Time Goes By So Fast...Especially When You Are Smitten

At this time last year I was sitting in this exact same chair, probably wishing the exact same thing (that this day can’t go by any slower), waiting for the clock to tick 2:30 so I can get the hell out of here.

Except…

Last year at this time, my bags were packed, waiting to be loaded into Laura’s black Acura TL and the anxiety of getting to Raleigh and partying with my girlfriends was killing me! We had made plans to meet up in Raleigh, have some fun downtown Friday night, tailgate our butts off on Saturday and attend the NC State vs. Gardner -Webb football game…ready to re-live the college life! Little did I know at that at that football game, my life would change.

This weekend last year I met “Charleston.”

My girlfriends and I had come out of the football game during halftime to grab another drink when it seemed like the best time in the world to start a game of flip cup; I mean why not? We were on a roll when two gentlemen noticed a fabulous tailgate with a rousing game of flip cup started by girls; impressive! One of the guys (Carter) was a mutual friend of one of my girlfriends…so…the boys stopped and joined in. Somewhere in the middle of the flip cup tournament, the other guy, wearing a College of Charleston T-shirt, really caught my attention. He was cute and tall, intriguing and funny. He was down-to-earth and seemed sweet…I thought to myself, “Maybe I should work my magic on this one :) "

Well needless to say, the “magic” worked.

After that game, Carter and “Charleston” met us at my girlfriend’s house and went out with us that night. “Charleston” became more and more charming as the night went on. He was a gentleman. He knew just when to step in and take my complete attention and he knew exactly when I needed a girlfriend minute. He wasn’t overbearing but somehow let me know that he was always there. At one point, as we were all standing around watching people dance awkwardly on the dance floor, he sat my drink down, grabbed my hand, pulled me out there, twirled me around several times, and we danced as if we were at a beach music fest. When the music got faster, we got faster. When the music got slower, we slowed down. Usually I am not the one to tear up the dance floor but with “Charleston” by my side, I didn’t care how fabulous or dumb I looked pulling out my moves, I just wanted to be there with him. From that point on that night, as cheesy as it sounds, I didn’t care what I was doing as long as it was around him. His outgoing personality was contagious and from that second I was hooked.

“Charleston” returned to my girlfriend’s house with us that night and had a sleepover with me and Laura in the living room. The next morning Laura and I packed our stuff, including “Charleston” who was wearing my pink ADPi T-shirt because his polo from the night before reeked of cigarette smoke. On our way out of town we dropped him off at Carter’s house. When he got out of the car, he waved goodbye and walked inside. As we were pulling out of the drive way Laura asked, “He has your T-shirt, aren’t you going to get it back from him?” Not wanting to get my hopes up over one guy and one night and completely doubting the entire male race in general at this time in life, I just told her it was no big deal; that I have another one just like it at home.

And we left.

As soon as we got on the I-40 back towards Charlotte, I got a text message from “Charleston” and I knew this was something that wasn’t going to end any time soon :)

A year later, that T-shirt is back in my drawer and “Charleston sits closer in my heart then the second he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor.

I’m totally smitten.