Our Story, Continued

Parto Dos

(for Parto Uno, click here)

Again, words in green are inputs by me (Jackie)

Well of course I took her to Great China which has the best food in Kirkland and it was a fun time. I had a care free conversation which was delightful, I kinda wanted to hang out with her more but knew that it was to no avail. And then something happened. She told me that she needed a ride from Seattle to Portland. Now this is my weakness, if I can help someone I do. True. I love this about him =). Though when I answered that I could give her a ride I was screaming in my head “What the heck are you doing! Are you nuts!?” “Why are you doing this, she is moving to New York!” and immediately there after I was making plans to get out of helping her. However she was very happy to have someone to help her and the rest of the afternoon went well. We browsed at books at a used bookstore and looked at CDs for hours. I wanted to walk around a park but for whatever reason in spring, up in the northwest it was cold and raining. And then I dropped her off, plotting to escape from giving her a ride.

The next day I devised a plethora of excuses of why I could no longer give her a ride. Though later on in the day I got a phone call from Derek telling me “Thank you” for offering Jackie a ride and how much she needed it.  Of course I now was obligated to fulfill my promise with no way out. 

The day eventually came. I had loaded my car with some of my own belongings to drop them off at my parents place in preparation to move to AZ hoping to not make the trip a complete waste of time and money. We gathered her belongings a whole two bags and a purse and off we went. The stuff I had lived off of for the past month or so =). Strangely enough I enjoyed her company a great deal and we talked the whole way to southern Washington. It was awesome. =) She had surprised me with a list of places to visit on the way so that she could purchase a vehicle without sales tax.  We eventually stopped at a salvaged wrecks place where she wanted to browse at a Hyundai. Derek had called me at one point during the last car we looked at urging me to convince Jackie to buy something else.  Of course my words about the brand fell on deaf ears, and we continued to look at this side swiped blue asian car. He wanted me to get it. It was his favorite color. But now thinking about it, he was probably tired of looking. I do still like my car though.

Now I am not sure what was said first, but on the test drive the guy that was with us asked a few questions. First he asked if we were married, second he asked if we were going out, and well being me I wanted to say yes for fun but Jackie was the one who answered the questions. Hehehehe I said no. Poor Will. After knowing that she wanted the car we proceeded to the bank to get the funds she needed. Thoughts of being her boyfriend raced through my mind, even if it would be a really really long distance relationship. When we proceeded to the counter the teller asked us the same questions this time Jackie gave more playful answers and I started to notice how much I liked her. So on the way back to the dealer I asked her if she wanted to be my girlfriend for the day. Without a pause she said yes (I liked the idea because I kinda liked him, and I liked the idea of not having to commit for a long time even more) and I couldn’t help but give her a big hug. That made my day. Mine too. =) From then on I started being even more flirtatious than normal which felt really good. Finally an amazing mormon girl that I get along with and is quirky as myself :P 

However there was one more doubt in my mind. Before we separated I decided to take her to dinner. We stopped by a Burgerville and there I got the opportunity to ask her some questions.  Found out that she wasn’t really emotionally attached to anyone at the moment which scored even more points with me. And as we left I took her arm walking triumphantly back to her car. Before we went our separate ways she gave me one of the most amazing hugs I have ever had and could not help but have feelings for her. He gives such good hugs, and there was just something about this one.

That was a great day. Though I thought I would never see her again. So my mind raced off to other things and I lived life as usual. Again. Sometime a week or so later I got another text “WHY TEXTS!!!!” letting me know that she was going to fly to New Mexico for an interview and that she was going to be in Portland. After multiple texts I decided that I would pick her up in Medford for fun. I got a NO for an answer. But being myself, I was persistent and eventually we decided upon a midway point: Roseburg one hour out of Medford. Hahaha it saved me one hour out of a eight and a half hour trip but she really didn’t want me to pick her up at home. HELLO!!!! Have this guy I kinda liked meet my family already? No thanks. I wanted to avoid this for as long as possible.

We arrived there about the same time and then we started on our trip to Portland. Now the first trip we talked none stop, this trip however there was conversation and then it died off awkwardly and started up again. After a couple cycles of this I decided to make a move, “I hope I am not too forward but…~grabs her hand~” and she just smiled at me. “Much less awkward” we continued to hold hands all day long. We got to Portland around three and she didn’t need to be at her stop until elevenish so after a couple failed attempts to find the rose gardens we went to go see Iron man 2. I really kinda liked her by then and I figured it being the second date I would try for a kiss. FAIL. I don’t kiss on the first or second date. Though that sure didn’t stop me from liking her. After we got out I decided to take her to Vernonia.

Well I got to show her one of my favorite places in the world. The old ruins of an ancient lumbermill around the pond. We talked and cuddled and talked some more. We shared our lives stories, about our greatest joys and our saddest days. I really really kinda liked her. I kinda liked him too. It was a lot of fun. 

Knowing that I shouldn’t go for a kiss on the lips I gave her a quick one on the cheek. WIN! Though through our conversation she was having some serious doubts about us being together. Like she kinda liked me, but at the same time she didn’t want to have a boyfriend at all. She was about to start a new job in a new place and meet new guys. Last thing she wanted was an attachment even if I was going to be moving a state away. So with that info I decided to have her meet my parents haha. Awesome. Last thing I want……

By the way, Jackie is the very first girl I have ever introduced to my parents. And he did it on the THIRD DATE. Weird? I don’t know…… However I was able to overcome my fear and had a wonderful time. I found out that Jacob my brother and Jackie had served in the same mission. She left the day he arrived but still they knew similar people (that was pretty awesome, and weird that he served his whole mission in the time that I’d been at home), my sisters Julie and Jessica really liked her (I really liked them too!). Joe of course when he saw a new girl in the proximity was ecstatic. My father was very encouraging and really it was a baller time. Except we didn’t sit all that close together, instead my little sister was closer to me than Jackie. She was probably scared and I didn’t want to push, I mean really who introduces someone to their parents unexpectedly on the third date! Really.

So I dropped her off at her place (actually my friend/old roommate Taura’s place) in Portland and she convinced me to stay the night in my car (okay whatever I volunteered) so I can see her off at the airport. We talked about maybe caravanning down to the southwest together since I was planning to go to school in Tucson. And yeah we texted back and forth for sometime. 

TO BE CONTINUED... AGAIN.

I don't think I'll be able to resist just posting the rest of the story tomorrow, but we'll see. So far, you've read about half, and I don't want to be too mean by drawing it out into four sections. So expect the EPIC CONCLUSION tomorrow!