Yeah, this photo is legendary.
It's already almost two years old and being with him for more than that 2 year period, comes along the different phase.

It's different being just friends for many years with a person then go into a relationship with that person.
Trust me, I have been there.
With the ex.

My ex and I were friends for about 6 years then started dating after.
During the 6 years friendship, it was fine. Nothing wrong only small little petty arguments here and there.
But when we started dating, the damn difference starts.
It was all so different. Surreal.
The start was fine and all.
I THOUGHT I know him.
Then there comes along the realisation.
It was horrible that time but when I think about it now, I nodded.
That's how it is. Life.

For example, my best friend and I practically got on each other's necks almost all the time.
It has been 11 years on the road with him and I know him so much.
Even as a friend, it takes one to know the other at least 80% will take more than a decade.
No kidding. Though you talk to each other everyday.
Why?
My girlfriend told me.
The commitment is different.
The expectations sky scraped and the concern can turn into obsession.

I can say all these because of two mainstream reasons.
One, I went through that path before. Horrible but it was really a huge textbook slammed onto my face.
Two, I am friends with my ex currently and it's all proven.

My homies got a shock of their lives (kidding) when they heard my confessions;
"I am friends with Fyrouz now. I am in good terms with his aunties."

Brought me along to a whole new level.
I saw everything with a huge bang.
To be exact, Fyrouz and I saw everything.
We are so much better as friends and we no longer ponder on why our relationship didn't work out back then.
It was just so different and we couldn't adhere to the difference.
I stayed with him for about 2 years also and after all that drama, we took separate paths and collide every now and then.

Of course, there are relationships that seriously do work even after a long term of friendship.
Like my buddy.
Hats off. This guy's devotion is one of a kind.
Very super proud with his commitment.
Wa caya sama lu la buddy!

Apparently, Shahrin and I have been dating for quite an ample period now and to move onto the next phase is a struggle.

They said, after a year, you'll start to be comfortable and you'll expect the other to already know you. After 2 years, that's when the stripes are shown.
That's the real deal over there.
In general.

Basically, the first period;

HONEYMOON
First few months is fun, loving and exceptionally overwhelming in the stomach containing butterflies.
Sometimes the larvae and pupae are there too.
It felt so good to be in each other's company and you wanna see each other every minute of your life!
You crack jokes to each other, giving each other gifts, surprises, hugs and kisses etc etc etc.
Holding hands whenever you're with each other and barely letting go.
Hugs in the trains, lying down on the man's shoulders while sitting next to each other.
Meeting each other's families and bonded.
Be with each other's families and enjoy each other's company and be present for any events.
This will occur in the first few months of the relationship.
Till 6 months of the relationship.
Sometimes can drag to a year.
After the 6 months, comes….

THE I-LOVE-YOU-WITH-EVERYTHING-I-HAVE + EXPECTATIONS
Here comes one of the big transition a couple have to take.
Most shook but stood strong.
Some, isolate themselves.
Fights occur. Quarrels and debates.
The girl will start ranting to her friends and the guy will start to go out with his homies for drinks, party, lepak etc etc etc.
Less text messages and jealousy takes place.
Suspecting each other for nuts.
This usually happens during the first year.
But it depends.
After the celebrating the first anniversary, comes the

I-LOVE-YOU-WITH-ALL-I-CAN + EXPECTATIONS + YOU MUST KNOW ME BY NOW
That's the mistake people tend to get.
They take this for granted.
Face it, YOU WONT KNOW SOMEONE YOU DATE AFTER ONLY A YEAR.
You're not there yet.
Unless you keep track of everything that your partner do and kept analysing them one by one every day.
People should stop putting that kinda expectations towards their partners.
Please, we're all humans.
Even your mom take years to know you.
This is the period when most 'threaten' of break ups occur.
Or maybe, break up itself.
And if you made it, lets go to the next phase…

STRIPES
A leopard never changes its spots.
A tiger can camouflage and hide its stripes.
This is the period when a relationship actually reaches the 2nd year spot.
This is only the START of the struggle.
Not against each other, but against the negativity that will come haunt them down.
This is the time when teamwork is the most essential.
And if that wasn't built in the period before, you're in big trouble.
It's not something new when heartbreaks exist during this period because the couple is new to this phase.
This is the time when friends will start asking when the relationship is going to the next step.
People are expecting great news.
But none of the friends know the right struggle.
NOTE:
No matter how many times you get into a relationship and reaches the 2nd year base, it's still new to you because the partner is different. DUH!

And only up till here I can jot down.
Because I am in this phase.
Only, a little bit different.

The difference of me already being in this phase before but with a different person, I know what to expect.
This is the stage when they get comfortable with each other to the extend that each expects the other to understand everything the partner does.
What people forget is, no one knows you exactly.
Unless they're psychic.

To be honest, my relationship with Shahrin is different.
We know what is expected and what is coming.
Please, we are not psychics. Just a bunch of people who gets paranoid.
Or am I the only one? Haha!

So basically, this is how we're like.

HONEYMOON
Call everyday.
Text often.
No mushy stuffs.
Always cursing each other.
Not bothered to hold hands.
No lying on each other's shoulders.
Always talking to each other.
Talk. Talk. Talk
Adventures and discover something new about Mother Nature all the time.
Find a topic to debate about.
NO PROBLEMS at all.
Stayed up late to watch Secret Circle with the brothers.


THE I-LOVE-YOU-WITH-EVERYTHING-I-HAVE + EXPECTATIONS
It was more like,"You do what you prefer. Just don't hurt or trouble anyone at all."
That's basically the only expectation?
Still learning of each other's ways and cultures and dos and donts etc etc etc.
Still learning, that's the main catch.


I-LOVE-YOU-WITH-ALL-I-CAN + EXPECTATIONS + YOU MUST KNOW ME BY NOW
The feelings never fade, didn't decrease(at least for my part).
Commitments maintain the same. Priorities are still the same.
We still don't know each other fully. Still learning.
Quarrels due to misunderstandings and settle every problem on the day it started itself.
Still learning to adapt. Still adapting.
Settling problems given by other parties.

STRIPES
Gotta say this, our stripes are completely out now.
Things changed here and there but still holding onto our principle to not drag a problem to days.
Fights got bigger due to bigger issues.
Small misunderstandings are treated as nonsense and laughed at it after getting angsty over it.

So basically our relationship is boring..
To others, actually.
Because we define our own kinda fun.
Which is lame to other people's eyes.
What do we care? Yaha!

And I am struggling now.
But with faith in Allah, we believe we can do this.
Shahrin aged. You can see it from his face.

Hint: Watery eyes, reddish and half opened.

Ok bye