February 7, 2013

  • Love Parade (story #10)

    I don't remember how Lance came back into my life.   It was somewhere in the second half of my 18th year. I'm sure we passed each other on the street somewhere along the way.  I remember it happened slowly.  A conversation on the side of the road.  A random visit to Cold Stone where I worked.  Weeks in between the run-ins.  Somehow we got to the point of actually hanging out as friends.  He would help me get finished at work so I could get off earlier.  Then, we would gather people up and head out for a bonfire.  Or, end up on the roof again, this time with more friends around.  I remember jumping into Jones's pool with all our clothes on.  The unfortunate (or fortunate depending on how you look at it) night when I ended up playing Circle of Death with 4 guys and fell on my face trying to do a handstand push up.  It was working out.  Lance was dating Cooper again.  They were pretty serious.  I was just one of the guys.  A place I was comfortable.  

    Then, he had to screw it up.  We started spending more time together just the two of us.  He tried to wear me down and replace my no answers with yeses.  I wasn't that stupid.  As long as he had a girlfriend I wasn't about to say yes.  And he wasn't going to break up with his girlfriend unless I said yes.  So, no.  Jackass.  But, I was there when he called to cry on my shoulder (or in my lap, really) if the need arose.  That is until it was time for him to disappear again.  

    Leah K.