True Love: Turning Point- Ani's version

I had decided that I was not going to be interested in that cute, cute, cute boy. I over heard some of the roommates saying he was taking them surfing. I was “over it”. When he came over, which was often, I didn’t act any different. I even remembered being annoyed with the way the girls flirted and went in my room to read one day. We quickly became friends with him, and all of his roommates, and we are started to hang out together in a big group.
I might have acted like I wasn’t interested, but I was. I hated it when the other girls talked to him. I wasn’t going to compete and chase after him, but I couldn’t help it. I had a crush. A big one. But I wasn’t about to admit it.
Straight from my journal: “We met some really fun guys. Just in the nic of time! We were starting to get tired of all girls. They way we met them was through Matt Taylor, who use to live in our house. He comes over and hangs out a lot. It is really funny. He is pretty cute. He just graduated from BYUH. Oddly enough he works at the Elementary School with children with Autism. I am sorta interested in him. He is so funny. And so laid back.”
It was the night of the opening social. There was a BBQ out on the lawn for dinner, and I was really excited when I saw him there. I was kind of wondering why he was there, since he was gradated. I tried to act like I didn’t see him, as I was trying to control my butterflies. Then he and his roommate came up to us and started talking. We all sat down on the grass together and I was pleasantly surprised when he sat next to me. I thought he was kinda of funny, wearing really old, mismatched flip-flops. I think Jenna knew I was interested in this cute boy at this point because she took this picture:

As I was smiling, I was analyzing everything. I was hoping he didn’t think it was odd that we were posing in a picture together. I was hoping he wanted to be posing in that picture together. I was enjoying being in close proximity to this boy named Matt Taylor.

We all talked about the dance that night, and he said he would be coming. As we got ready Liz said something about Matt being cute and wanting to make out with him. (Hi Liz, I love you!) My face felt like it was boiling. She didn’t know I liked him, and now she had staked her claim, out loud. She was calling dibs. I was bummed.

We went to the dance and I was in a bad mood. I kept looking at the door, for this Matt Taylor, and he never showed. I was moping. So I decided to leave. I wasn’t having fun and I was over it. As I walked outside he was just arriving. He acted happy to see me, and asked why I was going home. Shoot. Bad timing on my part. Now the roommates had all access and I couldn’t do anything about it.

After the dance they all came home and announced we were going night swimming. I was done moping and decided to go. We drove up to Matt’s summer house, “The Goat House”, and then walked down the trail to Bikini Beach. About half way down he took off his shirt and totally checked him out from the corner of my eye. As we walked down the beach we were kinda talking and Liz squeezed her way between us and worked her cute southern accent. Again, I surrendered. But still a little miffed, I ran into the water and dove, and hit the reef, cutting my arm. I was so glad it was dark. I was so embarrassed.

We all made our way out into the warm, dark water, and were slashing around under the moon. This is why I came here, not for some boy. All of a sudden everyone started screaming. Here was a school of Blue Bubbles and they were attacking everyone. We tried to make our way out of the water, but I fell victim to the terrible burning as well. Looking back now, we must have looked so funny trying to run/swim out for the water while crying/screaming/laughing. Most everyone got stung on their stomachs, legs, or arms. I thought I was lucky because only my finger was burning. Once we got to the beach, and were walking back, the complaints died down, but my finger was hurting worse and worse. (Turns out I was allergic) Matt was concerned and walked back with me. I was secretly really happy, even though I was in tons of pain, and trying to not act like a baby. We got back to the house and Matt got me some Advil and some ice.
Blue Bubble

We staid at the Goat House for a long time that night. We all sat out on the deck and played “Truth”. I started to learn a little bit about this cute surfer boy. I learned he had not had his first kiss until he was 21. Interesting, and surprising. But most importantly, I learned that he did not have a girlfriend.

Matt went and lay in the hammock while we listened to some of the boys playing the guitar and continued chatting away. About an hour later, Matt got up and went in the house. I was getting tired, and the hammock was looking really inviting. So I got in. The best decision of my life; thus far. Matt came out and acted surprised when he saw I had stolen his place. I said I would get out, but he thought we could both fit. So, he sat down next to me. It was a little uncomfortable and we were laughing trying to get comfortable until we ended up lying side by side. A little awkward to be that close, but I wasn’t complaining. As the minutes wore on, we got more and more comfortable and my heart was beating faster and faster. What was he thinking? Did he like this? Does he know I like him? Does he like me? What are the roommates thinking? How lucky am I that I go in the hammock when I did. Then he started to run his fingers through my hair. That has to mean something. At this point, his roommate started to sing to us while playing his guitar. My face turned bright red as I heard him make up a song about Matt and Ani, lying in a hammock, under the moon, overlooking the bay… I like that way all of that sounded.

We were in that hammock for hours. I certainly wasn’t going to end it. My hand was totally asleep, and therefore my finger felt fine. I didn’t realize how late it was until everyone started to talk about watching the sunrise in a few hours. Matt said he had work in the morning. It was almost morning. Since he wouldn’t be watching the sunrise, why should I? I willed myself up. So he drove me and my painful, sausage-finger back home.

I could not fall asleep that night. I replayed every second of that night in the hammock, with the cute boy with the dimples.

To be continued…