Dating Chronicles # 2: Soccer Boy

1996: Freshman year, Age 14

Boyfriend # 2

I had met soccer boy when I was younger, we played on the same Park District Soccer League. Never on the same team, but since I was one of the only girls that chose to play on the boy’s league, I was pretty popular. Sadly, I did not remember meeting him while playing soccer- I remember him from my volunteer work for Confirmation. Every Wednesday during 8th grade I was a youth teacher aide for preschoolers at my church. Soccer boy, who didn’t go to our school, did go to our church, was volunteering as well. I remember thinking that he was cute, fun, and flirty. I was 13 years old…any boy who talked to me was all of the above.

I had a class with soccer boy my freshman year, since I didn’t know too many people yet (early in the year) I started talking to him all the time. I thought that we were just friends, but he thought I was in love with him…oops. So we started to date. It was a very innocent relationship. I was more advanced then he was (at this time I had only experienced a French Kiss). I remember one day after school I tried to kiss him- I went in for some tongue action and apparently scared him off…he pushed me away and asked what I was doing…dar? To make it worse, my girlfriends just happened to be walking by and witnessed this. Yes, I got made fun of for a very long time.

We would go to our church’s youth ministry…well, until we were asked not to come back because we kept making out on the couch all the time. Also got made fun of by friends for that one, but hey at least he learned how to kiss right?

We never went further then kissing. We were able to scare a poor little girl for life though. We were hanging out at the library because that is what cool kids do, and I remember I was looking for this book. He was standing behind me and decided that it would be a good idea to put his hand down my pants (not so much). By the time I realized what was going on, I noticed a little girl coming into the aisle, and yes she saw because she had a horrified look on her face. Poor little thing.

I never had that “in love feeling” with soccer boy. I actually thought that he was a little too nerdy for me, and sort of clingy. Our “relationship” last a mere 4 months. I guess for 14 years that is forever long. One day I just woke up and realized that I was bored with him, wanted to see what else was out there. So, I wrote him a note saying that this was too much for me, that I needed sometime to figure out who I was. That I just needed to be alone. Poor soccer boy he started to cry. I felt so bad, but I knew he wasn’t right for me. I had to let him go.

He thought that we’d get back together but I was already looking…