We Meet in the Middle on Our Way Back Down to Earth

Dear Julian,

It's been awhile. I'm trying to sort my feelings out. I still feel things for you, still think about you, but it isn't as bad. We don't talk anymore, and I don't try to talk to you, so maybe that helps. Nordic may have made it worse, since I would see you and you would talk to me and ignite that feeling. Right now I'm just kind of focusing on school, which is essentially working since I'm doing pretty well for myself right now.

I don't know where any of my feelings lie right now, I feel so scattered in that regard. I'm even flirting with guys who have girlfriends, which is bad, I know. I try not to but it's so tempting. You had the same thing anyway, but with girls. We're probably just too similar to be together. We feel a connection in our similarity but not enough of a connection to be together.

I talked to my mom the other day about how different her and my dad are. She said that they complement each other. Maybe we didn't. We clashed, beautifully and wonderfully, but we clashed. Andrew and I were too similar and he annoyed me and he still annoys me now. This is due to the fact that he's so freaking emo whenever he's near me and I'm so sick of all his shit but I don't want to talk to him about it even though it creeps under my skin. Not in a good way. Seriously. And we're going to be doing track together so he better get over his stupid neuroses.

Blargh. I feel weird right now. I'm cold and tired and really bored but it's snowing even though it's March (boooo) and I don't feel very creative to be writing something but here I am. Not really sure what else to do, and I hate saying I'm bored because that's what fat people say when they could be outside exercising but I can't because the weather keeps changing from snow to rain and the roads are shit. And I already did some exercising nonsense inside like jumping jacks and various cardio things to some Biebs.

Complainy complainer fun times. Sigh.

Ambiguously,

Jerrica

When I Get Older, I Will Be Stronger. They'll Call Me Freedom, Just Like a Waving Flag.

Dear Julian,

Some revelations have come to mind this week. I've heard some interesting things. Let's dive in, shall we?

On Wednesday, I worked concessions at the basketball game with Charlotte and yes, Carly. I figured I might as well since I was stuck at school anyway, at least until like, 5:30, though I ended up staying until a little bit after 8. Carly was there to support Keenan as well, so her and Charlotte were in and out while I maintained constant, making sure no one stole anything. It turned out to be a very exciting game, with our school winning by one point, though I didn't see any of it, there were many retellings. Carly and I had many an interesting conversation, when Keenan was not hanging around her.

She kissed you.

She admitted this to me after I made the incorrect claim that you had only kissed Dana. She had told me the story of you two, how after her and Keenan broke up, you were there to comfort her (sound familiar?) and were a good friend to her when she needed it. Your time together began to turn romantic, but she wasn't over Keenan yet, so when she and Keenan began to reconcile, you were easy for her to cut. She wanted to remain friends, but you declared "all or nothing" and she chose the latter. She told me that you said you felt bad about what happened between us, and that he genuinely felt bad for every girl he had wronged. You said to Carly that it wouldn't happen between the two of you. She didn't believe you, she confided in me. I don't know if she was dying to tell her story to someone who understands or she feels close-ish to me. Carly and I aren't really that close, we're on a sort of crust of friendship, an area where I'm not sure if I can refer to us as friends or not. We work together often in student council, and the nightmare that became Mock Rock was a stressful time for both of us. Maybe the stress caused her to tell her woeful tale.

But either way, this new information hangs in my head. That she was able to touch your lips with hers and still go back to Keenan, who frankly is a kind of a jerk. They seem like a compatible couple, but he's mean to her sometimes. She's referred to the fact that you can't go near her because of some decree by Keenan, who does seem like the jealous type. But it's not really my place to judge their relationship, one that has been going on for over a year now, when I can barely hold on to a man for a period of three months.

As for the revelation I had, I realized yesterday at the Nordic Bonfire, which you did not attend, that I feel better when you're not around. Better is probably the wrong word, it's more like "alright". When you're near me, this fullness swells within me. When you've just recently left the room, it turns to emptiness. When I was at the Nordic Bonfire, flirting with guys and pouring drinks and putting chips in the "coveted cup" I shared with Bri, while we discussed books she's lent me recently and books we've both read, I feel good about being single. There's something wonderful about being singular. You do things based on your own motives. Your opinions aren't swayed by your significant other, who could think differently. My friends with boyfriends get like that sometimes, and it bothers me a little. When I was with Andrew I made a specific effort not to do so, because I knew that with Graham such events had transpired.

