1.2

I'm not sure but I think at that point I said, "really? I like you too" or something profound like that and then there was probably a quick hug and then I was in the door because, like I said, it was really cold outside for a formal. I floated up the stairs, past the smell of laundry detergent and all the way down to my dorm room. I don't really remember what happened next... it was late and so my roommate was probably either MIA or asleep. I do know that I was surprised. I had no idea what this crazy boy was thinking. I knew he was definitely flirting with me at times but then again some times his roommates and brother (who was a roommate) were nicer and more attentive to me than he was. Interesting.
It's a sad fact but the next month or so is kind of hazy.... I know that at some point I needed to talk about it.. surprise surprise (this will become a theme) and he clarified that he really liked me and enjoyed hanging out with me but that he didn't necessarily want to be boyfriend/girlfriend. This was convenient since I had a couple of other guys that I still had my eye on or had their eyes on me. It's shallow, but knowing that one was certainly interested made it easier to assess my relationship with the others. Most of them had other girlfriends or weren't my type and therefore the playing field slowly narrowed down to just Drew and me. We started doing more things alone together and yet I still hung out a great deal at his house with his roomies. He never paid for my meals or took me on dates (other than watching movies at his place or mine) and we went to separate churches and had separate friends so... it seemed slow going and I wasn't sure it was going anywhere.
Christmas break finally arrived and I went home to Fort Worth and he went home to Dallas. I think it was December 22 he came over to meet my parents for the first time. My sister was instantly gaga for him b/c of his long and shaggy hair but my parents were a little less impressed. He hadn't had a hair cut in a while and was wearing thrift store finds from head to toe: all of which were too big. We made peanut-butter balls (a christmas tradition) and hung around the house and then he brought out a present. This was a big surprise because, like I said, he never paid for meals or really spent any money on my behalf before.
The present contained sun-ripened raspberry lotion (he didn't know about my allergies then), fish earrings (I had just gotten my ears pierced) and a few other items... and a card. I started reading the card, anxious to see what this mystery man would write and all I remember is that at the end it asked me to be his girlfriend. I was shocked, put on the spot and over-joyed at the same time. I think we hugged and then he left. haha. The next day his family left for a week long vacation on a cruise where he would have no cell phone service... it was a great sign of things to come... but neither of us had a clue