You know, these times, in life, when you just stop and have to ask yourself “Did this really happen to me??”

I really like JoyRoses’ blog, Nuggets of Gold. First of all because JoyRoses is just such a nice gal, and she always ends up posting things that speak to me, and make me reflect on my life… And that’s what happened today.

JoyRoses was asking her readers to share one of these awkward/embarrassing moments in her comment box. And so I did, and I remembered the following story. It was a little bit longish to leave in a comment box, so I decided to write it here, and invite you to visit JoyRoses’ post if you’d like to share your own anecdotes!

So, let’s go back to primary school… Which is a while back.

Even as a little girl, I wasn’t attracted much to the cool badboys in our class. There were two boys I liked, and both were the straight As kind. Even back then, intelligence appealed more to me than coolness.

And there was this guy (one of the two I liked), who was called (and still is to this day!) Ghislain. The other boys didn’t like Ghislain much because he wasn’t into sports, and was the teacher’s pet kind, like me.

I was a chubby, eye glasses and braces wearing little girl, so I never even dreamt about making close friends with him. Because, well, that’s how things were back then… But I still was very very fond of him.

In 6th grade, my family moved to Africa. And I pretty much forgot about Ghislain.

Until we came back, and I came back to school in my previous hometown, for my last high school year.

After almost 5 years away from my classmates, I didn’t suspect that I would find a totally handsome and grown up version of the shy little Ghislain I had known. Needless to say that when I walked passed him the first time, I got weak in the knees.

He was tall, well built and had an Elvis Presley look going on. And I knew he couldn’t possibly have become stupid over a couple of years. He had the brains, and the good looks, and for months, I fantasized about becoming his girlfriend… Hormones had kicked in, since 6th grade, and I started writing stories about us holding hands, and kissing in dark corners…  You’ve been a teenager too, right??

When February came, students arranged a cupid mailing service. You just had to write a sweet note, and adress it to the girl or guy you liked, secretly or not, and leave it in a box. The students on the comity would then take the notes, go in the different classes, and read the messages to their recipient. Easy like that.

The secret mailing service was very popular, and it gave me an idea.(I know… I get too many of these, and you can see that it is not a recent thing LOL) Since my best friend was one of the students going from class to class to read the love notes, I would “use” her.

I wrote a (probably very cute) letter to Ghislain, opening my heart to him… And a note to J, reminding her to simply slip the letter on his desk, when she would pass by his class. I had quickly told her about my idea, but we hadn’t had the time to talk about it in détails, hence the note.

The next morning, I slipped both notes in our common locker, and I left for my classes… I was both proud of me for my boldness, and extremely nervous. What if he went around and laughed about the whole thing, about my feelings with his friends??

Around lunch time, I was waiting by our locker’s door, when J arrived.

You’re going to kill me!

Knowing that she was one of my only friends, and the best among that batch, she knew that was very unlikely to happen. So the fact that she seemed serious really scared me.

Everything that follows is a bit blurry, because I almost fainted (really).

She said, and I quote “I read your note aloud… by mistake!”

At first, I was convinced she was kidding me, knowing that there could be nothing more humiliating for 16 years old-me. But she wasn’t.

I didn’t have time to read your note this morning, and I just saw his name on the envelope, so when I got in his class, I read it out, until I caught the words “please don’t tell anyone”.

 

!

I want to reassure you, J survived. I did, and so did Ghislain. Who never came to discuss my letter, but one day, while we were riding the school bus, came to me, and handed me one of his pictures we had taken for the graduation year book.

He was handsome, smart, and considerate… What a catch! Just not for me… Mouahahahahahah