First Kiss Part IV: Senior Year (part I)

Are you ready for this?


Senior Year part I:
This is where things get crazy.

I came back from the summer to discover that Alex and I were in an economics class together. I was a bit more confident than the previous year so it wasn't long before we were chatting and laughing and sitting by each other in class, etc.

Then it was homecoming time. At my high school, people were really into homecoming. Every day of the school week preceding the game/dance was themed. The themes-of-the-day included stuff like "Career Day", "Disney Day", and "Crayola Day" with Fridays always being "Spirit Day".

Here's a picture of "Crayola Day". I was a crayon box and these were my crayons. Presh, eh?


This particular year, my birthday was during homecoming week and it happened to fall on "Famous Group/Couple Day". I mentioned this to Alex once during our econ class and he proposed that we go together, as a famous couple. I (of course) agreed and tried to think of tame, non-romantic ideas so as to not put any pressure on the situation. I suggested we go as Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. To this, Alex responded, "Well... that's not really a 'couple'." So instead we went as Robin Hood and Maid Marion.

It was one of the most wonderful days ever. Definitely the best day of my high school experience. (A:) It was my birthday, (B:) I was dressed up all couple-like with my high-school crush, (C:) Alex found out that he made varsity soccer that day, (D:) a couple of people put up banners in the courtyard wishing me a happy birthday and (E:) a couple of people brought me balloons, cookies and cupcakes. My hands were full and I could not stop smiling. It was for-reals awesome.

Alex and I continued to chat and flirt through our econ class. Then we started going on a few sporadic dates. He kept saying we were going to see Harry Potter 4 together, but would never commit to a time. When I told him I would just go see it without him, he got his act together and we went. That was where we held hands for the first time.

As the year (the year 2005, not the school year) came to a close, all my dreams were coming true. Right before Christmas break, Alex invited me over to his house because his neighborhood was lighting luminaries and he wanted me to meet his family. I told this to my high school friends and when they asked what we'd be doing, I said, "Um... luminary things." The ambiguity of that statement caused "luminary things" to become their favorite euphemism for sexual activity. But that is neither here nor there...

On December 23rd, the luminary things commenced. I came over and met his family. He and I went on a walk around his neighborhood with his arm around me. It was beautiful with all the lights in the street. When it was time for me to leave, he gave me my Christmas present. It was a necklace; his mom had helped him pick it out. He walked me to my car and said he'd call me the next day.

He didn't call.