Nikita, Mercedes & Daniel

Nikita (22) - Mercedes’ Boyfriend

Mercedes (24)

Daniel (25) - Mercedes’ Ex-Boyfriend

Toronto, Ontario Canada

Foreign Affairs

Mercedes and her ex-boyfriend, Daniel, started dating while in high school in their home town of Budapest, Hungary. After graduating it was time for them to start making decisions that would determine where their lives would go moving forward. Mercedes’ father is a Canadian citizen and she loved the idea of moving to The Great White North in order to be closer with him. Daniel’s parents all but disowned him, so, rather than stay in Budapest and lose Mercedes he decided to move to Canada with his beautiful girlfriend. When they landed in Toronto they had their whole lives ahead of them and were very excited to spend it together. They found an apartment and Daniel got a job working in construction. Things were moving along great. But like most young romances, eventually their love for each other faded, at least in the sense of it remaining a love shared between a boyfriend and girlfriend. They dated for approximately three years. When most couple’s breakup they go their separate ways, but not Mercedes and Daniel. Although they have been broken up for quite some time they are still living together.

Even more strange, even though they are living together they are both out playing the field and trying-on romances with new partners. But even though Daniel is dating and Mercedes has a boyfriend neither one truly feels comfortable with the other seeing someone else. Mercedes is openly jealous of almost any woman that Daniel is interested in and the same goes for Daniel. While they maintain an extremely close relationship, they both have trouble telling each other about a potential suitor if there is a possibility that the relationship might go somewhere serious. Whether they want to admit it or not, they are having a hard time letting go of their romance even though they are technically broken up. Most everyone in Mercedes’ and Daniel’s life finds it strange, unhealthy and problematic. Which includes Mercedes’ current romantic partner, Nikita.

Like Mercedes and Daniel, Nikita is also an immigrant, though he hails from Russia rather than Hungary. He is an attractive, aspiring lawyer who likes to play the stock market in his spare time. Nikita is aware of Mercedes and Daniel’s living situation and he doesn’t like or understand it at all. Nikita comes from a long line of traditional, old-school Russian thinking that isn’t about free love and wishy-washy romantic boundaries. Exes do not live together. Nikita is in a tough position as it appears that both he and Mercedes are interested in taking the relationship further, but the fact that she lives with Daniel throws a wet blanket on their attempt at expanding the relationship. Mercedes and Daniel have a rule that neither of them can bring home a date if the other is home… which is almost always the case. Nikita and Mercedes both share many of the same values and seem to really want to make it work, but only time will tell as to whether Daniel’s inclusion in the picture will allow for a romance to fully blossom.

While Mercedes and Daniel have both claimed numerous times that they are ready to move on their actions show otherwise. Mercedes and Daniel have had their slip ups from time to time and have slept together in moments of confusion and longing. Mercedes has not slept with Daniel while dating Nikita, but it has happened while they have lived together. The lines of friendship, roommates and relationship are indistinguishable for these two. They are so used to one another that they have a difficult time not falling into old habits. It’s not uncommon for Mercedes to walk out of the bathroom nude after a shower, or for them to cuddle. They have to pay rent together, they go on social events together. Their lives are intertwined.

It’s all completely understandable as they were all each other had when they moved to a foreign country together at a young age. They were each other’s entire support system as they learned a new language, a new culture and worked to create successful careers for themselves. They are bonded together like family, and that bond is difficult to break. However, if Mercedes and Daniel want a chance at romance they need to make some painful and difficult decisions. The bond needs to evolve not break, question is: are they ready to grow? Either they need to move out and create some serious boundaries which involves sacrifice and entering a place of extreme discomfort. Or, they continue to live together. But that means a stagnant limbo where each are repeating a harmful pattern of, “will they, won’t they?” which only leads to resentment, stress and disillusionment. And what of Nikita, who is an outstanding boyfriend with all the qualities that Mercedes’ is looking for? How long will Nikita tolerate the absurd situation that he finds his girlfriend and himself in?