Our Story…Part III

So I left you hanging with our not so happy ending, but never fear…it gets better :) (This will be my last one…so wait for the happy ending :))

Although we ran into each other several times, we did not speak for the next year.  I enjoyed my senior year as a single girl and he continued to date his Homecoming date.As I mentioned before, we had quite a few mutual friends so there was no escaping each other completely.  Eventually this running into each other led to us finally having a conversation, almost exactly a year after we last spoke. 

It was late August and school was about to start here at Alabama.  I was with some of our mutual friends at the Bama Blast welcome celebration for freshman, and lo and behold, Alex showed up.  I knew it would be awkward, but didn’t think too much of it because I was happily dating a guy back home that I thought was “the one” and he was still dating the girl from HS.  We were hanging out on the quad with our friends, watching his girlfriend play with the Million Dollar Band and one minute we were with a group of people, and the next minute it was just the two of us.

I will never forget sitting on the pillars of the steps at Gorgas library, swinging my feet over the edge and happily texting my boyfriend back home as it was our 2 month anniversary. 

The pillar that you see at the back of the picture is the exact one I was sitting on.

As I was sitting there, I heard Alex say, “Please scoot back”.  I of course turned around and glared at him, shocked that he said anything to me, and appalled that he was telling me what to do.  So, I asked him what he said…just to make sure I wasn’t imagining it…and he said “Please scoot back away from the edge.  You’re making me nervous”.  Of course, my sassy self, replied, “Well, why do you care?  You hate me anyway” and I went back to texting.  He told me again, this time more insistently, and this time I did as he asked and moved away from the edge.

This seemingly little moment actually got us talking again.  Not in a relationship way because we were both very happy in our current relationships, but more in a friend way…which is all I was interested in.  He was even sweet and traded his Medium Bama Blast t-shirt (we had gotten them that day as part of the festivities) for my large one so it wouldn’t be so big.  Our friends finally found their way back to us and we headed to the bookstore to pick up our books for the semester.  Alex was again a sweetheart, and helped me carry my ridiculously heavy books (which would eventually become a tradition of ours) and that was the last time I really spent any time with him.

Throughout the semester, we had classes in opposite buildings so we passed each other 2 days a week.  We never said more than hi to each other as we passed, but we both kept up with each other through our mutual friends.

Fast forward to early January, 2004.  I was back from Christmas break, newly single (another story in itself), and in the bookstore lugging around a basket full of books that probably weighed more than I did.  I turned a corner, and there was Alex.  We struck up a conversation, and of course him being the gentleman that he is, he carried my books around until we finished shopping.  We talked about our Christmas breaks, and I told him that the ex and I were no longer together and he said that he and his girlfriend were great (which was a lie, but I won’t go there).  We parted ways and that was that.

We did see each other occasionally, but since he was seriously dating someone else (as in the word engagement was being thrown around about those two) I didn’t even bother saying more than hello.  One evening in April, as I was hanging out with the other Avantis on the quad for Relay for Life, our mutual friends informed me that he and his girlfriend had broken up.

Although I didn’t necessarily have any romantic feelings for Alex at the time(because he was taken, and I just don’t go down that road :)), I did adore him as a friend so as soon as I heard, I called and left a message letting him know he could call me if he wanted.  I realize it sounds like I was trying to take advantage of the situation, but a relationship with Alex never really crossed my mind.  Over the next few weeks, we talked a few times on the phone or on instant messenger, but it was nothing serious. 

One evening, I went to a friend’s party and put it on my “Away” message on Instant Messenger (remember this was long before Facebook and status updates).  Alex left me a message saying he wished I had invited him and be sure to do so the next time.  A few nights later, my girlfriends and I were heading to a frat party so I invited him.  Of course, he turned me down, and we went on to the party.  As we were just about to arrive, Alex called and said he’d changed his mind and he wanted me to come to a different frat party with him.  After my friends’ nudging, I went and saw him and boy was I glad I did, because we had our first kiss that night and pretty much got back together. :)

  Both were pictures from that night :)

We hung out a lot over the next few weeks as school was drawing to a close.  We never really claimed we were dating because Alex would ask me out, then panic and back out because he felt like we were moving too fast  I felt horrible that he was feeling that way, so I was patient and just went with the flow.

We went back home as soon as school got out and we spent the majority of the weekend together until I had to head back for Avanti training.  I hated to leave him, but we decided we’d see each other the following weekend.  Unfortunately that never happened, and due to some unfortunate circumstances (a.k.a. his ex coming back in the picture), we didn’t talk for the rest of the summer.

As school was about to start back, I was home one weekend heading to lunch with my ex, when I saw Alex driving around.  I called him just to say hi, and he actually answered.  He came over to my house that afternoon and it was like we had never really been a part.

As school started back, we spent a lot of time together, but we denied that we were dating.  His ex kept popping back into the picture making things way too complicated so it wasn’t until early November that she was completely out of the picture, and we were officially dating.

Although we’ve had a bumpy road, here we are, 5 years later, and are happy as can be :)

 

See, I told you our story was long and complicated…but sometimes the best things in life take a little more work :)

I hope you enjoyed taking a walk down memory lane with us :)  Since we’ll be enjoying the game tomorrow, I’ve already typed up a cute couples survey I found on Britney’s blog over at Tales of a Southern Belle and her Beau so look for that tomorrow :)

Have a happy Saturday and Roll Tide!

Love,