Thoughts on Valentine’s Day {Part II–My First “Love”}

Sooooo for some reason, I almost forgot that I was doing this “series.” I’ve had WAY too much on my mind lately. SHEESH, Em. Get with the program!! So here’s my installment numero deux on my “Thoughts on Valentine’s Day.”  I’m going to share with you the story of my first “love” and the one Valentine’s Day that was probably the most special I’ve had thus far.

When I was a junior in high school, I was extremely active in my youth group at church, as was Tony. We hated each other.

At least, I hated him.

My first memory of him was when we were in middle school and were in the same Sunday school class. He looked at me with a glaring eye and said, “are you stupid?” during a Jeopardy game. True love, indeed.

Anyways, moving right along… I started to see him in a different light that year as an upperclassman. He was a year above me at a neighboring high school, led worship, strummin’ his ‘ole guitar at youth group. Oh Le, Sigh.

I found out that he liked me too. He asked me to his prom. I had never really been kissed, etc, etc. It was all a lovely story. (Please excuse my shortness. I try not to relive too much of this relationship, and you guys don’t want to hear all the nitty gritty details.)

My senior year of high school, after the first of several painful '”breaks”, (Lord, ALMIGHTY I will not let my children date) we were back together and it was Valentine’s Day. I had started to get used to being let down at this point, but I was still young and desperately wanting some attention on Valentine’s Day. He was a freshman at a private Christian College about forty-five minutes away from my high school. Tony had mentioned that he had an exam that day and wouldn’t be able to see me.

I was sad.

First through forth periods came and went, and I had still heard nothing from him. My girlfriends were probably thinking, “why does she keep giving this guy another chance?”

I ask myself that to this day, but let’s be real here, I was young, people!

Lunch period came. Thank GOD it was lunch period. Time to be the social little butterfly and flitter from cafeteria table to table. And as the massive crowd of teenagers, reeking of BO, tried to cramp into the small entrances of the cafeteria, I hear from afar,

“Havi! Havi!”

No one except Tony called me that. (My middle name is Haviland. He loved my middle name.) I turned my head up (he was 6’4”)  and started searching for the familiar face. I finally found him pushing through the crowd, staring at me with my favorite flowers (Orchids at the time) and a card.

I ran to him and jumped into his arms.

The End

Okay, so it’s not that hard to beat. BUT it is probably one of the few moments I felt truly loved by him. I mean, it was an adolescent love, which to me, can or should be full of lovely memories to look back on. (I think I have a handful from that relationship. I think!)

Do you have any Valentine’s Day stories from high school??