The Story of Us, Part 4

(I’ve been an all-star blogger this week…if you’re just checking for the first time in awhile, scroll down to catch up on parts 1 through 3!)

In March of 1997, Derek passed through town on his way to a spring break mission trip.  We had been talking  a lot about our relationship, but we were still broken up.  I wasn’t happy about that.  Even through the hurt feelings, I still loved him, and I thought that he felt the same way.  I only had one night to see him that week, so I very carefully chose my outfit and went to hang out with him.  Except it wasn’t just him I was hanging out with.  He was with a whole group of his college friends who were also going on the mission trip.  But I still did my best to flirt with him to make sure that he got the message that I was still in love with him.  When it was time for me to go home, we slowly walked through the darkness to my car.  (And when I say my car, I actually mean my mom’s mini van which is what I got to drive all through high school.)  I didn’t want to get in the car.  I didn’t want to leave things unresolved.  We talked awkwardly for a moment about nothing that really mattered and then we hugged.  Was this it?  A hug?  Did he not understand how I felt about him?  He pulled away and softly held my hand in his.  He looked into my eyes and after what felt like an eternity, he sweetly kissed me.  This wasn’t just any kiss.  This was a kiss that meant something.  He loved me, and I loved him.

I was so happy, and he seemed happy, too.  The months went by with more letters, phone calls, and weekend visits.  That summer, he did not come home, but instead got a job working in the lab at his school.  While I would have loved to have him home for another 3 months, it was okay that he wasn’t there.  Our relationship and our love was simply comfortable.  It wasn’t dramatic.  It wasn’t up and down.  It was there, a huge part of my life and my heart, but not all-consuming like it had been before the break-up.  We had both grown a lot in the 6 months we spent broken up, and once we got back together, I think it was a much healthier relationship.  We were used to the long distance thing.  I definitely missed him when we were apart, but I also had my own life filled with friends, family, youth group stuff, and volleyball.   It was pretty much smooth sailing for the next 8 months, until the winter of 1997…