Choose You

Alex.

Freshman year started off the same as any freshman. I was excited for a sort of new start. I was ready to meet new people and make new friends. I wanted new teachers and adjusting to growing up. I wanted my driving permit. Everything basically went smoothly, other than wearing the same shirt as almost 90% of the girls in my class. You could definitely tell we were the freshman that way. The rest of the year was all about fighting a different reason to be depressed. I felt like I was losing my best friends and competitiveness was more intense. I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't know if I wanted to be desperate to fit in and be cool, or just stick with my friend group I already had. Then there was the fact that Nik and I basically hated each other. He actually made me miserable. I know one specific time that he and I did a project together and he didn't do part of his half of the project. I had to finish it at the end of the day right before it was due and I stormed out of the school to my parents car. That was just he beginning of the year, though. He became a closer friend later on, though I guess that didn't last. The only good thing that came out of high school started on this first day of freshman year.

It was eighth period, the last period of the day. I had English with Mr. Frick. I was in the very front row. Mr. Frick had his room set up that there was a sort of walkway in the middle of the room with a podium at the front and the projector also up front. I was one person away from the center of the isle. To my left was a boy with curly brown hair and a red, long-sleeved Lutheran shirt on. To my right was Hannah, my then friend. We made it through the boring announcements of what to expect of the class and from the teacher. Then it got fun. Hannah and I got with our group of friends to wait for our parents to pick us up. For some reason, Hannah had noticed the boy before me. She asked me, "Did you think the boy next to you was cute?" I told her I didn't even notice him and continued by joking, "Hannah already has a crush!" She hurried to tell me it wasn't like that, but that she had just noticed him.

The next day in English, I paid some attention to this "cute" boy next to me. I finally overheard his name... Alex. One of his friends across the walkway had said something to him and, of course, I made note. After that day, I hurried to Hannah and our friends to announce the news that I had learned the name of the mystery boy. The next week consisted of finding him. It turned out I had multiple classes with him and, like all boy-obsessed girls do, I found him, his mom, and siblings on social media. I friended him on whatever I could and went on stalking.

I don't know how long it was until I finally got the nerve to message him. It was in communications when we got the roster. It was time for the NCAA to happen and, yet again, we had to fill out who we thought would win what game and then, ultimately, the whole thing. I didn't pay attention to basketball much, so this was my opportunity, but I couldn't just go in alone, so I added my sort-of friend Nik into the conversation. As many do, I slid into his DMs with asking for help filling it out. The three of us talked for a little while and I got my homework done. Then, something happened. Alex accidentally liked something and it made a big heart in the conversation. He said he didn't mean to, but I saw it as a chance to make a joke and started sending broken hearts. For some reason, he played along and it became a game to us. I would send broken hearts and he would mend them by sending full ones. After a while, the crush began and it grew and grew. Nik even called us out once and said we liked each other in the group chat. Of course, we both retaliated and ignored him. In the end, Nik left the group and Alex and I began actually texting. The crush grew.

By the time homecoming came along, I was hoping Alex would ask me. He didn't, but I knew by then that I had a new crush. I ended up going with Nik because he lost a bet by not going to NYG with us and I was needing a date. Nik and I didn't really like each other, so it was a little awkward. But, during homecoming was the time when I felt the nerve to tell my friends that I had a crush. Alex ended up going with his best friend Elayna, but they never ended up dating. Instead, Alex and I became close enough friends that, wait for it, I did my best to put my feelings aside and help him gain the attention of Rylee. He had liked her for a little while and she seemed to have some interest in him. Sadly, it turned out that she dropped Alex for Matthew Alter and later played jokes on Alex by answering my phone with random messages and seeing private messages where he confessed his love for Rylee. So, he got over her. I thought this was my chance, but no. Instead, it was my best friend Mariah's turn. Mariah knew I liked Alex, but once she knew that he liked her, she asked if it was okay if she pursued him. Of course I said yes because all I wanted was for the both of them to be happy. He ended up asking her out on the last day of freshman year.