BS Friday

Welcome to BS Friday. I'll write it, you decide if it's true or just plain old BS. Today's story is called "You don't stink so bad!"

I remember my high school sweetheart very well. A lot of people remember theirs too, but not very vividly. My memories won't go away. You see, when I was reading a post on Meritt's blog I was reminded of the scent "Loves Baby Soft". This of course reminded me of my high school sweetheart because that is the only perfume she would wear. I started out liking it very much and then it became my absolute favorite. So did she.

Her name was Cindy and she was not the typical YB crush. That is to say I didn't pursue her for looks. Although she was pretty, she was not they type that guys went crazy over. Actually, she was the 'the girl next door' type. (Maybe Beergirl was right about that being my preference.) We were in the same homeroom from 10th grade until we graduated. Sometime in the middle of 10th grade, she decided she liked me. A lot. Me, being me, well I was totally oblivious. We would go to parties and to football games and dances and she would always be around. I never noticed she was always around. Always calling. Always asking what I would be doing this day and that day.... OK, so I can be dense as a rock.

Then one day her best friend, who had been my friend for a very long time, asked me what was wrong with me. Why didn't I like Cindy? Of course I told her I liked her just fine. Then she made it clear that 'like' meant 'like'. OK, now I'm getting it. After hearing her tell me of the frustration Cindy was having trying to get through to me, I naturally started seeing her differently. I kept trying to decide if I 'liked' her too. At least enough to give it a go. It took a while. I've never been big on commitments.

One night we were at a school dance thing and she came over and asked me to dance. We went out on the floor and naturally it was a slow dance. We chatted a little and I started having one of those high school boys’ moments. The kind where your hormones started taking over your brain. So I backed off a little. She stopped and asked what was wrong so I decided I didn't want to hurt her feelings and pulled her closer again. I held her close and when I did I smelled her perfume. Loves Baby Soft. I loved it. I don't know if that was the breaking point for my brain or what but I remember that moment vividly. It was when I decided I liked her too. Liked her. That perfume broke down the defenses and sent those boy hormones racing through my system. Before the night was over we had our first make out session and the game was on.

We ended up being inseparable for months. Even through the Summer. We did everything together and all through it the Loves Baby Soft was there. She even had some of it for washing clothes. I remember being so glad that I had caved and decided on a steady girlfriend. She was my best friend and more. But all good things must come to an end.

After almost a year of this relationship, Cindy didn't come to school one day. Then she didn't come a second day. She didn't call. She didn't return my calls. Then she contacted me through our mutual friend and told me she was scared to go on with our relationship. That she felt we were too close. I remember thinking, "Well, aren't we supposed to be close?" For about a week she left it at that. A total YB block out. It was so aggravating. Soon I was pissed. Then another week went by where she just wanted to talk over the phone, not get together. I was even pissier.

Then, after a third week she decided she was wrong and that she shouldn't feel so scared and that she needed me back blah blah blah.... That's when I decided I didn't need to hear that crap. I had had enough. My first real sweetheart had screwed me over and hurt me for what I perceived as being no reason at all. I wanted nothing to do with that scene. That's what I told her too.

Now there were copious amounts of tears and demanded explanations and all the crap that goes with a woman scorned. Didn't matter to me anymore. I wanted to believe she was sincere but it just wasn't in me to be able to. So we parted ways.

We ended up being casual friends after a few months but we talked very little. I remember one day I was walking down the hall and I saw her at her locker talking with friends. I got this lump in my throat and just walked up to her, leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Then I put my nose at her ear and took a deep sniff of her perfume and walked away. I was told she shed a few tears but I never saw them.

By our senior year, we were almost back to being the same as before 'the great boyfriend/girlfriend experiment'. I remember I would stop by her desk or at her locker and lean in just for a sniff of the Loves Baby Soft. She always knew what I was doing. Sometimes she'd stop by my desk and lean down, putting her neck right near my face so I could get a good whiff. We never got back together in any sort of relationship kind of way. But every time I would smell that perfume I would think of her. No matter when or where, to this day, I get a little melancholy when I smell Loves Baby Soft.

I hope she's doing OK, wherever she is now.