Butterflies Part 2

When I originally wrote ‘people like this man exist’ I was about to leave Northern Ireland to go to Swansea for university. I had 2 weeks, before my boat over. The man I was dating from the cafe asked me out on our final date for the night before I was due to leave. I told him I wanted to plan where we’d go since he was the one to plan that we’d go to a butterfly farm for our first date. I chose to take him to an Italian restaurant in the center of Belfast. He had a piano lesson beforehand so he asked that we’d meet there. When I arrived he was already at the table, and he was properly dressed up - admitting that he got changed in the back of his car just so that I would know he wanted to make an effort. Which I thought was lovely. I was actually very thankful that I’d also come dressed up too because on our first date I had dressed up too much and he’d underdressed. We ordered our food and small talked for a bit. But we weren’t talking for long before he started to mention that he’d actually had a really hard day. And then he proceeded to mention that he’s spent the whole week trying to get over thinking about his ex because it was her birthday the weekend before and he had originally had big plans for it. As the evening went on he began to break down about it, telling me that the week before he’d messaged her and asked that she would take him back. He’d been in a 5 year relationship with her which ended last Christmas and couldn’t shake the idea that they were always meant to be together. He began to cry. I have never felt so emotionally connected to someone because he had felt the way I knew I had about someone - the guy who had been seeing other girls on tinder, who I mentioned on my original submission. I really empathized with him. But obviously it hurt badly to hear that he was still not over someone enough for him to want to date me seriously. This was the only time I have ever cried with someone on a date. It was really hard. But I guess that’s what it’s like, loving People at any intensity is always bitter sweet. After we’d ordered desert I sneaked off to pay for the bill in secret and suggested that he should come and see my favourite place in the world. So he followed me in my car to a car park in Newcastle. I was really lucky because the stars were out and lay on a bench watching them together. We chatted for hours and - for the first time in my life! I saw a shooting star! And not just one, I saw 3. We kissed but I couldn’t help feeling that maybe he wished I were her. He admitted to me that he’d never met anyone like me. 
When it was time for me to go he suggested we stay in contact and Walked me back to my car. We stood there and kissed some more. He got into his car to drive away and I got into mine. I looked over at him, and he jumped out of his car and ran to open the door of mine. He kissed me again and it felt like a movie. 
That’s how the night ended. 
He did call me after a week of me being in Swansea. He told me that he bought a house and that he wants me to help him do the interior when I (hopefully) get home for Christmas. We message each other when we have a life update, and last week he called me to say that the stars were out and he was thinking of me. So I guess I’m kinda stuck in the in between stage. But I’m so excited to see where it goes. As soon as wales and Northern Ireland are out of lockdown, I will book a flight home to see him and I really hope everything we had before is still there. He is the most unique man I have ever met and I am so blessed that he came into my life when he did. He told me I’m the first woman he has dated since, and I think the experiences we’ve had together have been so healthy for both of us and it’s taught me there are good men out there who are trying to get over their past to be better for new people in the future.