Part I: First Meetings
Part II: Let's Just Be Friends
PArt III: First Date
There are 6 of us we hung out constantly that first semester. Amber, Sarah, Me, Rod, ArJay and Dustin.
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| Everybody say "HI Dustin" |
We decided to all hang out for New Year's Eve. ArJay and Dustin lived in Tucson, so we all come to them. I am not feeling so well but didn't want to miss out on the fun so I came anyways.( This proved a bad choice since I was really out of it the whole time) NO one can agree on what to do, so we end up splitting into 2 groups and promise to meet later. I am in the car with ArJay and Amber. Long story short, It is not our night and everything we try to do doesn't work out. We miss the Midnight ball drop and kiss stuff because we are just driving to the dance and see the fireworks out the car window. It is an awkward weekend and I go back home confused and not sure where to go from here.
I get back to school and am completely bombarded with school and the play I am in, Honk. For weeks I get up early, go to school, go straight to rehearsal and don't get home until 10 or 11 at night. I am completely drained and miserable and not sure what to do about ArJay. He has waited multiple times at my dorm for me to come home, but ends up getting kicked out for dorm curfew before I get home. He leaves me the sweetest notes on my pillow every time. I Like him, A LOT! LEt's get real, he has seen me at my WORST. (See the walking Pneumonia And my all out cryfest for further proof).And, based on the sweet notes he keeps leaving me, he still seems to think I'm Rad. IN Fact, I like him so much I am maybe even starting to feel the other L word. And that REALLY freaks me out. Because I am NOT, AM NOT waiting for a missionary. Missionaries are gone for 2 years and I do not want to be one of those girls who sits around and waits. Again, nothing wrong with those girls but remember I fancied myself a rebel. So we sit down to talk.
" I really like you ArJay, but I don't think I can date you seriously. You are going on a mission in a couple months, can we just stay friends? " (Deja vu to week one anyone? Oh the irony!)
"Yeah of course, you're right. It wouldn't have worked...right?"
We hug and I walk him to the door. I have this horrible sense of loss and dread, even though all appears fine. We agreed didn't we? We thought the same thing? I need to make sure we are fine.
"So I'll see you tomorrow right?"
"Yeah, of course"Now he won't even look me in the eyes
But I don't see him tomorrow, or the next, and I only see him from a distance the next day. Then he has a girlfriend who is my complete opposite and a completely different set of friends.( Later he told me that he didn't agree. He wanted to date me really bad and was heartbroken and embarrassed so he had to get away for a while and find a group that didn't remind him of me. Ugh, my heart cries thinking about it.) And I don't see him much that semester. Sarah, Amber, and I go to Benson to meet up with his family for his birthday, but his girlfriend is there and it is awkward.
Now it is May and Rod is having his Mission farewell in New Mexico. A group of us decide to caravan back for it. There is a massive crash an hour outside my hometown and we are stuck for over an hour behind it. ArJay and I are sitting in the backseat and start talking. And the months melt away and my best friend is back. My parents put up a tent in the backyard for all of us and we stay up super late talking and I realize how much I missed him.
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| There we are in the back both in Yellow. We were Twin-ers and didn't even know it. |
Now it is June and it is time for ArJay's Mission farewell. But I am not going. We just started being friends again and I don't need to up the drama quotient. Going to the farewell will put so much unnecessary drama and pressure on a big grand goodbye. I'm just going to leave it at the bye I said at the end of school. But my Mom tells me I'm silly and I would never miss a friend's farewell so I better be a good friend and go.
We get there just as the meeting is starting and the place is packed because there is also a missionary homecoming today ( Funny story: that missionary, Cade Broderick, is now in our ward and his family are our really good friends). ArJay still spots me and insists afterwards that I come back for the big lunch thing they are doing at his house.
I got him a present. It is mostly gag gifts and funny inside jokes. Some "Sugar daddy" pants because he always said " Who's your daddy?" to annoy me. Pink girly stationary to write home, A huge box of fruit snacks. But I put in one serious thing. I cross-stitched him a picture of Jesus. ArJay opens it and just stares at it for a minute. Then he looks at me
"Thank you, I'll keep it with me always"
"You're welcome"
" Along with the Pants and pink paper"
"Well they are collectors items."
He keeps talking to me for a long time.
"ArJay, shouldn't you be talking to some of these other people. Didn't you grandma come from Utah?"
"She's not leaving til tomorrow, it's fine."
He eventually does go talk to others and I chit chat with his sister and my mom then we decide to go because it's 6 hours drive back home. He walks me to the car and I concentrate VERY HARD on not crying.
This is exactly why I did not want to come. I knew I'd just cry and make a scene. I can't help it, it's in my genes. We Weirs are criers.
I hastily say "We'll see you Elder Gamble, I'll write you." I give a quick hug and hop in the car.
As we drive home, I realize that I haven't actually kissed him since last year, that first date. So it's not the romance I'll miss, but the easy, perfect friendship that we already missed this whole semester because of our own pride and hurt feelings. I truly am not waiting for a missionary, but I'm sure going to miss my best friend.
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