
WHAT THE FUCK?!
I was shocked and heart broken.
We stayed up all night long.
I thought he was the one for me.
After a week, we were back together.
I started noticing he would have already had a few beers by the time I would come over for dinner.
he stopped making dinner or eating dinner, just drinking dinner.
I was still heart broken yet happy to have him back and ignored the signs
the flashing red signs
He was drunk all the time.
He loved wine, tequila, and at least a half rack.
I focused on his abs and my laughter he ignited
I started drinking a lot with him too.
We were now that couple.
Drunk.
I carried on with my marathon training somehow, and partied with him every night.
He was often late for work.
He was often moody when sober.
I was young and still focusing on the house, and us.
He invited me to thanksgiving with his family.
I came form a recently broken family and was so excited.
To be in a normal family setting, to feel normal, a part of something.
His family was awkward, warm and cold, didnt drink.
His mother babied him, he was almost 30.
I ignored the red flags, and carried on my fantasy.
my best friend who was roommate hated him.
I ignored that.
He got a DUI.
I didn't know anyone who ever go a DUI.
If I were to admit it to myself, that was wrong and not okay, and better yet a wake up call, a means for me to end this.
Somehow I ignored that.
Oh, and by the way, at this point-
He and I were now not officially together, but together every night.
I practically lived at his house.
He had another freak out and said he wasn't cut out for a serious relationship
I didn't get it
But that is what we are doing?
Ya, well I just don't think its for me.
Another blow to my heart, my head was already not working, just my sweet little hopeful heart
He went on a business trip and didn't talk to me.
I went and ran my first marathon.
I was a mess, people knew, everyone could tell - my light was gone.
Regardless of his "issues" he made me lite up, and smile.
I wasn't the happy go lucky type.
He made me that girl.
He made me that girl who smiled big, because she felt loved.
Unrequited love.
To this day i don't if I have met someone who had made me light up like he did.
I had only one very very unhealthy college on and off again boyfriend to compare him too.
I was a pro fling girl, 1-3 months max, but relationship- naive.
After several months of not talking and no contact, I asked for my things back.
He kept putting it off.
Months went by, he turned 30.
And finally, he dropped off my things, and talked me into a drink.
Remember I was 24, stupid, heart sick.
So we started it up again, less sex, more just hanging out.
Because that makes it better right?
I continued my training for my next marathon.
I was starting to feel numb but still very attached to him.
We went to concerts, got drunk, made out in public, and I guess I settled for that.
I became needy, highly sensitive, emotional, and my light flickered on and off, depending on his mood and how he treated me.
At this point my best friend/roommate- hated him and me.
I chose him for awhile.
I missed me period.
I went to New York on a girls trip, and spent the entire trip, taking pregnancy tests over and over, calling my obgyn, and then letting him know.
I was pregnant.
He said, "what do you want me to say".
For as heart sick as I was, I was now a victim of a heart broken terminal illness.
Within a month, I was no longer pregnant.
I moved.
I stopped running.
Barely ate.
Took nyquil like candy.
He wasnt there for me like he promised.
He actually announced to me that he had a new girlfriend and could not be bothered.
I made him know about every evil thought that went thru my head, until I "wasnt pregnant".
I went nuts.
I made him know that he created a pain in me that no one would ever do again.
he changed me.
He killed me.
I had these dark moments, with nyquil, of wanting to sleep forever.
After, sleeping for 4 days.
Another good friend, had an intervention, we went for a walk.
I started realizing, I was punishing myself.
He was the fucked up one, not me, I was fucked up for being with him, on any level.
I started running again.
I started running with a girl, who did Hot Yoga.
I was never into this stuff, as I was an athlete, I didnt want to be bothered with slow, stretching, kumbaya my lord.
blah blah blah
She talked me into it.
I thought it was an hour long class.
It was a 90 minute long class, temperature at 102 degrees.
I hated it.
I felt miserable during the entire class, felt my lunch come up a few times even.
And the teacher was like this nazi male yoga guru, that I did not admire at all!
But I went back, again, and again.
Athletes do not quit.
I started to feel my own inner light come back.
My running improved.
I got a new job.
I loved Hot Yoga, it was mine, no boy, or person could hurt me or judge me, it was my thing.
I had days and still do, where I want to drive off a cliff.
But hot yoga, soothes me (and kicks my ass, its not an easy stretch like I thought!).
I had to work in the same building as him now with my new job.
My new job was in his fucking building, i twas an amazing opportunity, so I couldn't let this guy ruin it.
We hadn't talked in over 3 months.
I tried to be professional and ask him to lunch, and clear the air.
Mainly for myself, as I wanted to rock this new position and every time I had to go to the bathroom and walk by the mere sight of him or his side of the building, I would feel like I was going to hurl.
The opposite of butterflies.
He avoided me like the plague, rightly so.
he even seemed scared of me, which hurt and amused me at the same time.
I started to glow from my own self gain
My hot yoga practice.
Within 2 months of this avoidance dance, he happened to get fired, for sleeping with his direct report.
I have never wished evil upon him, but this was the most beautiful episode of karma I have ever experienced.
I never saw him again.
I have never dated a man who drinks like him again.
Sometimes, the worst experiences in your life, take you to new better ones.
(Don't repeat the bad ones though, when you see the signs, gracefully walk away)