At first, he was so perfect. We were the same religion, went to the same school, and I'd never been treated so much like a princess by anyone! He wasn't shy about being seen with me. But then things went bad. He became abusive, and still I stayed. He threatened to kill himself if I left. Eventually, I got up the nerve to break up with him. I still had a few of his things, like his favorite hoodie. Instead of giving it back, I burned it.

So the story begins with me believing that I had finally found the One. That individual who from a tender young age all women hear about who is supposed to be your perfect match, and treat you wonderfully. We were dating for about a year and a half before he proposed. It was out of a fairy tale - a carriage ride through Central Park in NYC. I was elated, and everything was working. The one thing I hadn't counted on was my family not approving. They did like him in the beginning, but something changed. I didn't understand but gradually over time there were little moments that didn't sit well with me. I continued to use the wedding as a distraction and ended up becoming the owner of a dress. A beautiful, and elegant dress that I was going to be so happy to wear to my wedding. The day I became something to someone. The day I had waited for, and thought I finally found. Then the bottom dropped out.

We had been together for almost 3 years, and the week leading up to the break up was the worst of my life. I was physically ill, we argued a lot, and I wrestled with the idea of separating. He actually had the gall to give me an ultimatum - either him and our wedding or my family, but I couldn't have both. He later tried to take it back, but it didn't fly. I remember finding the strength somehow, and after the drive to his place I don't know how I did it, but I ended it all - the relationship, the wedding, the friendship.

So this is where I am- almost 2 months later, and I'm stuck with the worst reminder of what was and would have been. This wedding dress; for now it sits in the closet, but I would love to sell it...

He is two years my senior and an aspiring musician. We met when we were in high school and dated casually. We knew we had feelings for each other but never said anything. We became inseparable two months into our friendship. He started inviting me over to his place for drinks and we would watch TV and I'd listen to him sing and write new songs. The one thing I loved about him was that he was always asking my opinion on his songs. What rhymes with this, do you think I should change the lyrics, when should I start recording and things like that. I kept motivating him to fulfill his dream of cutting a studio album. His band called us lovebirds whenever I came over for their jamming sessions. We were never officially together. He was a part of my life and I was a part of his. That's all.

Then one day, he was performing at a local mall and he sang my favourite song - The Adventure by Angels and Airwaves. And I swear he was looking right into my eyes during the chorus. Things got better but our relationship was still unofficial. He wrote a song for me, I think, because I wasn't too sure what he was feeling when he first sang the song to me. The song was titled 'Hey Sally' and he claimed Sally was his imaginary girlfriend. I was clueless since I had never been in a relationship, and he was the closest to a boyfriend. Unfortunately, I got greedy and demanded from him what he wanted from me. I was confused and I couldn't be played out like that with him playing with my feelings and then disappearing for a two or three weeks before texting me again. I was angry at myself and him for not saying what was meant to be said. I still think of him sometimes, but I know he's happy with his new girlfriend. I wish we were still together, though. Because after we ended our 'relationship', he never got back to music. I'm pretty sure I screwed that one up for him.

I think I was about about 14 when I met Nathan. He was a few years older then me and somewhat awkward. He got teased a lot in school as he was incredabily big in size but not in brain power. Think an aussie version of shaggy from scooby doo. I had some great chats with Nathan over the 2 or so years we hung out but after a while I found his advances a little too much and backed off. He didn't. He would often drive next to me on the way home from school as I refused to get in his ute and turn up on my doorstep randomly with some random mate. I found it creepy at the time but looking back he was just a young guy with a crush. One late afternoon I heard his ute in my driveway. When I came out I was shocked to see a ridiculously giant teddy in the passanger seat with it's seat belt on. I hadn't seen Nathan for a while and this gesture was completly out of the blue. I tried to explain to him we weren't those kind of friends but he looked sad and asked me to keep it. That damn teddy has been such a hassle! It takes up most of any room it is in and could probably be used as a bed! I would have given it away straight away but I found one in a shop for about $350 so guilt made me hold onto. When I moved out of home I left it with my mother for her to carry as her burdon. About a year ago I found out Nathan died in a car accident with his brother. The teddy is still at my mothers.

Mine is just a story of infatuation. When I was in high school, final year, I had changed schools from an all girls catholic to a co ed school. Finally, some boys to interact with. Because I didn't know most of the students there I became mates with a guy I worked with. He was cute, charming and always made me laugh. Even though I was seeing a different guy outside school at the time I couldn't help but flirt a little. I knew he felt the same way I did. We used to write letters to each other whenever we were in different classes. Some where cute and lovely others were rather naughty for 17 year olds to be saying. I lost count of how many we wrote.

