I realize that the picture pretty much gives away the ending, but I think that part was gonna be obvious anyway.

November and December dragged by. Normally, my favorite time of the year, I waited for something, anything to happen. David didn’t ask me out, but at least he didn’t ask out my dear friend either. We talked, laughed, flirted, and danced on Thursdays and Fridays. He bowled on Saturdays.

Then a devastating development. One night in December, David mentioned that he’d gone out with the daughter of a family friend. She was nice, but not really his type. So now I knew that he did date, just not me. A tiny little crack started in my heart; it felt like it was starting to freeze. At least he wasn’t interested in this other girl, but we were turning into the dreaded “friends”. Then, the bomb dropped. He told me, his friend, that his ex-girlfriend had called. She had been dating someone else, a law student, good story so far. However, this law student had started talking about marriage. She felt that it wouldn’t be fair to marry him without resolving her feelings for David. Resolving my foot! He went on to tell me that They would be spending some time together and he might not be around for a while. I had pinned my hopes on the New Year’s Eve party that we would be attending, or at least I thought we would. He wasn’t sure if he would come or not.

It turned out not. All of our friends went to the party. 1990 was destined to be a banner year! Surrounded by friends, I was devastated. I wanted to go home. What was the point of celebrating when my reason for living was not even there? He was probably out with the girl he had dated for years before we met, before his time in Alaska, a girl that he had history with and who wanted to “resolve her feelings”. I moped, I pouted, I’m sure I was a major downer. Midnight came and I reluctantly cheered along with the crowd. New Year’s kisses surrounded me and loneliness filled me. I left as quickly as possible.

On my own, I contemplated the possibilities. I was falling for this friend of mine and I didn’t want to be the shoulder he chose to cry on if his ex dumped him. I didn’t want to watch him get over her and move on to someone else. I definitely still wanted him for myself, and I had not quite given up hope, despite Saturday bowling, set-ups, and ex-girlfriends, I felt an attraction between us that I didn’t think I had imagined.