Charlie Anderson-Jeffs, from Harpsden

WHEN I was 13, I worked at Bix Manor and met Katie, who worked in the kitchen.

Our friendship blossomed and I used every excuse to go to the kitchen. We even used to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend to get each other out of sticky situations. I always had a crush on her and had even attempted to kiss her, failing miserably.

At 21, being the last ones left in Henley (as everyone had gone off to university), we decided to move in together — strictly as mates.

Living with Katie, made my crush for her impossible to ignore. On the other side, she was dating left, right and centre and I was her confidante. She would always question me as to why I was not dating.

Keeping all this to myself led me to struggling with my mental health (a powerful crush). Katie was instrumental in helping me through but little did she know this was just making my feelings grow stronger.

I got to a point where I could no longer hold it in but was still cautious because I didn’t want to risk losing our friendship.

My friends claim they always knew, as I would not shut up about her. One night while drowning my sorrows at Mahiki’s four years ago during the regatta, I let it slip to her four best friends that I was in love with her.

Unbeknown to me, at that same time, Katie was confessing her feelings for me, which I did not find out about until months later.

For months I tried to pluck up the courage to say something. After asking my dad what to do, I promised myself I would pour my heart out to her on the romantic riverside summer walks we would do after work.

The perfect evening arose and I decided this was the time but her friend bumped into us by the river and joined the walk — great!

After the walk it was my time to shine, only to find out upon arriving home that her friend was on her way over as she was having boy problems… three or four hours later her friend finally left.

We were now alone and Katie announced she was going to bed. I couldn’t wait any longer, so I sat her down on the sofa, shaking and stuttering. I poured my heart out and asked for permission to kiss her (worst kiss ever and not how I imagined our firstone).

It turns out, all this time, Katie had been waiting for me to make the first move and she had found the riverside walks as romantic as I had.

Best and scariest thing I have ever done but we have been to together ever since — and she is the one.