After a rom-com-esque meeting in a coffee shop Niall, 23, and Denisa, 25, from Leicester dated on-and-off for two years before breaking up in 2017.
Their relationship was adventurous, and the pair loved travelling together. Although it was Niall’s decision to officially end it, both of them agreed that it was the right thing to do. They say "immaturity and jealousy" were their biggest weaknesses.
Ever the matchmakers, Cosmopolitan UK sent these first loves on a date in June 2019 to see if there was any unfinished business to explore. (Watch the adorable video below to find out how that went!) Spoiler alert: when asked whether they would see each other again, photographer Denisa said she could see a relationship happening. Niall, a model, agreed there could still be something romantic between them.
So six weeks after the date, we caught up with them to see what (if anything) happened next...
Have you seen each other since the date?
Denisa: "Yeah, we’ve been out a few times, just for meals and drinks. We met up again within a few days of doing the photoshoot for Cosmopolitan UK. Niall asked me first, but I wanted to meet up as well. As soon as I saw him, I realised I did want to try again. I’ve still got feelings for him and I don’t think I ever stopped loving him. I would have regretted it if I didn’t try again.
"The second time we met up, we discussed what our issues were in the past and realised they were really childish. Now we’re back together. It’s so much better than last time. We don’t argue over silly things anymore and there’s no jealousy or paranoia. Most recently, we’ve been glamping with llamas! It’s been nice to spend some time alone together."
Everyone's clicking on...
Niall: "We saw each other the week after [the date] and went for a meal. We just had a laugh and picked back up where we left off. We’re kind of back together, though we haven’t officially declared anything yet. But I’d say we’re almost at that point. If anything, we’ve fallen back into a much better version of our old relationship. It feels much more fun now. We’re just very comfortable together, so when we spent a few days away it didn’t feel like a big deal."
Do you think it was a mistake to break up?
Denisa: "I never wanted to break up. Niall was the one who broke up with me. But now, I’m glad we did. It gave us time to think and mature, and we both learned how to handle relationships in a better way."
Niall: "I don’t think it was a mistake. Breaking up was necessary to allow us both time to grow up and become adults on our own. We were both really immature at the time and I think we had to realise that."
Where do you see things going in the future?
Denisa: "I think our relationship will last for a while, hopefully forever. Niall’s been working a lot recently and he’s saving for a house. One day, he accidentally dropped into conversation that what he's working for is to 'get us a house'. That’s when I realised that maybe I’m in his plan for the future. After that, he changed the subject. But I think we’ll have the conversation again when the time is right. We’re trying not to rush things for now. My parents are happy I’m back with Niall too. They’ve just told me to not make the same mistakes again."
Niall: "If our relationship stays as positive as it is now, I can see it being a long-term thing. Eventually, we’ll put a label on it, but we’ll have to talk about it and make sure we’ve both got the same idea."
Read about Niall and Denisa's date in the September issue of Cosmopolitan UK.
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Emily Gulla was Cosmopolitan UK’s Former Editorial Assistant/Junior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer, covering celebs, TV and film for the site, magazine and video. She’s interviewed the casts of your favourite TV shows, from Bridgerton to Derry Girls and Stranger Things, as well as dozens of Love Islanders. She also loves getting stuck into long-read features, writing on all things digital culture (including her favourite topic: memes), and dating - having appeared on the radio to discuss dating.
Emily's work has also been published on ELLE, Women's Health, Harper's Bazaar, Digital Spy and more. She holds a First Class degree in English with Film Studies from King's College London, and even wrote her dissertation on Love Island. You can find Emily on Instagram and LinkedIn, and can see more of her work on her website.
