High School

The Forecast: "You can take the girl out of high school, but you can't take the high school out of the girl" - said by my friend Liz today, to me.

The Backstory: As I was walking into Borders today the memory of the time I had been there with my now ex-boyfriend, before we were dating, came across my mind. With this thought I opened the door to the store and noticed two guys who at first glance could be in my age group, and so, I gave them a second glance; trying to erase thoughts of my ex-boyfriend. Turned out, the second glance did the trick because I recognized the profile of my former high-school crush.

To say "crush" is to put it lightly. I was infatuated. You know, the way you can be in high-school. He was dark, mysterious, socially-awkward, an artist, moody - I should have taken notes then about the future guys I would be attracted to - and all I wanted in the world was for him to pay any kind of attention to me.
Which, some times he did, but only in IM. Did I mention he was socially awkward?

Turns out, he still is.
And so am I, because this is what I did next:

I recognize him and immediately head for the back of the story where I call my friend Liz, who is exactly who I would have called had this happened 8 years ago in high school. I leave her this message:
"{uncontrolable laughter} {in whisper}oh my god Liz. {again, laughter} I'm in Borders, and {laughter} oh my god, you'll never guess whose here. {more laughter} I saw Michael T. Smith. {laughter} And I can't believe I'm whispering this message to you in the back of the store. I'm hangin up now {more laughter}"

Needless to say, Liz called me back and we laughed good and hard about it, while she also tried to convince me to go talk to him. I tried, really I did. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. About a month ago, at a Borders parking lot in a different state, I asked out a total stranger. Just went up to him and asked him out.
But sitting not three feet from a boy that I went to my senior Homecoming dance with (long and funny story how THAT came about, but that will have to wait for a later day) I couldn't even bring myself to look at him, to try to make eye contact so I could say "Hey, don't I know you from high school..."
And neither, Liz would want me to point out, did he.