Meet Me on Thames St.

The Broken Ashley Forbes

I, Ashley Forbes, was given many letters from readers. They tell me how my advice had helped them so much. They say how put together I am. They say how I am inspirational. Well I’m not inspirational. I am far from put together. You only see the Ashley that writes your daily advice column. You don’t know the story behind how I got this column. None of you know how I should be taking my own advice. Nobody knows that I’m the girl who got her heart broken. This is my story. This is what brought me to where I am now.

It started as a cliché high school relationship. It’s the simple love story where the good straight A student girl falls hard for the misunderstood bad boy. It didn’t end there, though. He changed me for the better and I helped him. We grew as individuals because of one another. He showed me I was more than the smart girl or the sheriff’s daughter. He showed that I had control of my own life. He showed me how much strength and potential I truly had. For that I will be forever grateful to him.

But like all high school flings it came to an end. It’s kinda funny calling it a fling, because at that age I thought he was ‘my everything’. I was only sixteen when he left town. He had just graduated and hated the town, so he picked up and left. He never looked back or even said goodbye. He had his reasons for leaving, I understood that. The only thing that hurt me was the fact that he didn’t have the courage to say he was leaving. I trusted him. He was my first real kiss, my first boyfriend, my first …..Everything. He meant so much to me and yet I didn’t even matter enough to get a goodbye.

That is not the last of him though. He would send me reminders every once in a while. He sent me letters once a month. They would say how much he loved me and missed me. Some friends thought of how cute it was. My best friends realized how sick it was. It was almost a constant reminder that he had left me. It became some sort of strange addiction. My life practically revolved around getting the mail. I spent two entire years waiting for him. That was stupid of me.

It took me until now to realize that if he needed me, he would have come and found me. He had two years to find me. He chose the way it ended and why should I keep waiting for him? He had his chance. The fact of the matter is he didn’t want me. He wanted the thrill of the Chase.

So, to my readers, learn from my mistake. Don’t wait for a guy. Odds are he doesn’t care. You deserve so much more than that loser. You deserve someone who will be by your side no matter what. It’s okay to end relationships as well. You may have had some good times, but that doesn’t mean you should stay. You don’t have to forget or regret those times, but just acknowledge they’re over.

And, to my friends, thank you. Thanks for sticking by me. Thanks for never telling me ‘I told you so’. A lot of you saw this coming from the beginning and tried to warn me. I’m sorry for not listening. I’m sorry for you having to take care of me for the first few months without me. I know I was a pain. I love you, guys. I don’t know where I would be without you.

Lastly, to you, I’m not really sure what to say. First off, Thank You for helping me find the strength. I will always be grateful for that. I’m sorry. Not all of this was your fault. I’m partially to blame, as well. I don’t know where you are right now. If you see this, there is only one thing I want you to know. I really loved you and tried to make it work. You pushed me away, remember that.