It's Not Love...Or Is It?

Part 2 of 5

Then Christmas break happens and the new year etcetera. We come back for second semester, and, to my surprise, Anthony got switched out. Well I was surprised because I noticed that a week into the second semester. At the time I thought I was screwed, but I was becoming closer and closer to her. Holding long conversations. It was great. As I recall the experience, I am glad. Just glad.

About a month into second semester, I start feeling something for her. Something I've never really felt before. It wasn't a crush because I already had a crush on a girl – completely out of my league and wasn't really worth my time then – but it was something I've never really felt. I was growing to care for her in a different way than I had felt before. I didn't know what it meant, but I was just glad I had her friendship.

Before I continue, let's back up a bit. Back to freshman year.

I was taking a class called Journalism 1. I had a friend in there so it wasn't that bad. After the first semester, the teacher starts talking to us about possibly joining a school publication the next year: the Gazette, newspaper, or Paragon, the yearbook.

I had taken the class to begin with because it seemed interesting and I liked writing, I was on my middle school's newspaper. When I signed up, I had no idea I'd be joining the Gazette. I eventually decided that writing for the school newspaper was something I wanted to do, so I put a lot of time into that class. The way the class worked was kind of a history lesson the first semester, and a prep course for the publications the next. I began to put a majority of my focus into the prep, which is partially another reason why I got a D+ Algebra.

In about April, after course signups occurred and I was scheduled to join the Gazette, my teacher, and the publications director, told us about this trip called J-Day. It's a state convention held at Ball State University in mid to late April. I thought it was interesting and decided to go. It turned into one of the best times of my life.

I met writers, publishers, retired news writers, retired sports writers who've met big names in sports. Those people held seminars and passed down a lot of wisdom to me. I'd like to think that first trip really set me on course to decided that writing is something I want to do for the rest of my life.

Fast forward to sometime in early March sophomore year in English class.

I was sitting with Karina, something I did on a daily basis. We had our little conversations like always. The topic of writing came up. I told her I was with the Gazette, the school paper. She told me that she was in J1. I thought she had an interest in writing like I did, but she was just taking it because it sounded interesting like my original intentions.

I then mentioned how I went to J-Day the previous year. She told me that the J1 teacher, Ms. Connors, who is also the Gazette advisor as well, mentioned J-Day. Then the bell rang and I went back to my seat and sat through class. I thought about if it was at all possible for me to go back to J-Day that April. I then remembered that some publication members went on the trip with us, so it was okay. I wanted to go nonetheless but to go with Karina would be awesome.

Then class ended and passing period began. I walked up to K and we start walking together, talking about J-Day. I found out her next class was on the way to mine, so I walked her to class. This would become a daily thing. Walking her to class became something I looked forward to each day.

The next day, I talked to Connors about J-Day. She gave me the information and had a spot reserved for me. That night I got the money and turned it in the next day. Wanting to go was more about the getting the experience again. At that time, K was unsure about going, but I knew I wanted to go. I just hoped she wanted to as well. Should would make the trip a million times better.

In about late March, she told me that she gotten the money and was excited to go. You have no idea how excited I was. I was ready to get on a bus and ride for four hours talking with her. Seemed like a dream come true. Then, of course, nothing goes the way you plan.

It's not like it ruined the trip, but it was a something I was upset about.

After meeting up in the Publication room to go onto the bus, K and I walked together. I made sure of it. So when we got to the bus, I would be sitting next to her. I walked kind of slowly purposefully so the bus would be filled and a spot next to her was the only one left. I had it figured out.

Then, a kind of acquaintance of mine, but a close friend of Karina's in J1 with her, Stephanie, came up and joined our conversation. We got to the bus and the two were neck deep into a talk. I was just there. They ended up sitting next to each other. I sat on the seat directly next to it, but K sat next to the window, leaving Stephanie and I on the ends. Don't get me wrong, Stephanie is cool, but I didn't feel for her the same way I felt for K.

The ride down there was alright. We stopped for food on the highway. We had two choices: Wendy's or Chipotle. I never really liked Chipotle, so I went with Wendy's. So did K.

Now realizing this, the whole trip wasn't all that exciting and probably could have spared you the details on food, but who cares?

Anyway, we get there and check in. We had plans to go bowling then dinner. We actually didn't go bowling. Instead, we played air hockey and ping pong. It was kind of boring. But after an air hockey game, I noticed K had left, along with a few other kids. I asked around to see if anyone knew where they had gone, but no one knew. I then remembered Conners saying we could walk around the campus, but we needed to be back by a certain time for dinner. So I headed out and eventually found them. We took pictures next to a statue, all of us, not just me and K. On some level I wanted a picture of just us two but it didn't really matter.

We walked back and went to dinner. It was alright. A little pricey. Not much to say really. That night, though, kind of changed me.