A little love story: part 3

Part 1 here
Part 2 here

Up until this point, blondes weren’t really my thing. Whenever I daydreamed up my one and only, he was always your classic case of tall, dark, and handsome. A Prince Eric type of guy, but a bit more rugged.

Alex couldn’t be more the contrary. Except the tall and handsome part, oops. How odd to be swooning over this blonde-of-all-blondes. But yet it was happening, and happening fast.  

Soon every free second was spent together. We’d study, go to the gym, play cards, lounge at the pool, go on hikes, make smoothies, and stargaze. It was turning into the best summer ever.

Believe it or not, some of these were taken with a disposable camera. I don't know why...

However, let the record show that this boy took forever to kiss me. He sure took his sweet time teasing away, and that was smart. Really smart. There were endless moments when I was positive “it” was going to happen, only to not happen at all. His arms would be around me and we’d be talking so close that our lips were practically touching. It went like this for at least a week, which is a long time when you spend practically 24/7 with each other. I loved that about him.

That first kiss finally took place in the back of his truck (so country, I know) while stargazing. Mid-conversation he unexpectedly leaned over and planted the most gentle kiss. I was in shock by it, and romantically (nawt) sat there like a limp noodle. “Did you just kiss me?” I said like a dummy. He responded with a little more:)

The best part for me was that neither of us felt the need to DTR (if you aren’t from Provo this means Define The Relationship. Also known as the most awkward encounters of your life.) For the past month and a half, we were simply having fun. Why bring in unnecessary pressure? I liked him, he liked me, and that was just fine.

Until it started to get a little hairy. Everywhere we went people would ask, and we would just laugh and sidestep the question. Coincidentally one of Alex’s friends wanted me to double with one of his buddies that weekend. My sister Ashley also had someone in mind, and she wanted to set us up before anything became official with Alex and I. Of course I had no desire to go, but what was I supposed to say? Alex wasn’t my boyfriend, and even though we spent more or less every free moment together- he could be dating other girls for all I knew.

I brought it up in the most nonchalant way possible. “So..Clay wants me to double with him this weekend. He has a friend in town.” We were driving on 100 North by Smith’s, and I kept my eyes firmly on the road. Without skipping a beat he said, “That’ll be fun! What are you guys going to do?”

I was silently furious. Seriously?? Show a LITTLE concern! Twinge of jealousy, interest, denial, anything! “Well I don’t really want to go,” I said a little later. He was quick on his feet that day, “Ok, then don’t.” The conversation ended there, and we happily went on to other topics. The inevitable would have to wait yet again. I told Clay I was sick.

My sister Hilary was getting married that summer, and right before the wedding we planned a weekend getaway to the Bahamas. Alex was driving me to the airport, and as I finished up last minute packing, my roommates were putting the pressure on big time. “Come on, Alex. What are you guys? You two are together all the time.” I heard bits and pieces of his clearly uncomfortable responses from my room, and was secretly thrilled. For the first time ever, I was ready for this to be a real relationship.

When I came out, I pretended like I hadn’t heard a thing. We hopped in the car, and he drove while I ate cantaloupe. (Side note: I love to eat it by cutting the melon in half, and carving the insides out with a spoon. No bowl or plate necessary.) It wasn’t long until Alex awkwardly began the dreaded DTR. But now, it wasn’t so dreaded.

I let him talk while I happily munched away. In the most roundabout way possible, it finally came out. “I really like you. And I’m pretty sure you like me. So we’re like... together, right?” I grinned shamelessly at him squirming in his seat, clearly not sure how to go about this. “Yeah, I’d take you for a boyfriend.” I went back to my cantaloupe, and that was it. Pretty easygoing, just like it had always been.

We took this picture right before I went into the airport, after the "DTR"