I Didn't Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You

A month had passed and still he was mooning over Georgina.

The stabbing pain in his heart had lessened somewhat and was now just a dull ache, but even a passing thought that reminded him of her made him wince.

The first week he could not bring himself to leave the house. The first three days, he'd remained, steadfastly, in his bed, crying until there were no more tears.

After that, he ventured out, at night in the beginning, treading the streets of the seaside town until his feet bled and the pain in his blisters was greater than that in his heart.

It was his fault. This was what hurt the most. He would never forgive himself for his idiotic actions. He refused to justify himself with the amount of alcohol he had drank, although it was a factor. Approaching his ex in that bar was a mistake he'd regret forever. Their drunken kiss was inevitable and although she initiated it, he responded and was just as much to blame.

He told Georgina the following day. He could not stomach the guilt, he'd vomited as soon as he woke up and it wasn't just the rum that contributed to his sickness.

She finished him there and then. He couldn't blame her. A girl like Georgina didn't need to stick around with an idiot who'd share a drunken snog with a girl he'd dated for a little over a month. She would have her pick of dozens of potential replacements.

In many ways, theirs was the classic teenage romance. Their relationship had even started with the cheesy 'my friend fancies yours' line - his mate Steve doing the honours with her chip shop colleague Jo - moving rapidly through cinema dates, bus shelter fumbles and their inglorious first night together, his parents next door, their movements under the covers stilted as they tried not to disturb them.

He hauled himself out of bed and sat on the end with his head in his hands. He started each day in this manner now, wishing he could turn back the clocks to before that night, before the life he'd mapped out in his head with Georgina had been wiped out due to his own stupidity.

The situation was compounded by the fact they couldn't avoid each other. This place was too small for that. He pulled on jeans and a t-shirt for college and headed for the door. He was already late.

No sooner had he locked the door and turned, she was in his eyeline. Her bright, blonde hair reflected the winter sunshine. His heart panged again. Suppressing the urge to dart back inside, he took a deep breath, plastered his most sincere look on his face and called her name.

She blanked him and he trudged to class staring at the floor, promising himself that if he was ever with a girl as lovely as her again, he would do nothing to screw it up.

This story was inspired by the song 'I Didn't Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You' by The Heartbreaks.