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The moment I knew: We were babysitting my younger siblings and he wore a tutu to make them laugh

The Guardian UK Saturday 10 October 2026, 19:00 UTC By Sarah Maloney 1 min read
Key Points

When Sarah Maloney’s primary school crush danced back into her life, she braced for a ‘teenage whirlwind romance’. Then one night, she realised they were both all inFind more stories from the moment I knew seriesIn 2017 I was 16, went to an all-girls Catholic school in Melbourne and had zero tolerance for teenage boys and their nonsense.

When Sarah Maloney’s primary school crush danced back into her life, she braced for a ‘teenage whirlwind romance’. Then one night, she realised they were both all in

In 2017 I was 16, went to an all-girls Catholic school in Melbourne and had zero tolerance for teenage boys and their nonsense. Instead, I spent a lot of gossip time lamenting Jake, who broke my tiny heart in primary school and then moved hours away.

A local debutante ball was coming up. It was an expensive tradition that was fundamentally at odds with my values, but I couldn’t say no to a pretty dress and dancing – I was still a teenage girl after all. Some friends asked cousins or co-workers from our part-time jobs to be partners. I got knocked back by everyone. When I complained to my mother, she let me know Jake had moved back to town, and did she want me to ask his mum if he would be willing?

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Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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