Prior to The Ex, LB, and every other jackass I dated, there was The Boy. He was everything I loved about a man. He wasn't extremely book smart, but you'd never know. He was very well spoken. What he lacked in being book smart, he made up by being street smart. He was respectful and sweet, probably not what you'd expect upon first glance of his rugged exterior. A muscular guy with lots of big tattoos, serious looking black plastic rimmed glasses, and a coolness about himself that made it clear he didn't care for nonsense. But his sweet smile and the freckles sparsely dotting his nose and cheeks gave him an innocent and boyish appeal.
I met The Boy while I was living on the East coast. I often partied by myself. A new girl in a new city with nothing else to do, why not? I was walking alone to my car after a party when I met him, attempting to bring as little attention to myself so that I could manage to get to my car safely. Unfortunately, I'm too big to do anything stealthily. He pulled up along side me and asked me why I was walking alone. I was scared witless so, like an idiot, I told him where I was going. He told me he didn't like that I was walking by myself in that neighborhood and wanted to make sure I got to my car okay. He stayed in his car and crept along as I made it to mine. I thanked him and he heard my accent, which sparked a conversation. We ended up exchanging numbers and off he went.
Truth be told, I was intrigued by him. I think it was the bad boy look, but the seemingly good heart that he had. I called him. We chatted. We started going out a bit, he came over. I tried to get him to sleep with me, but he refused. He slept his first night at my house on my sofa, I in the bed. It was his choice. Of course, this only occurred the first few visits. Yea, I'm a smut.
Things eventually went bad, but not because we did not get along. Something bad happened, which took him out of my life. I was only able to visit with him periodically, but not enough. I missed him so much it hurt. I made a resolve to forget about him, erase him from my life. I ignored his calls. He'd send me messages, but I wouldn't respond. If I couldn't have him for me, I didn't want him at all.
Last week, I had a conversation with my best buddy, Joe Cool, about the guys I date and what I really want. After quite a long talk, I realized that I don't need anyone to do anything for me. I'm 100% self sufficient. All I want is someone to really, really love me. The Ex didn't love me. He acted like he did, but it was a ploy for me to give him money(not like he needed it, he was swindling at least 2 other girls...but I digress). LB definitely didn't love me. I definitely wouldn't let him. The Boy was the only boy ever to love me. And although things happened the way they did, I know that he loved me.
5 years after that thing happened to The Boy, he's still calling me. And messaging me. And I kept ignoring him until today. When I saw his details display on the ID, I knew I had to answer. He had been calling me at least 3 times per week for years. Eventhough I never answered, he still called just to hear my voicemail. The Boy doesn't need me. I've never done anything for him. But I had to know what was driving him to call me so often when I wasn't answering his calls, so I asked...
People, The Boy loves me. He really, really loves me. He didn't have to say it, but I know. In my heart, I know. There's no question. There's no wonder. There's no uncertainty. And, eventually, he said it. It wasn't the first time and he didn't have to say it, but he told me again. And again. He knows that I never wanted to believe it and that I tried to deny it. I never wanted to admit that he loves me. And I never wanted to admit that I know love with him. The truth of the matter is that I do. Sure, I can say that I don't love any man and never have like I always have. Unfortuntely, it would be a lie. I love The Boy. And, finally, I had the guts to tell him. Not just to say it to him because it's right, but to tell him what I really felt. It took me making peace with myself to let go of my hurt and speak the truth. And now he knows.