[Note from Frolic: We are so excited to have Rom Com Fest creator Miraya Berke guest post on the site today. Take it away, Miraya!]
As a nervous 14 year old, I was welcomed into my first high school class, Student Government, by the bright smile and charisma of Matt DeMartini, a junior. Instantly, I had a crush. Matt cared about all the same things as me: getting good grades, Mock Trial, musical theater, movies. We were obviously meant to be — he just didn’t know it yet.
Over the next two years we were friends…just friends; we made balloon arches together for rallies and practiced cross examinations for Mock Trial. In person I was shy and giggly, but after school we would talk on AIM, staying up late into the night playing the “question game.” I was braver on AIM and finally confessed my feelings:
ClassicPeach27: k, well, i was wondering, do u think of me as a friend, or as something more?
mattdd103: as a friend, i think i still like my ex girlfriend…*sigh*, i’ll never know what’s going on with that, life is so confusing
mattdd103: why, do you?
ClassicPeach27: well, i kinda like you
mattdd103: aww, i’m flattered 🙂
mattdd103: sorry i have this stupid thing with my ex…i think you’re awesome though 😀
Though I was hurt, I held on to my hope that one day he would return my feelings. He was just a silly teenager, he’d figure it out eventually. I tried to distract myself with boys in my grade and with school, but the crush was always there. Despite the lackluster response to my confession, we kept talking and flirting… and eventually decided, over AIM of course, that we should kiss. Maybe this would help him get over his ex. Although his rationale for kissing me was less than ideal, I was hopelessly obsessed and willing to take whatever he offered. We borrowed the student store key and arranged the time for our first kiss. Soon one secret kiss turned into many more kisses. It felt mysterious and special, just the two of us. Yet while I wanted to brag to my friends and scream from the rooftop, Matt wanted to keep it secret.
I kept hoping that soon Matt would be ready for us to be seen together. Prom approached, and I desperately dreamed that he would ask me. He didn’t, and I was devastated. In an effort to soothe my hurt feelings, he asked one of his female friends to take me so that I could still attend. So I bought a dress, went to prom, and took group photos next to him…but not with him.