My Fairy Tale – Part 2

(If you missed it, Part 1 is over here.)

I don’t know why, but I lied to myself.  I told myself I had no interest in him – that he wasn’t what I was looking for, he was too wild, he drove too crazily, oh the number of excuses I had.

There was one legitimate reason – I wasn’t 16 yet.  And after the earlier incident, I wasn’t too keen on a relationship with a guy who seemed to have a false sense of chivalry.  Oh wait, that was an excuse, wasn’t it?

At one point, a new-found friend from school (not a Christian) became interested in youth group.  It was just a Friday night event, not a bible study, but she asked to come.  And she saw him and thought he was hot.  And she decided to pursue.

I think it broke my heart when they briefly dated.  I was in the same car that took all three of us home one night, and he escorted her to the door.  I didn’t look, but my good friend (the driver) said he kissed her goodnight.

I still wasn’t old enough to date, and while we had flirted a little, I was still hiding any interest – or so I thought.  In fact, I told myself that if he was interested in my friend, then he couldn’t be interested in me and I should just forget about dating at all.

And I was so relieved when my friend sort of left things hanging.  She told me that she’s all about the chase and he had caved too soon and she wasn’t really interested any more.  I wonder if she knew I liked him.  I wonder if she was sparing me more hurt.  Not that she wasn’t all about the chase – I knew enough about her to realize that truth.

It was still much later before he finally asked me out.

About two weeks after my 16th birthday, the youth group was taking advantage of the long weekend in August and one of the families’ boat.  We were down at Alouette Lake, on the far side of the lake.  Everyone had been taking turns going water skiing or inner tubing behind the boat, and so there were a few of us on the beach while most people were out on the lake.

I was sitting at the edge of a blanket – he was sprawled across it on the opposite edge.  We’d been chatting about lots of different things when he suddenly paused and asked “What do you think about Tim Favelle?”

I remember smiling, blushing, and trying so hard not to meet his eyes.  “I think he’s pretty cool,” I said.  How lame!

And then he asked me out.

And I was so excited, I was bubbling over!  I almost felt brave.  It was our turn to go out on the boat and I actually decided to go.  I was a few ounces of bravery short of actually going out behind the boat, but I cheered as he went tubing or skiing – I can’t remember which it was now.

Later we talked again about our new found relationship and he admitted that he’d been interested for a while, but since it didn’t seem like I was ready to admit my interest in him, he decided he’d date my friend (wow, so I guess I wasn’t so discreet after all!).

Over the next few weeks, still summer, I remember so many things and have forgotten so many others.  I remember one night, shortly after we started dating, he was being dropped off at his house and he kissed my forehead.  That was the only kiss we shared then, and I don’t think I washed my forehead for a week.

And then, he broke my heart.

Part 3.