Starting rumors...again.

One night, while Scoop and I were having our usual instant message conversation, Scoop guided me into a familiar topic.

(Scoop - I know you're going to read this and you'll have to forgive me. I'm sure I don't have this conversation verbatim. And, even though we have this saved somewhere, I can't find it. Sorry.)

"So, I just got off the phone with Car Guy. He wanted to know if I think we'll get back together after school."

"And?"

"I told him no. He got really upset because I guess he thought we would always get back together. But, I feel so much better after telling him "no" and ending it completely. I feel bad, too, but after we broke up, I realized I didn't want to be with him anymore."

Scoop and I always joked around with each other. And, since we had started a rumor that we were dating in high school, I felt like the next most logical follow-up was this:

"So, when are you going to get me that ring?"

"Oh, I'll get one eventually. Actually, I have a picture of you on my bulletin board. I hope you don't mind - I keep telling everyone that you're my wife."

(If there was a place for foreshadowing music, this would be the place.)

"Go for it. We could start another rumor."

"Would you like that?"

"Huh? Like what?" Suddenly, I knew exactly where this was going. I felt like I had been hit by a Mack Truck, but in a good way.

"Well, it wouldn't have to be a rumor."

"What do you mean?"

"What if we were dating?"

*******SILENCE***********

"You're never going to see me. I'm going to be gone all the time. Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I'll come home on the weekends and we can see each other then. And, I can drive to Springfield to see you. We'll make it work."

How could I say no to a guy that was already committed to making things work? We were living three hours apart, and before I could even say yes, he was telling me that he would make it work.

"I would like that." Whoa. Dive-bombing butterflies were attacking my stomach. I stared at the computer screen in disbelief as to what had just happened. And, I was desperately wishing I had a couple of bags of frozen peas to help tone down the red, burning hot cheeks that were taking over my face.

"Wow. You don't know how much better I feel to have that off my chest. I didn't think you would say 'yes'."

And, then he spilled. Boots had been right. Scoop had wanted to take me on a date for a long time. He had wanted to ask me out the night we went out for pizza, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it because he thought my answer would be "no."

He had spilled everything about me to his new roommate, too, and the only reason that he asked me out this time was because of his roommate. Apparently, his roommate threatened to hijack Scoop's computer and ask me out for himself if Scoop didn't get his butt in gear and do it.

In fact, it seemed like everyone and their dog knew that Scoop had a thing for me - everyone except for me. Hey, I can't say that I've ever been too observant. Even Scoop's best friend said, "Finally. It's about time."

We talked for a long time that night. We talked about Car Guy - and some of the things that I found out about after our relationship ended - and we talked about our respective moments when we realized that we might just make a good couple.

Finally, before we signed off and went to bed, we compared calendars and realized we would both be home the next weekend. We decided to meet up at a football game at our high school for our very first date.