'I lit my universe on fire and I watched it burn - Kristen Stewart

In July of 2012, photos surfaced showing Kristen and Rupert, 44, getting a little too close and personal; the images, which made headlines around the world, showed the pair kissing and embracing during a day out in Los Angeles.
At the time, Rupert was married to model Liberty Ross, with whom he has two children, and Kristen was in a years-long relationship with British actor Robert Pattinson, 29.
While the scandal - and the ensuing dissolution of both Kristen and Rupert's relationships - were tabloid fodder for months, the actress claims now that she didn't let the incident destroy her
The actress, 25, spoke to Marie Claire about the 'traumatic period' that led to her split from then-boyfriend and former Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, while also posing on the cover of the magazine, which comes out next week.
Wearing a heavily embellished floral sweater and distressed jeans, the star of the upcoming film American Ultra gives off her signature aloof stare as she appears on the front of the August issue, in which she discusses 'starting over after one bats**t crazy year'.

'I lit my universe on fire and I watched it burn,' she said. 'Speaking very candidly, it was a really traumatic period in my early 20s that kick-started something in me that was a bit more feral.'
'I’m really proud that I am able to move forward and not fall into every mental crater,' she admitted. 'That’s a new thing for me. Age has made me smarter and calmer. And it is f***ing awesome.'



She went on: 'Between ages 15 and 20, it was really intense. I was constantly anxious. I was kind of a control freak. If I didn’t know how something was going to turn out, I would make myself ill, or just be locked up or inhibited in a way that was really debilitating.'
'Lately, I’ve been doing less of the "I’m sooooo sorry" and more of the "No",' she explained.
Kristen began seeing her personal assistant, Alicia Cargile, romantically. The couple has been spotted out and about in Los Angeles holding hands, though Kristen has yet to speak out about the relationship.
That new attitude also comes from feeling more secure in how she looks. The actress explained that she used to use her long hair as a crutch, being something that she could hide behind and always look 'sexy' with, regardless of what else was going on.
Once she cut her hair, though, she 'had to let my face hang out' - something that might leave some women feeling vulnerable, but which made Kristen feel even more confident.
'Maybe to most people long hair is prettier,' she said. 'But then what? Is your main goal in life to be desired? That is boring as f***.'