Status: My first story. All the chapter titles are taken from songs. Please read and comment! Thanks so much! :)
Here I Am, Alive
But Darling, You Are The Only Exception
I've never had much luck with guys. When I was in middle school, I had a tremendous crush on my next door neighbor, who ended up moving away before I developed the guts to tell him how I felt. Then, with the start of high school came my first real boyfriend, Jake, who dumped me because I refused to sleep with him after 4 months. After breaking up with Jake, I lost all hope in guys. I watched all of the drama surrounding my friends and their fleeting boyfriends, and tried to console them when they cried for hours over boys they barely knew. I tried to avoid the couples in the hallway who would make out by their lockers, only to be giving each other sneering looks the very next day. I couldn't understand why anyone would even bother with relationships.
But Dave was a different story.
"He's really tall," Grace told me one day as we walked down my block one summer day, slurpees in hand. "Like...REALLY tall. I'm pretty sure he's 6'3. And he's got dark hair, and these huge brown eyes...he's exactly your type, trust me."
"Im sure he's nice and all, but you know how I-"
"Dani." she interjected. "I'm giving him your number. No exceptions."
I rolled my eyes, figuring she wouldn't do it. But the next weekend, Dave and I ended up texting nonstop. He was so easy to talk to, and we clicked in the strangest way. I was hesitant to meet him, because obviously someone can be different over texting than in person. But of course, Grace arranged for us to meet each other.
"It'll be me, you, Dave, and Carter." she explained to me over the phone soon after Dave and I began talking. Carter was Grace's younger sister, who was just a grade below us. She was the greatest artist I'd ever met, and was the type of person that made everyone in ther room laugh without even trying. Carter was one of my closet friends, which sometimes bothered Grace, but there was really nothing she could do about it. "So you'll know two people there! And it will be a good way for you guys to get to know each other."
3 days after Dave and I started talking, I found myself nervously getting ready to meet this mysterious boy.
Grace planned for us all to go out for pizza at Luigi's, the pizza joint within walking distance of both of our houses. I'd never been one to dress to impress, so I didn't have any sort of clue what to wear. I settled for a plain tank top and shorts, figuring that I wanted him to like me for me, not my body. Since Jake had broken up with me, I'd been EXTREMELY self conscious about my body. I was short, and my boobs were on the large side, but unlike most girls, I absolutely couldn't stand them. I hated how guys stared at my chest rather than my face when they talked to me, and I loved hiding in my oversized sweatshirts whenever I could. I had brown eyes that really weren't anything special, and long, dark wavy/curly hair that was pretty hard to tame. I prayed the Dave was into that sort of thing, and tried not to dwell on my own teenage insecurities.
Grace texted me that Dave had arrived when I was barely done brushing my hair.
"SHIT!" I screamed, for I still hadn't even shaved my legs yet. I told Grace to stall him, and finished getting myself ready while cursing like a sailor. But I made it out of the house, and practically sprinted to Luigi's.
When I walked into the restaurant, I spotted Grace and Carter immeadiately. They were with the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen.
He had a kind face. That's the best way to describe it. And deep eyes that I couldn't help staring at, just because the color was so gorgeous, like the most rich milk chocolate you could imagine. And he looked like he was about to throw up from nervousness.
I sat down with them, feeling like I was going to upchuck myself. But after a while, we all got past the awkwardness and settled in.
Dave was HILARIOUS. His humor was the type I enjoyed the most, and I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled so much.
And when he talked to me, he didn't look at my chest at all.
Only my eyes.
But Dave was a different story.
"He's really tall," Grace told me one day as we walked down my block one summer day, slurpees in hand. "Like...REALLY tall. I'm pretty sure he's 6'3. And he's got dark hair, and these huge brown eyes...he's exactly your type, trust me."
"Im sure he's nice and all, but you know how I-"
"Dani." she interjected. "I'm giving him your number. No exceptions."
I rolled my eyes, figuring she wouldn't do it. But the next weekend, Dave and I ended up texting nonstop. He was so easy to talk to, and we clicked in the strangest way. I was hesitant to meet him, because obviously someone can be different over texting than in person. But of course, Grace arranged for us to meet each other.
"It'll be me, you, Dave, and Carter." she explained to me over the phone soon after Dave and I began talking. Carter was Grace's younger sister, who was just a grade below us. She was the greatest artist I'd ever met, and was the type of person that made everyone in ther room laugh without even trying. Carter was one of my closet friends, which sometimes bothered Grace, but there was really nothing she could do about it. "So you'll know two people there! And it will be a good way for you guys to get to know each other."
3 days after Dave and I started talking, I found myself nervously getting ready to meet this mysterious boy.
Grace planned for us all to go out for pizza at Luigi's, the pizza joint within walking distance of both of our houses. I'd never been one to dress to impress, so I didn't have any sort of clue what to wear. I settled for a plain tank top and shorts, figuring that I wanted him to like me for me, not my body. Since Jake had broken up with me, I'd been EXTREMELY self conscious about my body. I was short, and my boobs were on the large side, but unlike most girls, I absolutely couldn't stand them. I hated how guys stared at my chest rather than my face when they talked to me, and I loved hiding in my oversized sweatshirts whenever I could. I had brown eyes that really weren't anything special, and long, dark wavy/curly hair that was pretty hard to tame. I prayed the Dave was into that sort of thing, and tried not to dwell on my own teenage insecurities.
Grace texted me that Dave had arrived when I was barely done brushing my hair.
"SHIT!" I screamed, for I still hadn't even shaved my legs yet. I told Grace to stall him, and finished getting myself ready while cursing like a sailor. But I made it out of the house, and practically sprinted to Luigi's.
When I walked into the restaurant, I spotted Grace and Carter immeadiately. They were with the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen.
He had a kind face. That's the best way to describe it. And deep eyes that I couldn't help staring at, just because the color was so gorgeous, like the most rich milk chocolate you could imagine. And he looked like he was about to throw up from nervousness.
I sat down with them, feeling like I was going to upchuck myself. But after a while, we all got past the awkwardness and settled in.
Dave was HILARIOUS. His humor was the type I enjoyed the most, and I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled so much.
And when he talked to me, he didn't look at my chest at all.
Only my eyes.