It Has Only Just Begun (Part 1)

So I decided to change the person I was to the person I knew I could be- a person whose character is based on the principles becoming of a lady and young woman. I didn’t date anyone for about ten months and I was happy to read and write alone in my dormitory away from the drama surrounding the halls.

I was no longer involved in the issues going on with my peers and no one saw me as a threat to their lives or secrets. I would see things when walking from one class to the next- I became very good at ignoring my peripherals…seemingly. I could hide when I knew someone was hiding something. I knew their secrets, but they had no idea I had a suspicion of any existing. I was alone again, but this time it was by choice and my own benefit.

One summer I went away to a language camp for a month. I would receive a credit for school by doing the immersion program, but I received more than a credit out of it. I met the most amazing and generous guy that could ever exist on the planet.

I had been at the camp for two weeks. In these two weeks I made some amazing true friends: Grace and Jean. I was friends with all the girls in my cabin (there were about thirty-five), but these two were awesome. I would share clothes with Grace and Jean would teach me cheerleading moves for my upcoming schoolyear. At the close of the first half of our “immersion” summer, those of us attending the camp for credit were running the night program for the new arrivals. My little sister was one of the new kids.

Grace and I were sitting outside the main cabin watching the first charter bus unload. I was hoping to catch my “baby” sister before she went inside but I got sidetracked.

About the sixth person to get off the bus was a guy in sandals, cargo khaki shorts, a baseball t-shirt, a backwards hat and had curly, shaggy hair. His cheeks had a small hint of rosiness and his eyes were as blue as I any sapphire. He was absolutely stunning. I felt my stomach flip and my heart jump as I turned to look at Grace.
“I’m getting that, Grace.”
“Psh. Okay Michelle. I’ll give you until Friday.”
“I only need ‘till Wednesday.”
“Whatever you say girl.”

Now one thing about me is that when I really really want something, I will do almost anything to get it. This guy was my goal and I would reach it within three days.

That night, the other girls in my class and myself were running one of the “icebreaker” games. His group was the third to come into our room and I sat myself right beside him. I saw the kid next to him was wearing a T-shirt that had the name of the college my father and brother attended, so I made small talk. As we were speaking, a kid sat down a few seats over that stopped me mid-sentence.
“Bryce?”
“Uh…yeah? Who are you?”
“Oh shit Bryce! I went to wilderness camp with you when we were twelve! It’s me, Michelle!”
“Holy crap! Michelle! How are you?”
“I’m great. Is that friend of yours Jake with you?”
“Yeah. Haha. He’s right behind you.”

When we were twelve years old, Bryce, Jake and I were in wilderness camp together. Bryce and Jake were best friends growing up and apparently they spent every summer together at the same camps. It was awesome seeing those two AND knowing they were in the same group as the boy I had my eye on. I was introduced to the college-shirt kid, his name was Chris. Then my guy, whose name was Anthony.

After evening activities were done, we had free time for an hour. In that hour I talked and talked and flirted with Anthony. When free time was over, I told Bryce and Jake to put in a “good word for me”.
“Please Bryce! For ‘ol times’ sake? Please?”
“Okay Michelle. I got you.”
“Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!”
“Yeah but you owe me! Big time.”
“Okay I got you Bryce. Thank you so much.”
“Yeah Yeah.”
“Goodnight!”
“Peace.”

So I told Grace and Jean about how I got to meet Anthony and how I was off to a good start on my Wednesday goal. They laughed and added him to our guy-chart.

Our guy-chart had names of guys that we each thought were attractive. If a guy made it onto our chart, based on his specific attractive feature, he’d receive his name. A few examples, by the end of his month we had
What’s his Hair
What’s his Teeth
What’s his Laugh
What’s his Eyes
What’s his Smile
And Anthony became: What’s his Bod.
For now, I’d have to dream about that body of his, but not for long.

The next morning, I found out my little sister was in the same family as Anthony.
“Jackie! You’re in Anthony’s family! Please tell him how cool you think I am.”
“In that case I think you better set your eye on someone else…because you’re a desperate loser.”
“Oh come on Jackie. Please. Please. Please.”
“What do I get out of this? Last time we made a deal you said you’d do the dishes for a week. You haven’t done the dishes in over six months!”
“Please Jackie. Anything.”
“Okay. Ill do it but whatever I decide you have to do, you have to do. Deal?”
“Deal. Thank you so much.”
So with Jackie and Bryce on the inside working in my favor, I had to get Grace to help me with my outfit for the day and Jean would help me with my hair and what I should say when I see him…I didn’t need it though.

Apparently Jackie said something good to him at breakfast because he certainly caught me off guard when I saw him in the main cabin two hours later.
“Hey Michelle. Wanna come sit with us?”
“Oh. Hey Anthony. Yeah that’d be cool.”
“Okay well you already know Chris, this is Maggie, Tina, Annie, Laura, and Dan. Dan is in the same room as Chris and myself and this other guy Matt.”
“Hey guys. I’m Michelle.”
“Yeah we remember you from the activity last night!” exclaimed Maggie.
“Oh yeah! You were the only girl in that room running the activity that had decent hair hahaha.” And that was Tina.
“I was also the only one there without thunder-thighs but we wont go there…”
“Oh my God you’re so right! HA! I like this chick.” And that was Dan. I thought to myself 'These people are actually really cool'.

So this was Monday and I had two days to get Anthony, who apparently went by the nickname “Tony”, to like me. I had a lot of work to do.