Then again, I wasn't as into Andrew as I was into Graham. I realize that now, when I was talking to Graham at the bonfire. I remember what I found attractive about him. His wide blue eyes, his vibrant orangey-gold hair, his strange, guttural laugh. When I look at Andrew, I remember our experiences but I don't long for them anymore. And according to Ashley, who was talking to me yesterday, Andrew still looks at me with sadness in his eyes. He also has a strange black eye now, one I do not ask about because we no longer have conversations. I wanted to talk to him because I'm sick of that look he gives me, when he clams up and makes his mouth small. Duffy agrees that something has shifted in him, possibly from The Scum, the school he went to, and not from me. I hope it's not from me. I didn't want to ruin him, and that's why I ended it when I did. Any longer and I would be fooling myself, would be deceiving him. I honestly didn't start out that way, but that's the way it ended.

I think he may think I'm more than I am. Andrew and I are compatible, yes, but he's not The One. I'm not sure I believe in The One, I believe that there are a few people out there that we can actually see ourselves being with for the long run, but not The One. Maybe you are one of those few people. Sometimes I think so. I kind of hope that you aren't, but I'll wonder what these feelings are, then. They're so different from anything that I've ever felt. When I broke up with Andrew, something about the things he said made me think that I would realize what a mistake I was making. But I felt relieved, I don't regret the decision I made. I try not to regret things. It makes life a little easier.

Unregretfully,

Jerrica

And It Was Not Your Fault But Mine, And It Was Your Heart On the Line.

Dear Julian,

An eventful past few days. The state race and all. And Dana.

Yes, Dana. The old threat. The ex-girlfriend who is slowly diminishing my hopes. But the girl I can't possibly bring myself to hate because she is a wonderful, nice person who had a little trouble with her ex-boyfriend Tyler. I feel so bad about that, because he was so mean to her. I mean awful. Graham may have stirred up problems where there were none, may have called me fat at one point, but nothing compared to Tyler. He just psychologically abused her, was obsessive and paranoid, and even hit her. She told me all this, tears edging their way out of her eyes. Her, Gabby, and I sat at a table, avoiding the cold of the outside, while she narrated a story filled with love and torture.

How could I hate her?

But there you were, flirting with her even as you sat next to me on the couch, our knees occasionally grazing, our shoulders sometimes making contact, our eyes locking from time to time. How could you not feel the energy between us? Maybe you can, but you choose to ignore it. Millions of theories run through my head, but they all go unanswered. Our Biology teacher told my class today that in science, theories are proven, as opposed to other things. But my theories aren't scientific, unfortunately.

The state race went really well, and I felt good about it. Dana of course beat me. I don't know how she got so good. I'll work really hard next year to beat her. Your ribbing at the Monday race motivated me. You skied over to me just to mock me, as you usually do, while I tried unsuccessfully to push you over while you laughed and skied around. That's when I had a lot of hope. Now, I stand on unsure ground.

I asked Dana about the two of you possibly getting together, and she isn't sure. She's still hung up on Tyler. It's a double-edged sword (30 Rock reference!) here. I want Dana to be in a healthy relationship, to get over Tyler, but I don't want her to be with YOU. I am contemplating telling her about my feelings for you. Bec says it might help with the situation but the only people I've told are her and Liz, in a moment of weakness while shopping for the Latin dinner. She told me a cute story about her and the representative of Papua New Guinea, how he flirted with her through notes like "I'm Czeching you out." (I think it's obvious now what country Liz was representing). And Liz has always been a calming, reasonable presence. But I'm yet to tell Bri.

It's weird, I tell Bri everything. But I'm afraid. She's been so lucky in love, her year anniversary with Joe was this week. I just feel so scattered next to her. Bec has experienced near my level of luck and Liz is too devoted to school to work on cultivating relationships. I'm not sure if that affects her or not. She seems happy. But I probably seem happy most of the time.

Also, Bri and I haven't had much alone time lately, time that hasn't been interrupted by others, mostly Joe. And I don't feel like telling her something this big over text after a lengthy discussion of Pretty Little Liars. I guess I'll know the right time when it comes up. If it ever comes up. Besides, I don't want to jinx this. Maybe the Dana thing came about because I told Liz. Maybe the less people I tell the better. Not really sure how that system works, but I'm willing to stick to it if it means a good end result.

In other good news, I got a 105% on that Bio test! It's a nice change from that 73% I got once-upon-a-don't-feel-like-studying. It felt good, and it's good to know that even in my unrequited love of an emotional state my brain is still functioning. When I took that test I think I forgot about you too, like when I did the state race. I need things like that, things that take up my entire mind, in order to keep sane, I think. I'm going to take up guitar again. I used to play in like, fifth and sixth grade, and I feel like it'll help relieve stress and give me some more sense of accomplishment.

