Our story, Part II

This is Part 2 of the story of how B and I got together. In Part 1, we left off as “just friends” who just started hanging out. We were crazy about each other but unwilling to admit it.

S: Finally one night, after about a week and a half of spending nearly every evening together, Brad sent me a text message just to say hi. I remember it was a Sunday night because I was watching Desperate Housewives. Texting costs me ten cents a message, but I didn’t care because this cellular conversation was quickly heating up.

B: It was meant as just a quick ‘hi,’ but turned into a confession of sorts about how we had parked near the airport the night before and sat for quite a while talking. For some reason, in one of those “should-I-or-shouldn’t-I” moments, I confessed that I wanted to kiss you!

S: And being the snarky brat I was, I said something like, “Well why didn’t you then?” But I also confessed I wanted to kiss you too. Finally we admitted that we were hot for each other. Good, now next time we hang out we’ll both know we want to be more than friends and we’ll kiss and it’ll be great.

B: Yeah, I can’t wait!

S: But it didn’t quite happen that way. The next time we were together we spent the whole evening bouncing awkwardly around the topic of kissing. We talked about everything but. And when he dropped me off at the end of the night, I waited quietly before getting out of the jeep, silently thinking Do It Do It Do It! But I don’t think he heard me.

B: Yeah, you must have been sending more secret, invisible signals. I just didn’t get the vibe. There wasn’t a moment (in my eyes) that was optimal for me to swoop in and make the move. I mean, that’s quite a move. The first kiss! and you’re so far away! Like 1½ feet!

S: So the first attempt was a bust. As was the second and third. Over a week went by and no kiss. We’d talk about it through email or IM the day after each missed kiss, but whenever we got together we talked about anything but how much we wanted to suck face with each other. One night we decided to drive to a town 40 minutes away because their movie theaters are so much better. On the way home we didn’t talk at all. I’m still not sure what happened, but it was our first real fight, if a fight can be defined by 40 minutes of complete silence.

B: That sounds like the definitive Brad/Shannon fight! I think I was mad that we weren’t getting it on (hehe) so I was pouting. Who knows, I was young and stupid back then. And then, I got a case of strep throat, which meant no kissing anyone or anything for about a week and a half. But then, I recovered, and Shan and I finally hung out on ‘the day.’

S: Wasn’t the strep throat before the silent fight?

B: Oh, hmm, maybe. Yeah, probably. The long wait probably made us irritable.

S: Wait I just remembered something. Babe, remember the electronic kiss? God we were lame.

B: Oh yeah! Lame? I thought it was romantic! And so technological of us. We were such a 2005 couple. After dropping Shannon off one night, after another unsuccessful attempt at furthering our relationship, I sent her a text message that said something like *smooch* or something like that. Haha, ok yeah it was lame.

S: It was cute, but I’m pretty sure I let you know that an electronic kiss wasn’t going to suffice. So okay, there was the text kiss, then Brad got strep and we were forced apart for almost a week. Then came the silent fight. I drove that night and when I dropped him off, we didn’t even sit quietly waiting for the other to make a move. He got out of the car and I quickly drove away. We were fighting before we had even kissed! We skipped right over romance and straight into bitter angst. We talked about it via email the next day, admitting how stupid we were for getting in a ridiculous fight and how pathetic we were for making this first kiss such a big. fucking. deal. The very next day we hung out again, once again infatuated with each other.

B: I can’t even remember what we did that night, but somehow we ended up lying down together. I was pretty sure this was it. This was the moment. I got all nervous and my heart was thumping right out of my chest. We both knew it was coming. After a few tense moments of figuring it all out in my mind, I finally rolled over and kissed her. On the lips even! I was incredibly nervous but it was such a feeling of relief and it felt so good! To finally kiss each other, and put our arms around each other, it was like a goal we had strived to reach, and waiting so long only built up the anticipation!

S: How the hell did we end up in your bed together before we had ever even kissed?

B: Hmm, good question. To clarify for any family members that may be reading, we were on my bed, not in it. And we were watching TV. We ended up hanging out a lot on my bed, it was really the only place we could just sit together that wasn’t a car.

S: Yeah we eventually got sick of the car and spent some time watching tv in his room. But we were definitely on the bed, not in it. Anyway, I remember I had my eyes closed willing him to just kiss me already. I might have done it myself if I wasn’t such a gutless wimp. Finally, FINALLY, I felt him leaning in and thank god it was a good kiss. Imagine if we went through a month of waiting only for him to spit all over my face and stick his tongue down my throat. No, it was wonderful. And totally worth the wait.

B: Well I had been practicing on my hand for weeks, so I knew what I was doing (not really). It was definitely worth it, and I was glad we could be that much more comfortable with each other.

S: And the rest is history. Our next milestone didn’t come for another few weeks, but we’ll save that story for another time. Kidding! We’re not that willing to share. Brad and I still have ridiculous fights, sometimes we use a lot of words, sometimes we’re silent. But we spend most of our time kissing, laughing, enjoying each other, and making a life together. I love you babe, happy kissaversary annikissary.

B: I love you too.