Name change for this for obvious reasons!
So around 10 years ago, I met a guy at a colleague’s birthday party. We clicked right away, in a way I’ve never clicked with anyone before and since, and had one of those sit in the corner of the bar all evening chatting away moments.
We exchanged numbers, went out a few times and then I acted poorly. I ghosted him. I was 24 so dealt with situations by ignoring them. My issue was twofold - firstly, I had split up with my nasty horrible ex a couple of years beforehand and had been single since, and wasn’t ready to get seriously involved with someone else just yet, and I could see myself falling for this guy, so I pushed him away. The second reason is actually a bit more odd - his brother asked me out on a date around 6 months beforehand, and we nearly did go out, but I had some stuff on at the time which meant it never happened, but things became awkward between me and him (I didn’t know they were brothers until he added me on Facebook as they look nothing alike - I worked in the same organisation as his brother (I used to work for a Christian church and charity, where people from that church background would often work for them too, hence all these connections)). I was too embarrassed to tell him his brother had already asked me out or to tell his brother that I was dating his brother (if that makes sense) when he was really upset we never went out in the end. So I ghosted him.
He tried to stay in touch with me for around 6 months or so, and I would occasionally respond, but in the end, he gave up. However, we developed a text friendship (no flirting at all) which we have to this day, although we both message much less now than we did in the first couple of years. I haven’t seen him since, although he did invite me to his wedding, which I would have gone to, if I wasn’t worried about explaining to his brother how I know the groom!
So to me, this guy is the one who got away. Like I said I’ve never clicked with anyone like I did with him and I did used to wonder what if.
Since then, I have met my husband, who I married (obviously!) and we have a baby. They are my world and my everything and I wouldn’t change my life at all in anyway. I love my husband and am loyal and there are no doubts there, but I still see that guy as the one who got away.
We stay in touch, send each other birthday messages and a few other messages now and then - the last time was to exchange baby photos. He is very much in the category of a dear friend now, but he does hold a special spot deep down.
I have no idea if he feels the same way about me and I don’t want to know because I don’t want to ruin the friendship we have, although he did very randomly suggesting meeting the week before his wedding, when we hadn’t seen each other in a few years. Admittedly, I wondered if he would be declaring his love for me (I was around 28 by then), so I didn’t meet him because I knew he was getting married and I had also started dating my husband around 6 months beforehand.