A day in the life of...

The young have something no one else has or ever will have. Time.

It's true. We are smart, beautiful and...alcoholic.

Monday, March 1, 2010

"You know, in case you were wondering: the person whose calls you always take? That's the relationship you're in" - Nate in The Devil Wears Prada

Today was B's first day at university since she's spent the better part of her time since high school travelling overseas, which is how she met R in the first place.

It should have been a mildly good day. She wasn't aware how bady uni gets at this point. She hasn't yet experienced a mid-semester lull (the kind that convince you it's a good idea to cut off all your hair, get a massive tattoo or start dressing punk) or a 'sick semester' (6 months of coughing, sneezing and addiction to soothers). She hasn't yet gone through a windy, hungry day where the only place you want to be is bed, not in a drafty lecture theatre taking notes with a stiff hand and a crap pen. K bought her a cold apple pie for lunch so she wouldn't be hungry. She only had two classes. She took up smoking last week so she should fit right in. So it should have been an okay day.

However, B didn't end up showing up at uni at all. Talk about setting a bad trend for the rest of the semester. A usually makes it through the first day before skipping classes, and J lasts a week. If you can't make it through your first class, what hope do you have for the rest of the semester? The thing is, B was always pretty good back in high school. While everyone else was wagging classes she was doing maths problems and writing essays. That was a while ago but the principles should remain the same.

Unfortunately there's R now.


B thought R was the love of her life when they met and had planned pretty much the entire future together within knowing each other for the first month. They met in Greece, but she soon moved to Scotland for a month and then he followed her back to Australia. That was a few months ago. He moved in with B and K, virtually mooching off them until he could find a job and possibly a place of his own. Well that's what A and L thought. L actually used the term 'ripped off'. Which, fair enough. He was living in their house while B and K paid the rent and bought the food and paid the bills. It was weird when they were together but then R dumped her (something about long distance being too hard...basically it was a bullshit break-up because he just doesn't love her that much) and it got even weirder. Not only are they still living together they are acting like they're still together...except the sex.

B finds herself joining R on all of his tourist escapades such as trips to the zoo, city etc etc. A week after they broke up they drove the Great Ocean Road just the two of them! B regularly ditches girl nights in favour of movies with R. She skipped o-week to help him find a job. They are always together and act like an annoying couple. When B, R, K, J and L attended the Good Vibrations music festival she saw the bands R wanted to see rather than the ones she wanted to. L and J weren't happy with the way she was following him everywhere. K got pissed off and rfused to leave the main stage but that's probably more a reflection of her personality than the weirdness between B and R.

So anyway today B was on her way to her very first class only to get a call from R. He wants to go to the aquarium. He wants company. Because she is how she is, B drops her own life to rush off to spend the day with R. Forget she has classes. Forget she has her own life.

It is clear B wants him back but she has to move on. R has. She can't continue to be 'friends' with him until she doesn't have any feelings left for him. Everyone knows it's hard enough to be friends with an ex without one person still being in love with the other. Maybe the problem is that B refuses to admit she wants R back. She always bitches about him and claims to be 'over' him when he isn't around. But at the end of the day B is either trying to please R or piss him off. Either way R remains her priority in life even though she isn't a priority of his.