I don't know what's going to happen with you and Dana. Dana doesn't seem all that sure about it, and maybe I can sway her away, not that I'm sure I want to. It's not really fair game, and I know that sounds weird. Maybe it's supposed to be this way, not that I believe in fate or anything, but I do believe in the butterfly effect. Maybe if I tell Dana I like you it'll warp something and we won't ever be together. I'm afraid of veering things off of a path that doesn't involve me. Well it does...how do I explain this?! I think my mind is a little off-kilter or something, at least when it comes to this situation I have going here. Every little choice involving it seems so delicate and malleable, like it could change in an instant if I put my foot in the wrong place.

At least I don't have to worry about Carly. She told me today that you're not allowed to come near her because of some Keenan thing. You can be kind of a weasel sometimes but I think you'll follow something like that. Keenan can be pretty scary, plus he's got his "homies". Do white people have homies?

Perplexedly,

Jerrica

And I'm Bound to Fall, Bound to Fall For You

Dear Julian,

Today was a rather busy day, and I'm finally home after leaving at 10 and returning at 3. It was busy in the sense that there was a lot of movement, a lot of exercise. Today I had Mock Rock practice, and I came face to face with my "enemies". And by "enemies", I mean people that you may or may not like, people that you may or may not date in the future. Carly, Erica, and Lexi. There were other girls there, but those girls do not pose a threat as of now. It feels like I'm in the military or something. And that's kind of funny to say because we have a sort of militia routine for our Mock Rock. "Sophomores ten hut!" Ten-hut? Tenhut?

As much as I try though, I can't hate these girls. Though they do stir up their fair share of drama, Erica and I used to run together. Carly's the president to my VP. And Lexi's simpleness is charming in a way, she's undeniably sweet. They all have a different charisma about them, one that draws people, similar to your charisma, the way you befriend people with a few words out of your mouth. I wonder how people just have that about them. I don't make friends that easily. I mean, I have a lot of friends, but it doesn't take an instant like it takes you.

After Mock Rock got out, Charlotte and I went on a Mocha run. Even though Char can be a scary driver, it's fun in her car. She turns up the Top 40 music and we sing together. I paid for our chais and we arrived to practice 20 minutes early, minutes we spent sitting in the car licking the foam off the inside of the cup and drinking the last sips of warm orgasmic tea. Then practice began. Charlotte and I skied around until we reached The Rock, the meeting place our coach designated. Then I saw you.

You usually don't go to weekend practice. Or at least, you didn't go to the one last week. I wasn't expecting to see you. But there you were. Our coach set us up for those sprint races, and oh, how I hoped that I would get to race you. We're around the same level race-wise, you've beaten me but I've beaten you. I think you may be better than me. I don't know, I haven't seen your race results. But our coach put you in A and me in B. Though you made fun of me for it, you got eliminated in your group and I got third in B, behind Nick (who is boss, let's admit) and Dillon (who cheated and tripped me).

Our coach set us free for free ski, and I went with Bri, who surprisingly did not ski with Joe. I love alone time with Bri, we don't really get it that much. We skied around and I wasn't too far behind her, I was even in front of her for a little bit, but I'm pretty sure she let me. If I can at least keep up with her, I know that I'm doing well.

Then we reached The Hill. As you know, The Hill is where people climb to the top and take a treacherous ski down it. It's the fun part of free ski. You were there with your friends and I was there with Bri. The first time Bri went down, you scared her into falling, but I made it past you, Julian pal. Bri and I unsuccessfully tried to make a gate out of poles when you came down but you made it past. The second time I got up, you blatantly stood right in the tracks. "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" I shouted at the top of the hill, tucking my poles and zooming down The Hill. You moved out of the way, but as you did, Nate started to move into your place. Freaked, I lost my balance and fell.

"You shouldn't have accepted my challenge, Jerrica," you said a little bit later on, as we crossed over to another part of The Hill track. You stood there in front of Joe, moving swiftly out of the way when he got close. Then it was Bri's turn. She took her poles off and you thought that she was going to hit you with them, so you started whipping yours around. I moved closer to you and we began to battle, until I lost my balance (again) and fell. Our eyes locked for probably 15 seconds. I wondered what was going through your head at that time, but I couldn't tear myself away from your gaze until we both kind of looked away at the same time, towards Bri, who was flying down The Hill when she fell before she even got to you.

