A seed is planted...

After hours of speeches in front of thousands of people, I was finally elected to a state FFA office. I was so excited to have the opportunity to spend the next year of my life traveling to school across the state.

And, even though it was a little bittersweet to leave the 'comfort' of a relationship, my FFA adventure gave me a chance to leave Car Guy and strike out on my own. Well, aside from the four boys that had also become state officers and, subsequently, my new big brothers.

Despite my busy travel schedule, I still tried to find time to go home. As a state officer, I lived in a hotel. I missed my bed at home, the horses and the smell of the farm. Every weekend I could, I went home to spend time with my family and friends.

Then, one weekend shortly after I was elected, I got a message from Scoop. The summer was almost over and he was getting ready to head to school. This would be his last weekend home and he wanted to know if I wanted to go out for pizza and watch a movie at his house.

Since most of my friends had already moved to school - or were busy getting ready to - I was game for a night out with a friend.

When I got home, my cousin, Boots, was there helping with chores (I know what you're thinking, "Wow. Just when I thought her nicknames couldn't get any worse..." Truth is, this is his real nickname). My dad had died just a few months earlier, so our house had become a regular Grand Central Station with people coming over to help with any manner of work that needed to be done. Despite his lack of experience with horses, Boots had become a regular fixture at our house during chore time. And, I loved it. Boots and I were in the same class, so we spent a lot of time together and were - well, still are really - very close friends.

I parked my car and headed toward the fenceline to help Boots feed the horses.

"Hey, Rach. What are you up to tonight? Want to grab a bite to eat?"

"Sorry - I can't. Scoop asked me to go out for pizza with him. It's his last weekend at home before he moves to school, so we figured we would live it up." (Oh yeah, growing up in a small, rural town made all of us kids really exciting.)

"Ahhhhh. Sure."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Seriously? C'mon. You know he likes you."

"You have got to be kidding. He does not - we're just good friends."

"Um, no. He's liked you since the beginning of senior year. I know it."

"You're wrong."

In order to keep your boredom at bay, I'll stop here and just tell you this went on for a while. I continued to deny it, and Boots just kept telling me it was true.

I didn't really believe it, but you know how these things go: Boots had planted the seed and now I couldn't get it out of my head. Did Scoop really have a thing for me? Surely not. Why would he be interested in me, anyway? There was nothing remarkable about me and it certainly wasn't because of convenience. I was traveling all year and he was going to school three hours away.

I headed out for Scoop's house with all of these crazy thoughts swimming in my head. Needless to say, the evening was a little awkward - something that neither of us was very accustomed to. In all of the time that we had been friends, it had never been awkward. Or, maybe I just felt awkward knowing what Boots had told me.

Still, we went out for pizza and enjoyed each other's company. We spent a long time chatting in the booth - about everything going on. About what my new job as State FFA Reporter meant. What he was going to study in school. What we were going to miss about high school - okay, that list was pretty short, but whatever.

After we finished up our pizza, we decided to head back to Scoop's house to watch a movie. During our many conversations, he learned that I had never seen several of the classics - including Animal House.

Because of the craziness that Boots had planted in my head, I went to Scoop's house sure that he was planning on asking me out - and I had no idea what I was going to answer to that if he actually did. It didn't seem to make sense to start a relationship out long distance. But, I figured, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it - he still hadn't asked me.

We got to Scoop's house, put in Animal House, plopped down on the couch and spent the rest of our evening watching laughing at John Belushi. "Toga! Toga! Toga!" (Sorry, I had to). Just before the movie was over, Scoop's mom came home and chatted with us. We watched some TV and, before I knew it, it was time to go home.

Scoop walked me to my car and promised to talk to me online and email me to keep in touch. I hopped in my Dad's old Buick Park Avenue and headed home - without any kind of future date in the works.

Obviously, Boots had been totally wrong. Scoop had no romantic interest in me whatsoever - I mean, he hadn't made a move. And, I thought to myself, that was probably a good thing since we wouldn't ever be able to see each other anyway. Right?

Scoop stayed true to his word and emailed and sent instant messages to me on a regular basis. He told me about his roommate and his classes and about how much he hated the school he was attending. I told him about the crazy boys on my officer team and about how much fun I was having two months into my time as a state officer.

Then, one night, Scoop asked me a familiar question - one that he had asked me before.