I Always Thought It Was Stupid.

Last year, Eighth Grade, I would laugh, or shake my head at couples who would say they love each other.
I mean, you are thirteen or fourteen years old, you can't process that at such an age.
We're fresh out of elementary school, and you're talking about love.
What's wrong with you two? I used to wonder.
Over the summer, though, I met an old crush of mine.
From years of theatre summer camp at the university, I had been crushing on him since I was eight or nine; but he never gave me a second glance.
We didn't have any friends in common, and when we did talk, he would refer to me as "shorty", me being much shorter than everybody else, especially him.  He's tall for his age.
But, every summer I'd look forward to seeing him.
The crush, like a virus, would hit me.  I'd be dazed.  I'd be in a boy-induced daze for weeks- months even.
Nothing could shake me.  Being a hopeful ten to thirteen year old, my friends would gossip about their first kisses and boyfriends, while I was still in kiss-virgin land.
Not to say I was obsessed, I didn't follow him home or keep his hair in my pocket, or anything creeper-ish as that, but every smile on my face was due to my mind living in a fantasy, one where I was with him.
But, every summer would pass with no crushing back.
We weren't really even complete friends until the summer between Seventh and Eighth Grade, when our friend groups finally combined.  We would hang out in groups, my eyes set on him, his eyes set on another girl, one who he had previously dated.
The Summer ended, and I carried my schoolgirl crush one or two months in the school year, but since we never went to the same girl, I abandoned that fantasy.
Throughout Eighth Grade, I had two Boyfriends.  One, an ugly kid shorter than me, who I only dated as long as we did, because I learned he had manic depression, and dumping him seemed impossible.
Second, a friend of my best friend's boyfriend, he went to another school.  He was okay, played bass.  He gave me my first kiss, as well as make out.  He was horrible at it though, and I let him go to far.  That's for another post, though.
Finally, the Summer between Eighth and Ninth Grade, he crossed my path again, the boy I've had crush on for years.  He came back in, not because of the camp.  He stopped going, while I did.  But, it was through a mutual friend I didn't even know we had.  Our mutual friend mentioned his friend, The Boy, and I mentioned how attractive he is.
Of course, he had to tell The Boy.
So, The Boy began to text me.  I was giddy, and we texted for what was most likely one and a half months, before we finally saw each other.
It was at a summer concert series; one that was held free in the park.
We met there every week, always crowded because of the big names that would play.
I would always bring one or two friends of mine along, he never once did, except for the last one.
We flirted every Thursday concert, and I would be on air for days.
Finally, at the third concert, he said it.  He spat out the words.
"Do you want to go out with me?"
I couldn't say yes fast enough.
Zoom ahead nearly six months later, I'm firmly in love.
And, I thought it wasn't possible.
America, I don't expect you to understand, unless you are or have been through this.
I even think I sound stupid.