“Sarah, you know he’s out of my league. I’m just… me.”“You’re amazing, Emma. He’d be lucky to know you,” she’d insist, but I’d just shake my head. Jason, surrounded by his friends, never spared a glance my way. He was always the center of attention as the star of the football team. I watched from afar, convinced he didn’t even know I existed. With my glasses and braces, I never expected him to notice me. And he never did. Our worlds were miles apart. Years later, I had blossomed into a successful and gorgeous woman. I traded my glasses for contacts, braces for a perfect smile, and my nerdy wardrobe for a sophisticated style. I built a thriving career in marketing and was living my best life. One evening, while picking out avocados at the grocery store, I heard a familiar voice. “Emma? Is that you?” I turned around to see Jason, looking slightly older but still undeniably handsome. He was staring at me in disbelief. “Wow, you look amazing,” he said, his eyes wide. “Jason? Hi! It’s been a long time,” I replied, feeling my heart race. He smiled warmly. “Yeah, it really has. How have you been?”We chatted for a while, catching up on our lives. I told him about my career and recent move back to the area. “So, you’re in marketing now? That’s impressive,” Jason said, nodding. “And you?” I asked, curious about his life after high school. “My work is interesting, but it’s not as glamorous as marketing,” he chuckled, successfully dodging my question. Why had he done that? I was still processing his response when he interrupted me with a surprising offer. “Hey, would you like to grab dinner sometime? You know, catch up properly?” I agreed without hesitation. It was Jason! And he was inviting me on a date! Of course, I said yes. A few days later, we met at an upscale restaurant downtown. His choice impressed me; it was a place known for its elegance and fine dining. Jason began reminiscing about our high school days as we sat down and ordered. “Remember that time when we won the football championship? Man, those were the days,” he said, laughing. “I still hang out with the guys from the team. We have this little tradition of meeting up every month.” I listened politely, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit disconnected. I had moved on from high school, but it seemed like Jason still lived in the past.“That sounds nice,” I said, forcing a smile. “Do you ever catch up with anyone else from school?” “Not really,” he shrugged. “Just the guys. So, what about you? Any high school memories you cherish?” “Well,” I began, unsure about what to share, “I spent most of my time in the library. Not many exciting stories there.” He laughed. “I remember you always had your nose in a book. It’s funny how things change, huh?” Our food arrived, and we continued chatting. Jason’s stories became repetitive, and I found myself zoning out. When it was time for dessert, I excused myself to the restroom. Upon my return, I noticed Jason fiddling with something on my plate. Before I could ask what he was doing, he looked up with a mischievous grin. “Watch this,” he whispered, placing a hair on my dish. “I’m going to show you a trick.” My eyes widened in shock, but before I could protest, Jason called the waitress over. “Excuse me, there’s a hair in my friend’s food,” he said, his voice loud enough to turn heads. “This is unacceptable!”The waitress looked flustered and apologized profusely. She offered to take the dish back and bring us new ones. Jason, however, insisted we shouldn’t pay for the meals due to the inconvenience. After a bit of back and forth, the manager came over and agreed to compensate us for our meals and even threw in a free dessert. As we walked out of the restaurant, Jason was grinning from ear to ear. “See, that’s how you handle these places. You should never have to pay for a bad experience.” I forced a smile, still reeling from what had just happened. “I CAN’T BELIEVE you did that.” Jason shrugged. “You know, working as a promoter doesn’t pay much, so I have to find ways to get by and eat at such places. This trick never fails.” Promoter? That was what Jason was doing during summer breaks in high school. I couldn’t believe he was still stuck in that same job. “You’re still promoting?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yeah, it’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills,” he said, oblivious to my growing discomfort. “Don’t worry,” he added, sensing my unease. “Next time it’ll be even better. But you’ll have to pay since I took care of things tonight.”I forced another laugh and nodded. “Sure, Jason. Thanks for tonight.” As we said goodbye, I promised to call him soon, though I knew I never would. The cool, popular guy I once idolized was still stuck in his high school glory days, pulling cheap tricks to get by. On my way home, I couldn’t stop laughing at the absurdity of it all. As soon as I pulled out my phone, I blocked his number and shook my head, marveling at how much people could change and yet remain the same. The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and empowered. I had a busy day ahead, but I couldn’t shake off the events of the previous night. It felt good to see how far I had come and how much I had grown since high school. In my office, I couldn’t wait to tell my close friend and colleague, Mia, about the date. As soon as I walked in, she could tell something was up. “Spill the beans, Emma. How was the big date?” I burst into laughter. “Mia, you won’t believe it. Jason actually put a hair in my food and caused a scene to get out of paying for our meal.” Mia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “He did WHAT? Are you serious?”I nodded, still laughing. “It was like watching a bad movie. I can’t believe I used to have such a crush on him.”Mia shook her head, laughing along with me. “Well, at least you got a free meal out of it. And a good story to tell.”I smiled, realizing how true that was. “Yeah, and a valuable lesson. Sometimes, the people we idolize in our youth turn out to be very different from what we imagined.” Mia leaned back in her chair, still chuckling. “You dodged a bullet there. Can you imagine dating someone who thinks pulling stunts like that is acceptable?” I shook my head, feeling more confident in my choices. “No, I can’t. I’m just grateful for the experience. It showed me how much I’ve grown and how far I’ve come since high school.” The rest of the day flew by as I buried myself in work, but I couldn’t help reflecting on how much things had changed. The high school me would never have believed I’d be where I am today, and seeing Jason stuck in the past made me appreciate my journey even more. Later that evening, as I relaxed on my couch with a glass of wine, I felt a sense of closure. My crush on Jason had been a significant part of my high school years, but it no longer held any power over me. I was free to embrace the present and the future, confident in who I had become. I smiled to myself, ready to continue writing my story, one chapter at a time.
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