"I'm sorry I've been a 'bad boyfriend'"

I have decided that I really need to start switching my phone off when I go to bed.

Last night I went to bed just after midnight as I wanted to wake up early today to pack (I return to university accommodation tomorrow). But a good night's sleep was not on the cards as I was woken up at 3am by my phone going off.

Jerked awake from my sleep, I first thought it was my alarm (set for 7.30am) and reached out to my phone to switch it off. Forcing my eyes open, I saw that it was not actually my alarm and the time was 3.03am. The number was not in my contacts, but I recognised it straight away. It was Adam.

I panicked and frantically debated whether I should pick up or ignore the call. I picked up.

"Hello?"

As soon as I said hello, he cut the call.

I was relieved. I have no idea what I would have said to him.

I put the phone back on my bedside table and tried to go to sleep.

A few minutes later it rang again. This time I didn't even want to pick up, but as soon I looked at who was calling, the call was cut off. I thought he was just trying to irritate me and annoy me - or perhaps it was one of his friends. I expected that he would just leave a voicemail if he really wanted to talk.

I turned my phone to silent and closed my eyes. But the damage had been done. My heart was racing and the adrenaline wouldn't let me sleep. I checked my phone again and there was no message or text - strange I thought.

Eventually I must have fallen asleep because when I next opened my eyes, it was 7am.

I checked my phone - there was a text. I knew it would be from him and it was.

"Hey. It's Adam (Bankson) on +[his number]. Basically, and there's no easy way of saying this, but, I still have the same feelings I did for you all that long time ago. Quite badly infact. I know I was a bad boyfriend and I know we cannot be together now because of me but I think about you and I still love you so so much. I'm so sorry for what happened because I realise now - way too late - that you're the perfect girl. I hope you're happy if you're in a new relationship - and I'm still thinking of you baby - no-one can replace you. From Adam. X"

It was the usual crap, but somehow it didn't affect me as much as it would have done before. As I type it up, I can feel it more than I did when I read it. It was just so predictable. And I was actually able to laugh at the way he had apologised. He had been a "bad boyfriend"! He made it seem so minor. As if his idea of cheating is just a little mistake. It;'s as if a little kid was being told off for being caught with his hand in the cookie jar or something.

I realised so many things once I had thought about it properly:

1. He contacted me at 3am on Friday night. I think he was probably drunk anyway as he spends 90percent of the nights drunk. So it invalidates any remorse he had – it was the alcohol speaking.
2. IF he is feeling remorse it is only out of desperation and not because he actually wants me. I think he’s just run out of girls who will give him a chance now. So he thinks it’s time to get back to what he had with me – I put up with so much of his crap!
3. He says “bad boyfriend” as if it was a minor thing! He cheated. I gave him another chance. He did it again. I told him to prove his love. He didn’t bother – he just went off with other girls.
4. If I was really in a new relationship would my new bf be happy about my ex texting me such things!? He’s selfish and inconsiderate.

Then came the anger. How dare he call me "baby"? He doesn't have the right to call me that anymore. I'm going to be someone else's baby. And if he really thought I was in a new relationship, did he think my boyfriend would be okay with my ex sending me such texts? He was being him as usual - selfish.

I'm trying to get over him and every few months he does something like this to make sure I don't move on. If he was really remorseful, surely he would at least have had the decency to apologise in person? But he's probably just running out of girls who will give him a chance and wants to get back to where he felt 'safe'.

Well I have finally learnt to pity him rather than actually take his words seriously. As he said himself, it is way too late.