A Love Story: Piece by Piece Part 13

When Hunter came with his brother and my friend to pick me up from my mission trip, I expected the biggest smile and hug ever. Instead, he was shy and holding back. A few days later, Hunter and I went to dinner with my roommate and his band member/ roommate. We wound up at a sushi restaurant, and my roommate and Hunter's roommate decided to be sneaky and abandon the two of us. So there we were. I was dying inside because NOTHING had been brought up about whatever the heck was going on between- no mention of hand holding, no mention of him calling me, no mention of anything. So painfully awkward.

While at dinner, I decided to bring up my peeling hand. It had been peeling from sweat and gripping his hand so hard that night (gotta love it). He was puzzled at first and had no idea what I was talking about.

"Sooo, my hand started to peel really bad."

"What? That's weird, why....."

"From.......... you know, when we..............."

"Oh yeah."

He fake laughed and looked away. I got the biggest pit in my stomach. I was so stupid. Just drop it, Heather. He doesn't like you.

Later that week, Hunter and Hayden decided to have tons of friends over at their place. I went to hang out, but didn't know anyone on a personal level and Hunter was doing a really good job at ignoring me. I got a phone call while I was over there from my older sister. She asked what I was doing and where I was, then when she realized I was with Hunter, she told me to just go home. Then my younger sister called, then my mom. All heart-broken because apparently my best friend had a conversation with Hunter and asked him if he had feelings for me. When he told her that he and I were just friends, she couldn't wait to get on her phone and spread the news that HUNTER DID NOT LIKE ME.

There I was stranded at his apartment, experiencing my crappy prom night all over again. There I was having to come to terms with the fact that I had been fooled yet again by some stupid boy. There I was mad at myself for releasing the grip from the wall that had been choking my heart. I walked up to Hunter and he could tell I was upset. I asked him to take me home.

"What??? You just got here. Why do you want to go home?"

"I don't feel good and I'm not friends with these people. Just please take me home."

"Ok.... are you sure?"

"I couldn't be more sure."

"What does that mean? What's wrong?"

The car ride up the hill to my apartment consisted of me staring out the window and Hunter repeatedly asking me if I was ok. I got out of his car and didn't look back. Even after he drove away, he called several times to.......... repeatedly........... ask me.............. if I was ok. I couldn't sit there alone, so I got in my car and drove over to a friend's house. On the way there, Hunter called again. He asked what I was doing and when he found out I was headed somewhere else, he was offended.

"I thought you said you didn't feel good, so why are you going to hang out with somebody else? I can tell you're mad, just please tell me what's going on."

Ok, it was time to get it out.

"HUNTER!!!!!!!!!!! I feel SO stupid. YOU make me feel SO STUPID."

"What? Don't feel stupid!"

"I do! I can't believe I let myself feel this way and THAT'S WHY I FEEL SO STUPID. I'm SUCH an idiot to believe that...."

Just tell him, Heather. Tell him that you thought he liked you.

"I wish I would have never felt this way. I don't understand you. I hate myself for thinking the things I did."

"Heather, don't feel stupid. I feel the same way."

"WHAT??? You're so confusing. I have to go."

"No, trust me. I feel the same way. I'm sorry I........"

You're sorry you made me think you had feelings for me?

"Hunter, just stop talking. Now I know all you were doing was flirting with me and.... I just feel so stupid."

"Heather, I feel the same way you do, believe me. I just don't know what to do. I'm so confused, I don't know what to do."

"What are you talking about............"

"I don't know what to do. But trust me, I feel the same way you do."

Yeah, you keep saying that. Way to beat around the stupid bush.

"Heather, I just got out of a 3 year relationship this past March. And it was really hard to come out of it, but I just kept praying and trusting that that's where the Lord wanted me. For the first time, I was the closest I've ever been to the Lord and I was so happy not to have to deal with girls. I just knew that God had me single for a reason and I felt like I was going to be happily single for a really long time. And then you came along and I was like "Ok, God..... what the heck?" because it hasn't been long at all since my last relationship and I just didn't expect any of this. I want to be in a relationship with you, but I don't think I can. I just think we're supposed to be friends.... I really don't want to mess up anything between us because if we date and eventually break up, then we'll never speak again and you're someone I always want in my life. I don't want to mess anything up."

"So you just feel like we should be friends?"

"Yes."

Friends. Well that sucks. I've seen this boy almost everyday, except for when he visited family and he's telling me he wants to be friends. We had made previous plans to get breakfast the next morning, I mean, this kid wanted to be with me ALL THE TIME.

"I can be your friend. Don't worry about that, Hunter, I will be JUST your friend. So, here's how it's gonna go. FRIENDS don't have to see each other everyday. So we can just hang out every now and then. OH, and friends don't have to ALWAYS text and ALWAYS call each other. So stop texting me so much. You wanna be friends? I'll be your friend."

"Uhh... ok. Well, that means a lot. I'm glad you still want to be my friend. Are you gonna come back over?"

"No. I'm with my other friends now."

"Well, are we still gonna get breakfast tomorrow?"

"Nope. I JUST said that friends don't have to see each other EVERY day."

"BUT!!! That's not fair! We already made these plans!"

"Hunter, did you not hear what I just said?"

"You can't go back on your word! You said you were gonna get breakfast with me. Please, just this one time and THEN we can start... not seeing each other.... everyday."

"Fine. I'll get breakfast with you, but that is the only time we are seeing each other tomorrow."

"Yes! Thank you."


I was still mad as hell at his stupid 'friend' call on the whole situation. But I was sure as heck gonna show him what a platonic friendship meant.............