I’d like to tell you about a time in my youth. I was dating a girl called Claire, a stunning blonde who made me laugh and always left me wanting more. We’d met online, and although we’d only been out a couple of times, things were going really well. We were due to meet for drinks after work. Nothing too heavy, just a quick meeting after work that evening. At the time, everything seemed simple and exciting.

It was her birthday the following Monday, and we’d agreed to spend some time together then. But those wonderful feelings were torn down when Claire told me that her childhood sweetheart had reappeared in her life. She wanted to find out where it would go, and I left her at the train station and went home. Somehow, Monday’s plans were still on. I wasn’t sure how all this happened, but I agreed to meet her as planned. It was difficult to know what she really wanted.

Claire needed to leave early to meet her sweetheart for dinner, so I asked what train she needed to catch. Her response was 7pm. We had a drink, and at 6:30 I told her we should make a move. “Just another one,” she insisted. At 7pm, I warned her she would be late, but she said she would blame delayed trains. “It is my birthday after all,” she reminded me. Then Claire sat next to me, kissed me, and told me that she didn’t want to leave.

Did she make it home for dinner? Three days later, yes—we physically didn’t leave each other for three days. At the end, Claire said she’d see me the following day, but never came back. I never heard from her again. We’ve all been in the dating trenches, and experiences like this can leave you wondering what happened. Still, keep fighting the good fight; it’s worth it in the end. Not everyone’s a Claire, after all.