My name is Ashley. My boyfriends name is Matthew, but he goes by Matt. The two of us have been best friends for a year and a half now. We are both backyard chicken hobbyists (weird, I know
), and we met on a forum for chickens. We know of each other and exchanged a few words back and forth a for a few months, but we didn't really start talking much until Matt first sent me a private message on March 13, 2014. At the time we were both taking part in some silly roleplay that all of the kids created on the game section of the forum, and he messaged me because he had a question about one of my characters. We spent the rest of that night talking, and we just clicked. We became very good friends within just a few days of talking. Matt and I continued to talk daily. Sometimes briefly, other times for several hours. We started to develop feelings for each other after about two or three months of talking. Being only 15 almost 16 at the time, and feeling like it was wrong to like someone so far away, especially at our age, we both just ignored the feelings to the best of our abilities and remained friends. That lasted another couple months, before we came out (sort of) about our feelings for each other, and decided that because of the distance, we were still going to remain friends. At this point we were both extremely close and knew a lot about each other. November rolled around, and we finally decided that we would give a long distance relationship a shot. 9 months later, we're still going at it.
I met Matt in person June 10th of this year. I stayed with him and his family for two weeks. I flew to Arkansas, and then we went on a week long trip to Florida, and then I stayed at his house for a few more days before going home. We both really clicked when we were together in person. We knew before we met that we really did love each other, but nothing confirmed that for us more than spending those two weeks together. Leaving was miserable. I have been hope for ten weeks now, and it is still really hard. I have been struggling with depression. Not just from missing him. Just from everything else that has been going on in my life. But the depression really hasn't been helping...
Last month some things went down with his parents. His mom read through about a week of my boyfriend and I's private messages, completely unprovoked. She has no reason for doing so, but she did it, and she found out some things that we shared with each other that she was not at all happy about. I won't get into all of the details of that, but long story short.... I was told that I am not allowed to see Matt any more. Until he is 18 and can get me there or himself here on his own. We only have another 9 and a half months to wait, but it feels like an eternity. His mom has really taken a strong disliking to me, and makes that very known to her son. It has been bringing both of us down. She wants nothing more than to see us not work out and break up. That is not going to happen, and she seems to know that. Which I believe is why she continues to make things harder for us.
I hate to sound completely doom and gloom, so I will now be sharing the good news. What may just be the best news Matt and I have had about our relationship in months. My parents our in full support of Matthew and I's relationship. They have yet to meet him, but they adore him. My parents were 15 and 16 when they started dating each other, and neither of their parents or families approved of their relationship. They constantly had people trying to pull them apart. That is the last thing they want to see me go through with someone I care so much about, so they have chosen to support our relationship. Because of their support, we may have found a way to close the distance by this time next year.
My parents both work an hour from home. They decided that they no longer want to commute, and would like to live closer to their workplaces. They thought about selling the house we are currently in, but after some talk and planning, decided that they want to rent out the house to Matt, my older brother and sister, and myself. It is a pretty spacious house, and the rent is going to be far from cheap. But with four young adults living in it and sharing the cost of rent, we figured this is by far the best option. My parents will be moving early next summer, and Matt will hopefully be moving down here after he graduates some time in late June to early August, if all goes as planned.
We are both beyond thrilled about this. Things have been so hard for us these past couple months, and it is such a relief for us to have something like this to look forward to. It makes the time seem so much shorter, knowing that we may only have to say goodbye for just a few short weeks the next time we see each other. Then he will be here to stay.
We still have a lot of planning to do, and lots of money to save up. We also have to find a way to bring this up with his parents... which could end badly. His parents are very strongly against us living together before marriage. Matt is kind of sad by this, because he knows that if we pursue this, he is going to lose the relationship he has with his parents. Which is hard for him. But he told me that I matter most to him, and that if his parents can't accept our relationship, they are going to lose any relationship they have with him. That's all I have for now. Thanks for listening, and sorry if it was boring.. Lol
-Ashley