I hadn’t really paid much attention to it at the time, thinking it was one of those things old people said, bestowing all their vast knowledge and wisdom to the youth in an attempt to prevent them from making their mistakes of the past. And, like every other young person of my generation, I’d pretty much just rolled my eyes and ignored her. Because to me, in that moment, as I’d packed up my boxes and prepared for my great move to the East Coast, I had felt invincible.

And so was the love that existed between Tyler and me.

But, now, I wasn’t so sure.

Maybe the wisdom my mother had tried to offer wasn’t too far off base.

Still feeling off the morning after our candlelit dinner, I made sure to be the first in the shower, letting the water slide down my body as I contemplated on what to do about my funky mood.

It wasn’t like me to be so confused and conflicted.

Once I made a decision, I usually stuck to it.

Tyler was the first boy I’d ever liked. Once we’d started dating, I had known he’d be it for me. I was one of the lucky ones, the precious few who ended up finding their soul mate at a young age and spent the rest of their lives changing and growing together.

Or at least I’d thought I was.

How could one little fight suddenly rock my certainty?

Before I hastily made my way out the door, blaming my rushed routine on wanting to catch an earlier train into work, I kissed Tyler and said I’d make it up to him later.

There was no earlier train.

I’d just lied to my boyfriend.

But I needed some time to myself, and telling him this would have only caused unnecessary worry, which would have perpetuated the fight that had started the night before.

Knowing I had no one in this entire city I could reach out to, I did the only thing I could think of.

I phoned a friend.

Thankfully, my best friend, the sports medicine ex-roommate of mine I’d talked to Roman about, was an early riser.

“This’d better be important,” the familiar female voice answered after several rings.

I was walking at a brisk pace down the sidewalk in an effort to keep up with the rest of the morning travelers. Failure to do so, and I was sure to be mowed down and trampled to death.

That was not how I wanted to go.

“That’s not very cheery,” I replied with a faint grin spreading across my face.

Just hearing her voice had the ache for home I felt in my chest instantly abating.