Monthly Archive for September, 2000

Sep 20th 2000

Michele

I don’t know what the problem is. Ever since yesterday evening I’ve been feeling depressed. When I try to put a reason behind this feeling, I think its Michele.

Michele is a girl in my science class (Tuesday and Thursday @ 6:30pm). The second day of class she came in and immediately caught my eye. I think it was her really short hair. I have a thing for some girls with short hair. She asked to join our group and I was delighted that she was going to be in the same group. Then, a week or two later, we started to make longer than usual eye contact with each other. Of course I have a problem making eye contact with anyone so this was strange. I didn’t feel eerie like I normally do when I let someone see into my eyes. So doing this only made my attraction to her grow.

Then, one day she didn’t make it to class. I sent her an email over the weekend letting her know what she missed and I said something that I later regretted saying. I also said “I missed you.” I think my idea was that it could be taken as an affectionate saying or as a general comment. I really wanted to get to know Michele better so I figured this would be a good way to throw out the line and see what I get. The response I got from her was unexpected. I guess it was better than her saying she was out with her husband or boyfriend. She told me that she couldn’t make it to class because her DAUGHTER has an accident at day-care. So the girl I’m interested in has a daughter. That really blew me away. At that point I could have left it at that and not tried anything else, but I still liked Michele.

The next week in class Michele was definitely flirting with me. I know I’m pretty dense when it comes to those sorts of things but I could certainly tell she was interested in me. I guess my email had a good affect after all. She was making eye contact with me a lot and sat closer to me. There were a lot of little things too. When she handed me a piece of paper, she let our hands touch for longer than normal. I missed class one day the previous week and she said that she thought I was with some girl and teased me about it. She asked me if I had a girlfriend and things like that. So the second day of that, during class, she asked me if I would walk her to her car after class. So we walked and talked a little while. Right before she left she asked to email her sometime in in a way like she was asking me to call or ask her out.

I knew then for certain that she wanted to go out with me without a doubt. So I was faced with the dilemma of what to do. I was certainly interested in her but I didn’t know how I felt about her being a mother to a 1-year old daughter. That could lead to a lot of complications. Someone told me that whatever the case I should go for it as I’ve been alone for far too long.

This past Saturday Michele called me. I was in the middle of a group meeting and didn’t take the call. So I called her back later that afternoon. It turns out she was calling me to see if I wanted to go to her place and ‘hang out’. This is a very good thing. I called too late and we couldn’t get together that evening. So instead we spoke over the telephone for about an hour. She asked me how long it’s been since I’ve dated and I was truthful and said about two years. She seemed surprised by that but confessed that it’s been over a year for her too. Other than that, I think the conversation went well. I asked her out and she said that she was relieved to hear that. She was about to say something else but didn’t. I then told her that I now look forward to going into the science class because I can see her. She then said the same thing and that was what she wanted to say earlier. So in all I think the phone conversation went really well. Before we got off the phone she said she would email me back.

But Sunday came and went and no email. Monday came and went and no email. I started to get a little worried that something I said over the phone scared her off. This problem was compounded Tuesday when Eric Neumann (my boss) decided to come talk to me for roughly three hours about his life story. I didn’t mind, I enjoyed the conversation but when we were finished it was 6:15pm! My class starts at 6:30pm and I had a test Tuesday to boot! At that point, my day got worse because I was totally stressed out about missing my test as a sped to school. When I got there and was walking to class, I ran into Michele. She seemed fine and urged me to run to class so I could take the test. I had been looking forward to spending time with her Tuesday and that didn’t happen. So last night after class I tried to call her around 9pm and she wasn’t there. I asked to tell her that ‘Jeff’ called. I didn’t hear back, but it was late so I guess it’s no big deal.

So now I don’t know if I’m feeling depressed because I am so insecure that I think something happened and she is avoiding me. I do know that I never had to deal with these feelings for a long time because I’ve been alone. I don’t like going on this emotional roller coaster. I liked it when I didn’t have anyone and I was virtually devoid of emotion. Things were much simpler then. Is this a bad thing? Will I be going out with Michele? In my heart I really hope so but I need to prepare myself if something happens and it doesn’t work out.

