During my first two years of uni I met a fantastic guy named Leon. We clicked straight away and had an absolute blast, really making the most of uni life. He was gay and I was way too immature for any kind of serious relationship so he was the perfect ‘boyfriend’. We fast became best friends and spent almost all our time together.
After two years of parties and fun, we decided to move off campus and get a flat together. We found a cute little place not too far from school. We both had part-time jobs but, as we were studying full-time, we found it hard to work many hours and were therefore always pretty strapped for cash. We made do — brightening the place as best we could with bits and pieces we’d buy at secondhand places or make ourselves (milk crate bookcases — very practical but not so aesthetically pleasing!)
After the first year in our flat we were getting pretty sick of living such a basic life. We both came from pretty wealthy families and had grown up used to luxuries — we were sick of making do and decided that after three years of basic living, we’d had enough.
We’d both had a few casual relationships — nothing serious — and we were aware that our families were hoping we’d get together. My parents adored Leon and continually made playful hints that suggested they thought we were a couple. Leon still hadn’t gotten around to telling his parents he was gay, though I’m sure they had their suspicions over the years. They always treated me very warmly — obviously delighted that Leon was showing interest in a girl.
We came up with a great plan: we’d get engaged! It was perfect — his parents would be happy and mine would be thrilled that their wild daughter was finally settling down with a “nice young fellow”, as Dad always described Leon. We’d get a heap of presents and finally be able to furnish our little flat.
We went to a discount jeweller and picked out a ring. We went halves in the $200 and concocted a romantic story to tell our parents. We had such fun that day, lying in the sun on our patio, sipping cheap wine and trying to outdo each other with stories of Leon’s proposal.
My parents were pretty shocked when we made the announcement — they were used to us denying that we were a couple. They were happy, though, and Mum, ever the entertainer, almost straightaway began organising our engagement party.
Our parents met and thankfully got on as well as Leon and I always had. The engagement party was amazing. All my aunts and uncles came laden with expensive gifts, kissing me on the cheek and telling me how excited they were. Leon and I could barely wait to get home and open our gifts — it was all a fabulous game to us. We got some shocking things, like doilies from my Aunt Mollie and a secondhand benchtop pie warmer from his grandma, but mostly we got great things.
We told our parents that we wanted to wait until we had finished uni before we set a date for the wedding. We spent the next year, our final year of uni, living in luxury with our Egyptian cotton bath sheets and whiz-bang coffee-maker. We were the envy of our friends with our four-burner barbecue and spent many happy evenings drinking beer out of the crystal wine glasses given to us by my godmother.
At the end of the year Leon got a fabulous job offer interstate. I was keen to stay put and do an honours degree. It was time to “break up”. I was sad to say goodbye to my best friend but nothing prepared me for how Mum and Dad would take the news — they were crushed. I had to pretend to be heartbroken as Dad fluffed around feeling awkward and Mum hugged me so sadly.
Leon and I had always said that we’d make some sort of auction-style game out of dividing up the gifts we’d shared over the past year. When the time came we’d both lost heart and were feeling pretty ashamed of what we’d done. It had seemed like such a great idea but now Mum and Dad were so miserable, I felt bad about it. But life, as it does, went on.
I still hear from Leon occasionally, he’s making it big with some finance company and happily living with a partner.
I’m now engaged to a lovely man called Tom. He knows this is my second engagement, but I’ve carefully avoided telling him the full story. Tom and I didn’t have an engagement party — it just didn’t seem right. Mum and Dad like Tom, but they seem to be holding out a bit — scared that he’ll break their daughter’s heart like Leon did. If only they knew that I’m the one who broke their hearts.
Image: Getty. Picture posed by models
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