A Love Story: Piece by Piece Part 5

We're only half way through this love story..... :) It's been fun getting the responses to it on facebook. And even more fun when Hunter lays down next to me at night and I think about 11 years ago when I thought I didn't have a chance in the world with him. And now, there he is, just laying in bed next to me. I love it!!!!!

As I said before, the second I walked into that classroom and saw Hunter, I had to catch my breath. Then, its as if I started to have an out of body experience that I couldn't control. I felt myself walking straight towards him.
I kept telling myself "Whoa, wait. What are you doing? You think you're gonna go talk to him? You've never said more than two words to him! This is not safe. Turn around and just find a desk and pretend like you didn't even see him."
I kept walking. I walked all the way over to his desk and sat right beside him. "Hi!! So we have directed studies together!" And we were actually talking. To each other.

I, Heather Clark, was talking........ to a boy. And he was talking back.

All those butterflies came rushing back. We really got to know each other that last semester of sophomore year. I had just begun my 'journey' into punk music, and Hunter was already obsessed with it, so we spent a lot of time listening to his cd's together. That was the main topic of our conversations- music. I got a job with my best friend at a coffee shop that year, and on my very first day of work, there just so happened to be a show at 328.

"So are you going to the Ace Trouble Shooter show?"

"They're playing tonight????"

"Yeah and you better come."

"I can't. It's my first day of work."

"Ummmm hello? You're going. You're gonna call in sick and go to this show with me."

"I can't! I don't do stuff like that! It's my first day... I can't just call in sick!"

"You're going. Give me the number. I'll call in sick for you."

In my head- "Oh my gosh. I like him so much and he's asking me to go to a show with him. God, why did you have to make this my first day of work????"

"Dude, I will get fired. I can't go."

My BFF and I did get to meet up with him and his friends at another show at 328 later that semester, though. MXPX, Good Charlotte (before they got big... oh, and ghetto) and Slick Shoes. There's nothing like a punk show when you're 15 years old and in love with a boy who skateboards.

I still have "The Legend of Chin" Switchfoot cd he gave me. We swapped cd's for a week and that was the one he let me borrow. When it was time to swap back, he told me to just keep it because "Switchfoot was too acoustic" for him. Oh man, I just needed to throw that tidbit in there. At least now he knows they're amazing and why they've been my favorite band for the past 12 years.

I noticed one week that Hunter was especially distant towards me. It made me panic because I could only assume he had decided I was stupid and I worried that I had let my guard down for nothing. Then, at the end of that week, something happened.

I had to get the library pass that day to work on a paper because I knew that I would get nothing done in directed studies sitting next to the cutest boy alive. We had just gotten to class and I was standing at my desk, holding the pass. Our conversation went a little something like this:

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I gotta go to the library for a little bit."

"Oh. Well...... I was wondering...... Do you have a boyfriend?"

(in my head) WHAT!!!????!!!! It's ok. Just breathe.

"Uhh, no I guess not."

"What do you mean you guess not???"

"Ok, no. I don't."

I wonder if it's possible for him to see my heart literally beating out of my chest. Crap, I feel my face turning red. Maybe he won't notice.

"Wellllllll... I was wondering if you...... and me............ and you..... and me........ you know......"
As he pointed to me and then himself, back to me and then himself again. But not looking me in the eye.

"What??" I nervously laughed. "You're funny!"

Then his good friend Dave chimed in.

"No, Heather! You should believe him!"

"Oh man..." still nervously laughing. "You guys crack me up."

"He's being serious!"

Hunter still isn't looking at me.

"Ya'll are funny. Ok, I really need to go to the library. I'll see you later!!"

And then I just left.

Heather............... I think the boy you're in love with just asked you out. And you..................................... said..................................... no.

My whole body was numb as I walked to the library. I didn't get anything done. I didn't even tell my best friend. She would have never believed me. To this day, Hunter tells me that it was a good thing I said no because he would have been the worst boyfriend ever. He says "All I cared about tenth grade was punk music and skateboarding. I would have never treated you good." I guess I believe him.... or maybe that's how he deals with getting the shaft :) Just kidding. But who knows? Maybe we would have started dating and he really would have been a crummy boyfriend and I could have possibly never spoken to him again in my life. I can only imagine that the Lord purposefully set up the events that year exactly the way they were supposed to happen.

After that incident, Hunter was a little stand-offish towards me. But at the end of the year, he signed a bunch of inside jokes in my year book as well as his number. I had Hunter Lamb's phone number. And his best friend Cal signed "PUNK MUSIC LIVES FOREVER!!!!!" I also just had to throw that tid bit in there. Cal, punk music only lives in the hearts of 15 year olds forever. When I think about being 15, I think about shopping for thrift store tees, browsing the internet for HOURS in search of the most amazing punk music, finally enjoying school because of my best friend and I think about the time Hunter Lamb, in his own special way, asked me out...............................................