That was my encounter with you today. Even if it was limited as always, even if you did a strange wrestle with Dana, I still left feeling like it was just a great time overall. The sprint races were actually pretty fun, I don't know what you thought about them, because you kept losing where I was winning.

Too bad life can't be that way, eh? Seems like it's a little bit of the opposite. Though I still hold out hope, the kind of hope that these days give me. Do you have hope for us too? Hope that you are too afraid to disclose? Or confusion over who you want to be with?

Questionably,

Jerrica

First Thought When I Wake Up, is "My God He's Beautiful", So I Put on My Make-Up, and Pray for a Miracle.

Dear Julian,

I had a dream about you last night, as I usually do. You came up to me and sat with me at my lunch table, angry about something. Apparently I was spreading a rumor that I punched you in the face? This, of course, is based off of that rumor that Megan spread that I slapped you in the face last year after you beat me out for First in Class. And sure, I was mad when that happened, but you know I didn't even lay a hand on you. Oh my God that's why I'm mad at Megan! I couldn't remember why I was mad at her so I let her copy my Bio homework. But whatever. Karma and such.

Anyway, I denied it and you forgave me, and you took my hand across the table. There was a sudden sense of realization on your face, and I took a chance and said, "Do you maybe want to hang out sometime?" You smiled at me and said, "Yes, absolutely."

Then I had another dream that I was sitting in the exact same seat in the lunch room. Our eyes locked for a few seconds, and then you walked right on by.

I wonder what that means.

We lock eyes quite frequently during the day. And by frequently, I mean two or three times. But it's enough to steal the breath from me. Sometimes I feel like you look but maybe I'm with someone in the hallway and I miss it, or vice versa, I look but you're talking to someone else. Usually a girl, like Emily or Kamaya or Paola or Carly or whoever. You like to talk to girls. It's just part of who you are.

Yesterday was a year since I chose Graham over you. Though, essentially, you told me that you also liked Tess and Dana so I thought that you weren't that serious about me. I suppose it's both our faults, like it is every time we try and fail to be a couple. I don't know when or if we'll ever try again. And this is the whole point of this, trying to release all the things I want to tell you and can't. It's kind of therapeutic in a way, to get everything out. And hopefully with the change of blog title and history deleting this will not be found by any members of my family any time soon.

Psychologically,

Jerrica

I Want Your Drama, the Touch of Your Hand

Dear Julian,

Sorry about the title. Well I don't really know your views on Lady Gaga specifically, but my brother is watching the music video and it's all I could really think of to say. But it's true, I do in fact "want your bad romance".

We had a sort of moment today, and I'm not sure I interpreted it correctly, but you were skiing and you stopped when you saw me, Dillon, and Duffy looking for our coach. I asked, "[Julian], do you know where [our coach] is?" I know you knew I was talking, because you were looking right in my eyes. Your gorgeous teal-blue eyes looking straight into my soul. But then you said, "What? Sorry." Like you had just snapped out of a trance. But then not like, twenty minutes later you were flirting with Dana, which is okay sort of because she is hopelessly devoted to Tyler and anything she has for you might just be residual from previous experiences.

We talked in snippets throughout practice, and that was nice because just a few seconds of talking to you makes me feel all wonderful inside. I feel complete around you. I don't know if you feel it too, this sense of calm and overall well-being, like a space inside you gets filled. I'm probably mentally sick over this whole situation. I think about you constantly, and I know that it's not at all healthy or prudent of me.

I've been trying to up my karma by doing nice things like signing people out for computers and letting Megan copy the last two of the Bio problems on the homework. Anything so that the karmic gods will give me you. I don't really know how that sort of thing works. But karma seems to make sense to me. We've had this discussion. It just makes sense that the universe has a certain balance to it, you know? Well yes, you do. We talked about it.

I just don't know why you choose those vapid girls over me. Seriously. "Hahahaha Lexi. I just got dominated!" when she made up that lame poem about when you said girls are icky. "[julian] thinks girls are icky, cuz he wants a bigger dicky." Something like that. While I said:

"Hey [Julian], is that coat in that closet you're in?"

You said, "Yes Jerrica, right next to your shaving kit and hiking boots."

I said, "I'm questioning why all my stuff is in your closet in the first place..."

And then the whole Lexi debacle. Dear lord. Just because she's hot. Beauty fades. But other than that beauty she's about as bright as a broken light bulb. She's nice, really, but just so DUMB. You're so intelligent! How can you stand it? I could barely stand Graham sometimes. But I suppose you value hotness over intelligence these days.

Prettily,

Jerrica

Something Always Brings Me Back to You, It Never Takes Too Long.

