She fell in love with Jax Teller when she was 15. His (already) bad-boy persona, persuasive grin, beautiful golden hair, and apparent Mommy issues were compelling. She wanted to simultaneously save him and be saved by him. Saved from her own Type A, good-two-shoes, bookish self. But he fell for the perfectly broken Tara Knowles before anyone could blink and she knew he was never the one for her.
She fell in love with Opie Winston two weeks' shy of her 18th birthday. He was sweet, smart, kind, and gentle—at least to his ex-girlfriend Donna. She even went on one date with him. He took her out for ice cream and a ride on his motorcycle. They watched the sun set and he took her home. The next day, Donna and Opie were back together. She knew this was inevitable—Donna was all Opie had seen since preschool (other than Jax and that club). She knew he was never the one for her.
She fell in love with Clay Morrow when she was 19 and home for the first time since she'd left for college. Her college boyfriend just dumped her, so he could play the field; so, she spent a night eating ice cream (memories of Opie flitting around in her head) and crying. Clay found her, on the side of the road, sitting on the truck of her tiny little Corolla, sobbing so hard she was barely breathing. He pulled over to make sure she was ok (she was Charming's little princess, the good girl, the one who was bound to be successful) and he gave her a hug. When he offered to kill the boyfriend, she remembered why Clay had always scared her. After saying no, she took a deep breath and went back home.
She fell in love with Tig Trager when she was 21. Her birthday fell over fall break, so some friends went home to Charming with her. They went out, but in a small town on a Friday night, run-ins with the Sons were bound to happen. She couldn't hold her liquor (good girl) and her friends all laughed. Tig though, he brought her home, took care of her, and left water and Advil by her bed. The next day, some club members laughed at her and Tig made them stop. But she remembered why she stayed away from the club (the violence, the sexism, the anger, the whores) and she left Charming without looking back.
She fell in love with Bobby when she was 24. Her father had died of a heart attack, so she took some time off grad school and came to help her mother out. The school had arranged for her to study away for a month, so her time not spent with her family was spent underneath piles of books and research. She was 24 and didn't want to be in charge of taking care of her family. One day, she ran into Bobby while buying groceries—the club hadn't known she was in town. He promised on the spot to watch over her mom and siblings. He helped out and then he helped her pack. She left town for bigger and better things.
She fell in love with Chibs Telford when she was 29. She had finally gotten her PhD and had a job lined up. She went home to Charming to celebrate and her car broke down. When Gemma (scary woman) called her to pick it up, Chibs started a round of applause for her at the club. She was flattered, but old enough to know teasing when she saw it. It was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for her, but when he asked her round for a drink she said no. She knew this club and she knew this man. When she left, she smiled in excitement to start her life.
She fell in love with Happy Lowman when she was 34. Her husband had recently been killed in action in Iraq and her career was moving away from academia and into politics. Her brother had just graduated college and all the family and friends were going to Charming to celebrate. Her brother, in all his youthful, youngest sibling, naiveté wanted to join the club, but Happy had shot that down fast. The club still made a showing at the party, but left before her mother could accuse them of anything uncouth. When she left for her job at the White House (the WHITE HOUSE!), she left with one searing kiss from Happy in her memory.
Years later, after some time as a Chief of Staff, then Senator, and finally as Secretary of Defense, she went home to Charming for her mother's funeral. The whole club showed up and the men who, in equal parts, scared her, adored her, and loved her (and whom she loved) were all there. She fell in love with herself at 47. She had been a wife, a mother, a professor, and a politician. She decided it was time to return home, to be the woman she always was, and to protect the young girls from the men who would prevent them from doing the same. She became Charming's mayor and avoided the club whenever she could. She had learned her lesson well—good girls stay away from bad boys. But, on dark and lonely nights, she could hear the rumble of bikes, driving past her house, looking in on her, protecting her. She was the good girl who loved the Sons and they were the bad boys who knew they would always love her.