Our story - part 2

My senior year in high school, 1994-1995, I ended up talking to JP again. I honestly can not remember how or why we started talking again. He was the same sweet guy I remembered. And still lots of fun. Although we went to rival high schools he went to every football and basketball game my school had that year. We also went to every haunted house in the county together. He even took me to my senior homecoming.

I had my license then and drove when we went anywhere. His mom hated that. She forbid him to date me. He started telling her he was walking to a friends and would meet me at the top of the street.

I didn't feel right about lying to his mom. Besides there were older guys out there. College guys are way more exciting than freshmen when you are a senior in high school. Again I convinced myself that I could do better and left him to date a guy who had already been engaged once. We will call him "Jerk."

I dated Jerk all through college. I moved in with Jerk and was paying most of his bills while I was going to school.

Sept of 1997 Jerk and I went to the Italian Heritage Festival in my town. I felt someone staring at me. I turned around and there stood JP. He was with his girlfriend. We gave each other a weak smile and walked away from each other. My heart broke. I knew he was the one person I truely loved. I also knew I had no chance what so ever with him.

January of 1998 I got a phone call from a girl named Lisa. It seems Jerk's dad had told her about me and gave her my number. She had a new baby, he belonged to Jerk. He had been cheating on me with Lisa and two other girls, including his ex fiance, for quite some time.

Lisa and I met up and paid Jerk a little visit together. He was shocked to say the least. He swore he never wanted to see Lisa or his son again. He was so very sorry about what he had done to me. He loved me more than anything in this world and had made his choice, he wanted to marry me. I informed him, the choice was mine and I was leaving. Lisa and I drove off together as he screamed and threw a little fit. That was the most liberating moment in my life. What I wouldn't give to have a video of that meeting!

I moved back home and got my first real job. I was a book keeper for a motorcycle dealership. I went on a few dates, but none of the guys I knew were really worth the effort of serious dating.

In May 1998, my cousin Dawn and I volunteered to be bartenders at a fundraising event my parents helped organize. On the way home we had a serious conversation about regrets. My biggest regret was not realizing how great JP really was.