Now nine years later I came across heaps of those letters in an old sewing box. Reading them puts the biggest smile on my face as I can remember everything about those words. There's no way I'm ever getting rid of them. I'll keep them in that sewing box and think of him whenever I sew.

A few years ago I was with a really great guy (not too sure why I broke up with him).  We loved each other but had not yet said the L word, we were always together & often were asked by all out friends & family what status our relationship was... we'd both just shrug our shoulders (I guess we both liked the unknown status).  He was at work & I for some reason asked him to bring me a surprise.  After work he came over to my place & after about an hour of me trying to guess what he had for me he handed me one of those flat builders pencils... not what I was expecting but still kind of sweet.

I can never throw that pencil away. I have moved out & live with my boyfriend of 2.5years - the pencil still sits in the same spot, on my bedside table at my parents house. Anytime I go into my old bedroom I often see the flat pencil & smile... One day I might run into him & remind him I still have the flat pencil...

So my girlfriend gave me a plant as a present saying something about wanting to give me something that would grow if I cared for it. I'm guessing it was meant as a metaphor for our relationship. Well, the relationship didn't work out but that plant is still around. I barely water the thing but it's doing fine and now I'd feel bad letting it die just to spite her. That plant is messing with my head.

A few years ago I fell in love with the one I thought I would be with forever. I picked up my life and moved over 5 hours away to be with him. At first things were amazing, on our anniversary (one whole month!) he gave me a diamond heart necklace that I never took off... It stood for our love and it was supposed to be ever lasting. After about a year of bliss I went home for the holidays and he stayed home (he couldn't get the time off of work). December 23rd I found out that he was in a hotel with another girl, I called him and confronted him about it and he begged for my forgiveness... and I took him back.

Everything was fine for about 6 months, until he started acting weird again. One day his cell was ringing and I picked it up... He flipped out and knocked me over trying to get the phone away from me. I knew then and there he was cheating on me again. I confronted him and he admitted it... He also told me that I had a week to get out of our home because his new girlfriend was moving in. I packed up my stuff and moved far away.

For the longest time I couldn't hold my head up high and I still continued to wear the heart necklace he had given me. One day after all the heartache and begging him to take me back it all clicked - why would I ever want someone who treated me like that?  I took the necklace off and stored it away. One day my friend was looking for donations of old items for an auction to support a dying child in the area. The next day I brought in the necklace and gave it to her. The necklace sold at the auction for quite a bit. It made me happy to know that out of all the misery that the relationship caused me, it ended up helping someone in the end.  I'm now happier than I've ever been dating a guy that I've been friends with for 6 years.  My ex is engaged to the girl he kicked me out for.  I wish them the best of luck.

I was sixteen and I was spending my first Valentine's Day with my first boyfriend ever. Somehow or another, there entered this gray plush alligator with a rose in its mouth. Either it was for him, or it was for me, can't remember... but somehow, I ended up with it. I loved that thing. I slept with it every night, and he took it when I went off to college.  Alfred the Alligator passed between us every time we saw one another, until it finally ended up with me. We tried to patch things together after two and a half years of a shaky relationship, and I finally cut ties completely just shy of three years. But I still had Alfred.

When I finally moved to the city I live in now , I adopted a wonderful Labrador-mix puppy to be my constant companion in a strange place. As I was unpacking, I unearthed Alfred and set him aside to be thrown away later. You can imagine my surprise and great amusement when I came back into the bedroom to find my puppy happily ravaging the last physical memory of a bad relationship. Alfred currently lives with the nearly grown dog, where she still cheerfully shakes him around, chews on him, and then curls up to go to sleep on him.   Ah, karma.

After 11 years of marriage to a man I discovered was a total idiot, we split up. I actually found him one night at my girlfriend's house - I walked into her house to find them making out.  Anyway, he would do idiot things to irritate me. His favorite was vacuuming in the middle of the night, knowing full well that it would keep me awake and result in a bit of drama. We were split up for 4 years before I finally filed for divorce (I was able to stay on his health insurance during the split. I figured he owed me something for all the crap he put me through).

The divorce was days from being final, and he died. I got the life insurance money, all his stuff - car, furniture, etc... and his ashes after I decided to have him cremated.  I donated his stuff to charity and instead of a funeral, I had some friends over for a "vacuum party".  Yep, I vacuumed those ashes!!!