When It Rains In Ocala

7- Remember When I Wrote

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
- Dr. Seuss

“He what?!”

Well there goes my hearing in my right ear. “I already told you.”

“I must of heard you wrong because according to Miss. Maggie Harris herself, Evan doesn’t like her like that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Hanna, you’re being ridiculous.”

She grinned. “I know, but this is so adorable. This is your first real boyfriend other than Dennis, but I guess he doesn’t really count.”

I sighed and laid down on her bed, still exhausted from last night. After me and Evan kissed, we talked a lot. About anything that we could think of, about stupid stuff like the best orange juice brands and deep stuff like Cody’s autism. And then his mom called and made him go home, so he drove me over to Hanna’s where I snuck in a door that is attached to her room from the outside- I don’t think she realizes how lucky she is to have that beloved door.

Once I got to sleep, I was rudely woken up a few hours later when Hanna was jumping on me, demanding answers which I reluctantly gave.

“You’re in love.” Hanna cooed.

I rolled my eyes at her. “I wouldn’t say-“

“I told you so!” She squealed. “I so called this.”

“Called what?”

“You two ending up together.” She grinned.

I sighed. “Well, technically, we aren’t together.”

Hanna gasped dramatically at me with a huge frown as we relaxed on her comfy bed. “He didn’t ask?”

“He didn’t ask.” I confirmed, a little bummed out that he didn’t ask me to be his girlfriend. “But we kissed a lot, so that counts for a lot.”

“But he didn’t ask!” She wailed as if it was the end of the world. “I can’t believe he didn’t ask!”

“In his defense, we’ve only known each other for a week.” I defended Evan. “He’s probably thinking that we’re moving too fast.”

“Do you think that you guys are moving too fast?” Hanna asked, now over the mishap of him not confirming our relationship status, which was a bummer- but we made out for almost twenty minutes last night, I’m sure he’ll ask me when he’s ready. At least, I hope so. Really, really hope so.

I shrugged at Hanna’s blunt question. “I dunno. I mean, I guess so. But not in a bad way? It’s really not normal to put the boyfriend/girlfriend label on a relationship after only knowing the person for a week. But then again, I really don’t think it’s normal to feel this way about somebody that you’ve only known a week either.”

She gave me a soft, genuine smile. “You really like him.”

I nodded. “I really do. Like I can’t stop thinking about him, anything that I do, I relate it to Evan. Even the simplest things. Like the sky is blue… Evan’s eyes turn bluish when he’s about to kiss me. You’re walls are pink. My cheeks turn pink when I talk to Evan. It’s like a disease that I don’t want to get rid of and it’s driving me crazy.” I ranted.

“You should call him.” Hanna declared. “It’s the 20th century, girls don’t wait to be asked out.”

“That’s motivational, Han, really. But there are two things wrong with that theory. One- It’s the 21st century and Two- I do not have the confidence level to just go up to a guy like Evan and be like ‘Hey! Be my boyfriend!’ I just can’t do that.”