We met unofficially the summer before high school. Felix and I both ended up in the 'smart kid' program at Kennedy High School which required us to attend summer school on the Sac State campus. I don't think either of us really remember each other from that summer. I just have flashes of him as this super short little brown boy with a curly 'fro.
High school dragged on and we were both at opposite ends of the campus, quite literally. He was the 'punk kid' hanging out in the back of campus with his six-inch mohawk and I was the artsy fartsy girl hanging out with the 'cool kids' in the quad. Gag me now, right? We were living, breathing high school stereotypes. He dated all the skinny little blonde girls with band T's and studded belts while I looked off-campus for the coffee shop types. Please, gag me again.
One night Ariel and I ventured off to Starbucks to see if we'd run into anyone interesting. Tee called us to see what we were up to. I wanted to go do something dumb, per my typical high school self, but Ariel made me agree to go to the movies with Tee and his friends. Best thing she ever made me do. Irritated that I wasn't going over to a certain jerk's house instead, I told the boys one of them had to play the boyfriend role for the night. Felix was half nominated and half volunteered.
Turns out he was perfect for the role. He gave really good hugs all night and from that I was kind of sold. We had a class together senior and he'd gone to senior ball with one of my best friends in the whole world so I'd gotten to know him a little better that year. The same week we went to the movies I wrote him a little note that he still keeps in his wallet. I passed it to him at the awards ceremony. It said,
"Delayed reaction! So even though I'm hella sick & even though you were just kidding... Sunday was a really good night. Thank you for reminding me how boys should be :)"
Then a certain friend, Ian, spilled the beans after some pushing from Felix and told him I liked him. Geez writing this all down is really reminding me what kids we were when we got together.
After the Senior BBQ, June 5th, 2007, I ended up in a car full of girls and we tried to meet the guys at a party on the levy. We stopped at the end of the park, still in our car, as we saw police cars rolling toward the levy. Felix walked towards us and got in the car and we all headed home. He walked me to my door and it played out like such a movie scene,
Felix: "So... I was wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend."
Me: "Let me think. Umm... Yes."
We sealed the deal with a kiss. Wow, it was such a teen movie.
