Our Story: A Boy Like That

It was the June of 1995. I was busy. Running from place to place. Everyday. High School soccer practice, to Club soccer, to Mutual, to School. Soon life would ease up a little. School was almost out.

Today, I added another thing to my schedule. I started 4th of July rehearsals for the Stake Program. I was excited. Looking confident. Smiling.

But inside, I was the complete opposite. I still saw a dermatologist for my Acne. I had been seeing one since the 5th grade. I had a mouth full of metal and didn’t really like smiling. Soon enough, I would have my braces off. Then I would feel prettier.

For now, I put up a front. But my parents noticed a difference in me. Something was changing. I wasn’t that spunky girl anymore. They saw right through me.

Becca and I walked into the cultural hall of the Stake Center to find out what our parts would be in the 4th of July Program. We didn’t make it far. It was crazy inside. Kids were running everywhere. The sound of them was radiating through the room. It would take a voice like my mother’s to overpower them to get them to listen.

We were looking around the room to see if any of our friends were there yet. That’s when I spotted him. A boy. But, not just any boy. From across the cultural hall I could tell he was really cute. Light brown hair. Big brown eyes. And the most perfect olive skin most girls would pay to have themselves.

Despite his good looks there was something else that kept my eyes glued on him. He was laughing and goofing around. But not like the other obnoxious boys. This boy was different. He was playing with a darling 5 year old girl. He was spinning her around and throwing her in the air. You could tell she adored him. And he adored her.

Becca noticed my stare. “Amber, what are you looking at?”

“Becca, I know this sounds crazy. Do you see that boy playing with that little girl over there?”

“Yes.”

“That is a boy I could marry.”

We were 15. Marriage was the last things on our minds. But today I saw a boy with a lot of those characteristics you dream of. Those dreams where you have a husband with dashing good looks but ABOVE all else, is incredible with children.

My mom soon quieted everyone down and we were broken up into groups. I was in a group with girls and boys. I wondered if that boy was my age. Would he be in my group?

Our group was escorted to another room and I scanned the group looking for the boy. But he wasn’t with us. I was disappointed but went on. He was beautiful and I felt anything but that about myself.

I was excited my friend, Sara, was in my group. Each girl was paired with a boy.

After practice, Sara told me all about a new boy, Jacob, she was partnered up with. He was a little bit younger than us but she thought he was cute and she wanted to hang out with him. She suggested we invite him over to swim at my house with a group of our girl friends. Of course, he could invite his friends too.

There was a knock on my door. Sara and I knew it was them. I answered it, non- challantely, “Hi, Jacob.”

“Hey, this is my friend, Brian. My brother, Chad and…”

I had to keep my jaw from dropping to the floor. It was him. The boy from the cultural hall. He was Jacob’s brother!

The afternoon quickly passed. Sara and I showed up the boys with our diving skills since our High School diving season had just ended. We had fun. No one had to tell me “I was just another one of the boys.” I knew I was. Not the one to be flirted with. But the friend they talked to about other girls. But I was okay with that.

I was 15. I was not a flirt. I hadn’t kissed a boy. I hadn’t even held a boy’s hand. For now, my crush was… “One day…I’ll marry a boy like Chad.” Not Chad himself. He was too good for me. Too fun and too good looking to ever like an average girl like me.

July 4, 1995

Marianne, Me, Sara, Victoria, Jacob, Chad & Tyler.

To be continued…