Dear Julian,

I missed you today. I think you might've gone home sick or something during G Block, because I saw your backpack during Health. I know it sounds all saddo, but I waited for you to come pick it up. I kept my eye on the door, hoping to get a few seconds of eye contact with you. Eye contact with you is like heroin to me, my stomach swirls and my insides buzz.

It didn't used to be this way. I looked at blog posts from another blog where you are mentioned, and I said I didn't really like you that much even though we were close friends at the time. I don't think I had fully realized it, is all. That was back in January, when we first began flirting. I miss then. We had all our inside jokes, like hell being a casino and our "can't be two things at once" game. When you pushed me down in the snow and we raced our skis. That was at our old ski course.

We were skate-skiing today, a welcome reprieve from our classic lovefest. Personally I was not feeling the love, I think you were feeling the same. You missed a chance to show off your natural v2 technique, something I am still trying to perfect. I remember when I told you how much trouble I was having with it. You went, "Like this?" and did it with barely any trouble. I was so jealous.

Currently I am sitting at home on the couch after a long practice. The weather was actually nice though, I could take off my coat and ski freely. My parents just got back from the grocery store, and I have a blister at the bottom of my foot.

Sometimes I wonder if Andrew could ever figure out that I liked someone else. On occasion it seemed like he did. "Is anything bothering you?" he'd ask, real concern showing in his eyes. I'd give some indication of no, but he'd persist. He knew I was hiding something. It was something I was trying to hide from even myself. I wanted to like Andrew, maybe even wanted to love him. But I couldn't. I knew I couldn't. He was sweet, considerate, funny, smart (somewhat), everything a decent boyfriend should be. And he'll make some deserving girl a very decent boyfriend. But he wasn't for me. I told him that when we broke up, but he didn't seem to believe me. "I'm not the one for you," I said, pacing around my house, wishing the conversation would end. And after 18 minutes of uncomfortable yet strongly-worded (on my part) talking it did.

A normal, well-adjusted teenage girl would've cried maybe a little bit for the bitchiness she'd had to exhibit. She would've cried for lost love, for the realization that most things don't last forever, for the fragility of even the strongest-seeming relationships. But I didn't cry. I felt almost relieved that I didn't have to deal with pretending that I only liked him. And that night I had a dream that you and I kissed, Julian. And instead of waking up feeling guilty about it as I usually did, I laid in bed in a happy stupor when I woke up, warm from the blankets and warm in my heart with hope.

Hope comes and goes. Sometimes it burns strong in my chest, other times there's a hole in my stomach. Stupid girl, he'll always be the one you come back to. And maybe you will. But honestly, I've never felt this way. I think that helps me a little. Along with the whole reciprocal liking thing. I'm still waiting for that to kick in. But to come back to a previous sentence, I feel like my feelings will save me, that my waiting will eventually be rewarded. For now, I'm enjoying being single again, having time for myself and not worrying about being Flawless Goddess Girlfriend. It can get exhausting, trying to maintain the upper hand. But at the same time it was dull, at least where Andrew was concerned. He followed me around like a puppy, did whatever I said. I was singing this song earlier today, and it described it perfectly:

Every time you go away

It actually kind of makes my day.

Every time you leave you slam the door.

You pick your words so carefully,

You hate to think you're hurting me.

You leave me laughing on the floor...

That's classic Avril Lavigne, my friend. Say what you want but in her golden times she was a punky Taylor Swift. I know you're more into Passion Pit, Yeasayer, etc (and by that I mean stuff I can't really remember). Lazy, sloppy work, Jerrica. Yes, indeed.

The catalyst that caused me to break up with Andrew was you, you must've figured that. Yes, there was the whole "he bores me to death" thing. But at the Team Feed, when we were talking, your eyes lighting up as you looked at me, leaned toward me as if enthralled by my presence. I must've been looking similarly. Those few minutes of conversation, those bits of exchanged words, had me in an afterglow on the way home, I am ashamed to say.

I knew that I couldn't feel that way about you and still be with Andrew. It wasn't fair to him, and if I kept it going I knew I would just hurt him more down the line. It was a breakthrough I had whilst showering a few months ago. I'm going to break his heart. I tried to push the thought out of my mind, but still it remained. In my print diary, I mention you in every one that I write during the time that I was dating Andrew. I think you're mentioned in nearly every one as it is, and I started it in June. I'm not sure if this is some sort of companion to it, but sometimes I feel as though my diary tires of me talking about you. So now it's as if I'm talking directly to you. Take that, diary!

Revenge tastes like ink and paper.

Maliciously,

Jerrica