My mom and I don't have the best relationship. Hell, we barely even talk, but she did give me a valuable lesson once: Don't ever say I love you. I made sure to heed her words of wisdom, and because of that, I lost someone who I thought was my first love, Nathan. I'd even go as far as saying, it kept me from investing all of my heart in a relationship. At least, that's where I think it went wrong with Gareth... That, and the fact that his best friend, David, was absolutely gorgeous. I tried my best to stay away from him, especially because David was my student teacher, but it wasn't as easy as I thought. His kisses were imprinted in my mind and they confused me more than they clarified anything. We moved on, but remained friends- friends who didn't always talk, but always watched out for each other. When Jonny came around, I promised myself I would try harder. I'd surpass the insecurities my mom instilled in me, fill the empty holes of my life with love, and invest completely. Until I realized, my mom was right. Her words protected me from guys like Jonny, who used the word love as a means to an end, and not as a beginning. It seemed like my life could be defined by failed relations and one valuable lesson. Little did I know, David had a lot more to teach me than just music appreciation.