I only have to think back to the times I see people together and wished that I could have that. To be able to talk to someone or to hold someone and do things with someone is something that I think no one should be without. So if a choice has to be made between being alone and being with someone, the solution is obviously to be with someone. The mood swings and problems associated with it are worth the effort. It’s better than being alone.

Sep 30th 2000

Saturday, September 30, 2000

Last night was a really incredible night. I met my science class group at a Mexican restaurant on Chastain road to talk about our group project. More importantly was that Michele and I were going to go out on a ‘first date’ after dinner. During the evening when I was talking to Philip, a 26-year old guy from Kenya, Michele who was sitting to my left started to rub her leg up against mine. I reached under the table and caressed her hand. We were doing this all the while I was talking to Philip. I don’t think anyone else at the table knew what we were doing. While talking with Philip about African politics, I looked at Michele and we both laughed out loud at the situation. I wonder what Philip was thinking. That was the best part of the dinner.

After dinner I walked Michele to her car and asked what she would like to do. All she said was ‘follow me.’ I followed her car into some obscure neighborhood off Chastain road. Eventually we pulled into a gravel driveway to a secluded house. The place looked empty. When we got out of the car, Michele told me that this was her grandparents’ house and that they were out of town in California. She then approached me and kissed me. We kissed for a little while, leaning against my car while she pressed up against me. She then led me inside and said that she thought it would be nice to sit outside under the stars since it was such a perfect evening. My mind was racing. Did she want sex? I had no idea what to expect and wasn’t sure how she would react if I told her I didn’t want to go that far.

She grabbed a blanket and we went out to the secluded grass lawn that was surrounded by trees. On the blanket we kissed and talked and kissed some more. Eventually she asked if she could take my shirt off, and I let her. Michele was wearing a cute short-short sleeved shirt that fights tightly around her body. She took off her shirt too. We embraced and kissed some more, rolling and withering around on the blanket. She asked me if I had any experience with sex, and asked that we not have sex that night. I assured her that I don’t fancy the idea of having sex on a first date. Later in the evening she asked me to take my pants off but I didn’t think that was such a good idea. The whole situation was so surreal to begin with; I couldn’t believe how fast we were going.

For three hours we laid out under the stars in the cool night air with our shirts off, kissing and talking about many different things. It was cold outside but we kept each other warm from the rubbing and pressing of our bodies against each other. I discovered that sucking and nibbling on her earlobes makes her really excited.

Michele told me that I was a great kisser, which I find hard to believe. She also said that my shoulders and arms and collarbone turned her on. She said that no one has treated her that well and that she thought she was falling hard for me.

Despite the fact that we were both half naked and making out all night, we did a great deal of talking too. She said some weighty things that give me pause to step back and look at the entire situation. She was telling me things like she wants to be by girlfriend and that she is looking for someone that she knows will take care of her and her daughter. She even said a couple of times that she was in love with me.

Am I doing the right thing? Am I making a mistake? Michele is certainly wonderful and makes me feel a way I haven’t felt in quite some time now. I don’t want to go down a road that will be hard to turn away from if I have to. We’ve only known each other for a short period of time and are already pretty serious. I hate to think this, but in the back of my mind, I question her motives. Is she after something from me? Is she seeking a father for her daughter? I’m so confused because I don’t know if I just have low self-esteem that I think there has to be an ulterior motive and not a genuine love from someone whom I barely know. The more I progress, the more difficult it is to break away if I have to. I know in my heart right now that Michele is not someone I want to have a very long-term relationship with mainly because she has a daughter, which complicated things immensely for me. So am I making a mistake? Am I only going to end up hurting her and myself? If I overanalyze things like this every time I’m in a relationship, will I never be in a relationship out of fear?

Michele called me today as we may do something tomorrow (Sunday, 10-01-2000). I’m already moving forward like I’m caught in the current of a river, but I’m not sure I want to stop.

(edited, 08-13-2002)