dxngrt's Profile

Dumped on the Dance Floor

In 8th grade, I had the biggest crush on a girl.  I lived in the Philippines on a military base.  I met her while bowling. For the next year and half we became friends through bowling.  Whe was tall with blonde hair, blue eyes and an amazing smile.  I fell head over heels.

The crush started at the tail end of 7th grade, I think, and lasted for the next two years. But it was during our 8th grade year that I finally got up enough nerve to ask her out.  Well let me clarify, in the 8th grade we called it "Going Together".  I asked her to "go with me" in the most romantic way of the time, a note.  If I remember correctly, I professed my adoration of her, asked her out and gave her the choice between yes, no and maybe.  I then folded the note into a compact, self-sealing envelope. You know the kind with the little "pull" flap.  I wrote her name and mine on the outside and non-chalantly slipped it to her as I walked past her desk.

The next two hours were torture.  I think she was avoiding me, but I finally cornered her at her locker outside of my last class, approached her, looked her in the eye (actually I was staring at my feet) and asked if she received my note. 

To my delight she had, but she had not read it yet.  My torture continued.  In those days, there was no text, email, facebook or cell phones. So I sat in silent suffering the entire night.

The next day, I want to school. I saw her walking towards class and quickly made haste in the opposite direction.  We made waved hello at lunch and at the end of the day, she approached me and gave me her answer...YES.

To say I was on cloud 9 would be an understatement.  I was giddy, probably too giddy, but can you blame me. She was by all accounts the girl of my dreams.  I asked her to the school dance planned for later that week and promptly starting making plans for being the perfect boyfriend.

After school, I carried her books and walked her home.  For the next two days, we acted just like normal 8th grade boyfriend and girlfriend...we hardly saw each other.  We did walk home again at the end of the day and I think we may have even held hands.

Well, the school dance came. To my delight, about half-way through, Careless Whisper by Wham played in the gymnasium.  I asked her to dance and I nervously led her to the middle of the gym. I'm not sure if a spotlight was on us and everyone was staring in envy...but that's how it felt.

I put my hands on her waist and she placed her hands on my shoulders. And for 1 minute and 24 seconds we slowly swayed back and forth looking anywhere but in each other's eyes.  We kept the mandatory "middle school middle" between us while we danced.  And then she looked at me, took a breath and said "I really like you.....as a friend".  She didn't have to say another word.

She mentioned something about thinking of me of her brother and that I was funny and some-other stuff.  She then told me that she really didn't want a boyfriend and that we were better off friends.  Did I mention "blah blah blah".

The warm glow that had been about me for the past week was instantly decimated.  My heart broke into a million pieces.

I'm not sure we fished the dance. I think I spent the rest of the night hanging out with my guy friends against the wall watching all the other couples dancing and making up excuses why we didn't even want to be there.

The next week was somber.  I avoided her at all costs.  I correctly timed  visits to my locker, which was two over and one down from hers, so as not to be there when she was. 

She finally cornered me after lunch.  She wanted to make sure we were "still good". I said we were. I lied. We gave each other an 8th grade hug and went about our way. 

I told my friends that the break up was mutual. I lied. Only  my best friend knew the truty. I told people that neither of us wanted a boyfriend/girlfriend. I lied again.  And everythign was peachy. 

Until the next week when she started dating one of my other close friends.

So to this day whenever I hear Careless Whisper, I am instantly transported back to that gym, to that dance, to that moment.  And although that song reminds me of a painful moment from my childhood.  It also holds a special place in my heart because for 1 minute and 24 seconds I was happier than I had ever been.