The story continues...

So, I already mentioned I spent my senior yeat basically single. The summer after graduation, I was at my Moms and heard some commotion out back. My car was out there, so I went out to see what was going on. On of her neighbors, a guy my age, as out there with some friends. We started talking and I took notice of a cute guy he was hanging with. The cute guy and I flirted a little, and then he asked me for a ride to the Wawa so he could get some peanut butter cups. Off we went.

We exchanged numbers, he called me later that evening and from there, our relationship blossomed. His name was Ben and he made me smile. He was a year younger than me, still had a year of high school left. I was starting college in the fall, so our schedules didn't conflict much. He had a wonderful family and I can still remember being at his house on Christmas Eve, the first year we were together. His mother died when he was young, but his father remarried and they had two children. Ben had two siblings from his mom and dad and then two half siblings from his dad's new marriage. They were young at the time, like 2 and 4ish. So, on Christmas Eve, we were watching tv in the basement and after the kids went to be, his father and stepmom came downstairs to start wrapping gifts and putting things under the tree. I remember helping them wrap gifts, laughing and having a good time and then all of a sudden becoming overwhelmed with sadness. I actually started to cry, and got up and walked into Ben's bedroom. I was filled with happiness for them, but sadness for myself as I had never experienced anything like this in my own life. My parents divriced when I was 8, and I don't have any happy memories of sitting around on Christmas Eve doing happy, fun, family things.

Anyway, after Ben graduated, things got a little crazy. He wasn't taking the college route, and had a job working night shift at a gas station. I was still in college, but wasn't taking it seriously. I would hang out until late with Ben at work, then go home to get a little sleep and instead of going to school in the morning, I would pretend like I was going but instead, go to Ben's house and sleep the day away with him. Basically, I dropped out of college, but didn't tell my Dad. (But don't worry, he finds out eventually!)

Ben had a place at the beach, the same area we had our beach place while growing up, and we spent much of the summer there. My brother and some of my friends would come with us and we always had such a great time. His family had a boat we would take out, his place was right on the water and life was good!

About mid summer, Ben was still working at the gas station, but looking to get a job with a landscaper. I was introduced to a guy who was a friend of a friend, and he was cute and flirty and in the military. He and I had a "emotional" affair of sorts. I guess I was losing interest in Ben, but not enough to break up with him. So Joe (the military man) and I had plenty of super long late night phone conversations, a few nights when I lied to Ben and went to meet Joe and a few kisses. It never went any further than a crush, a couple kisses and him going back off to the war. But, it was the beginning of the end of my relationship with Ben.

He bought me a ring. A diamond ring from a Target type store, and I thought I was queen of the world...for a month or two! He just wasn't going anywhere with his life. He was content working for this landscaping company and I was putting pressure on him to move out together into our own place. Now don't get me wrong, I was no pillar of financial stability myself! I was a spoiled girl, who had dropped out of college and was still hiding it from her father! I started hanging out with some of my younger brother's friends, and found out that one of them had a cute older brother.

He and I started talking on the phone, flirting, etc. It was actually a complete bunch of nonsense as this guy thought I was someone I wasn't. Really, it is a long, complicated story and not really relavent to my life. Except for the part when ben found out about it! Now, mind you, I didn't even know this guy, never actually met him and the entire time we were "talking" I was pretending to be someone I wasn't. So, when Ben found out (my step brother told on me, by the way!) it was tough to try to explain. But I was honest and ended up telling him that I thought we needed some time apart. I broke up with him, kinda.

I wanted to be "single" but still have him sitting on the sidelines waiting for me to take him back. In less than a months time, I found out he was dating someone new. I was furious. I called him and called him and called him. I demanded to know what the hell was going on and who did he think he was dating someone new? He pretty much told me to shove it, I had broken up with him and he was moving on. He was blowing me off, and I was not happy about it at all. And so I came up with a plan...

I figured that this new girl he was with must have an old boyfriend. All I needed to do was find him, and then start dating him. This would cause her to get jealous that her ex boyfriend was dating someone new, and Ben would get jealous that I was dating someone new...and they would break up allowing he and I to get back together. Sound far fetched? I agree! Stay tuned to find out if it worked....!