CHAPTER 10 - A DOSAGE OF TRUTH AND IT ALL UNFOLDS

The upcoming summer would definitely be one to remember.

We would casually meet up at friends' parties and spend most of the time talking and flirting. We spent hours on the phone and sent emails back and forth every few days. Once, he found out I was speaking in church and he and Chris snuck in the back to listen. I had no idea they were there, but everyone else saw them and made it a point to tell me. 

As tradition, on the 4th of July my family joined friends at our regular spot just off the on-ramp to celebrate and spend good time together. About an hour before the firework show began that summer, I got a call from Elyssa. She said that her, her sister, and Thomas were coming up and wanted to come and sit by us. Of course I said yes...it was pretty special that I was able to sit by my two best friends that night.

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 But on August 3, 2004 something big happened.

I got my wisdom teeth out. 

I know. Huge news!

Just kidding...there was WAY more than just some loss of wisdom and drugs that day. You see, I wasn't really sure if I wanted Thomas to know exactly when they were coming out. I had heard of stories of puffy cheeks, passing out, blood, and all that nonsense and I was scared to let him see me that way. So, I told him it was happening on Wednesday (when it was really happening on Monday, shhhh). 

After the pounding, tugging, and pulling at the dentist's office, I went home and slept for a while. I awoke and while still drowsy, I decided to check my email. And well, what do you know...Thomas was on msn instant messenger. After some hello's and small talk...I randomly started sending him emoticons. {I know, I know...but I was on some strong pain meds, okay?}

Pretty soon I was sending him the red ones...

After the red rose one was delivered, I asked him if he knew what those meant. It took him a while to respond... Shortly after, I started feeling sick and decided to lay down again, so I signed off. In the mean-time, Thomas called Elyssa and asked her if everything was okay with me. She told him that I had gotten my wisdom teeth out that morning. He instantly wondered if I even knew what I was saying on instant messenger and if I meant any of it.

Later that afternoon I told him about my secret. Almost immediately he got in his car to come and visit me. I was shy and embarrassed at first, but he was kind about by my swollen face and instead made me feel beautiful. After he returned home he called me and we talked for nearly two hours. Part way through the call my new dose of drugs started kicking in and I started feeling really weird. He said if I was quiet for more than ten seconds, he was coming back to my house, since I was the only one home at the time. At one point I blanked-out for a bit and remembered coming back to a "hello? hello?" Luckily all was okay. 

Then he asked me, "is there anything I can do for you?" and I said, "Will you come and visit me again tonight?" He responded, "for sure."

Around 9:30pm Thomas arrived at my house. We sat on my front steps together, just us and the noise of the ward party coming from down the street. As it ended, people from my class stopped by to say hi, to bring me a popsicle, and asked if I wanted to play tennis with them. I didn't respond, but just looked at them funny...they all knew that I was on drugs! Thomas said, "I'll drive you and and you can just sit, if you want to". So we did...I went to the tennis courts and just sat and watched. 

After he dropped me off from the intriguing tennis matches,  I immediately called his cell phone. He stopped at the park down the road from my house to answer. I thanked him for taking good care of me. He told me about the instant messaging earlier that day and asked me what I meant by it. Honestly, it was mostly a blur, but when he told me what I sent and what I asked, it all came back to me and I was SO EMBARRASSED! But, honestly, it was the truth. The drugs had brought out the truth. I was falling for him...falling hard. 

Again, he asked me, "is there anything I can do for you?" and I replied, "I could use a hug." Since he was just down the road, I hung up the phone and waited outside for him. He gave me two wonderful hugs and we ended up just laughing about the weird, random, awesome day. It did and didn't feel good to laugh...if you know what I mean.

Since I couldn't sleep after all of that, I got online again and we ended up talking until 1:00am. That night, after recording the whole day in my journal, I ended by writing, "I can't believe this is happening to me! I love it!"

And just like the last time when things were falling into place, the next day, one of us was headed out of town for family stuff...but this time it wasn't me...