Immediately, I figured they had sent her, because it was close enough, and they knew the prices at the concessions were a little high. It made me smile and when I told her, “That’s smart,” she smiled too.
Hoping she might let me go with her, I innocently asked, “Can I walk with you?”
Again she hesitated, but then feeling it was an innocent request she said, “Sure.”
We continued to talk as we walked and after getting a bunch of snacks and drinks, we headed back to the fair grounds. Going back through the entrance I said, “It was nice talking to you.”
I didn’t want to bring any unnecessary attention to us, and she did seem a little confused, but when she happened to looked toward where her parents were sitting, and she realized we were getting close, we stopped for a moment. Smiling at each other, waiting for the other to say something, I spoke up, simply mentioning, “I’m sitting right behind you a few rows.”
This of course made her look over to where I gestured, and seeing her smile, I thought, “Man, I wanted this,” all the time hoping we’d somehow hook up again.
As we moved closer to where everyone was sitting she looked at me, smiled and after telling me, “It was nice to meet you too,” I nodded and smiling I casually backed away.
I’m sure she liked the attention, I liked it too, and after giving a simple nod and a smile I said, “Me too,” and continued by telling her, “Maybe I’ll see you again.”
I do think she was interested, and after another smile and a nod, she headed toward her folks, trying to inconspicuously watch to see where I went. Seeing that I was standing a few rows behind where they were sitting, she eventually handed the stuff to her folks, and looking back at me briefly, she smiled and then sat down.
She really seemed to be very happy, and I sensed her continually wanting to glance back, but not wanting to appear interested or attracted to me, she never turned around. I wanted to be with her, and even though she was so much younger, I tried to think, “How?”
Eventually, the concert was ending, and seeing people were starting to leave, I figured I might never see her again, but as I searched for a way to get her attention, she happened to stand and looking at me, we made eye contact. It did make her smile to see me, but then as her folks stood up to leave, she conveniently turned and bending over slightly, she inconspicuously folded her lawn chair.
Looking at her intently, hoping to again get her attention, she looked up, and seeing me looking her way, she smiled, and then shyly looked away.
Continuing to watch as they gathered up all their stuff, it seemed she was looking for a way to get to me, before they left. I too desperately searched for a way to interact with her and seeing they were now headed out, I tried to get to the entrance first, hoping something would present itself.
Quickly, leaving the arena, I stood outside the gate, and waited, hoping I’d see her. For what seemed like forever, I waited, and when I saw her and her folks coming through the entrance on there way out, I moved, trying to position myself so they’d passed me. Eventually, Melissa and I saw each other and seeing her smiling, I smiled too.
Following at a distance, as they continued to walk toward the parking area, I could see she was curiously looking back. I followed them at a distance and as they got to their car, Melissa must have said something to her parents, because she suddenly broke away and came over to me.
It was dark, but I could see her parents were watching where she went. Smiling at her as she came over to me, we shook hands, and after a few seconds she said, “Wait a minute, okay.”
Melissa immediately hurried back over to where their car was, and after a few minutes she returned. She was smiling excitedly and as she came up to me, I saw her folks were driving off. Seeing this, I looked at her and smiling I casually asked, “What’s going on?”
It was just meant to start a conversation but taking me literally she said, “I told them you’re going to walk me home.”
Hearing this, I couldn’t help but smile and then immediately asked, “And they’re okay with that?
Pausing, she smiled and said, “No, but …” and without finishing, she again paused, which made me nervously think to myself, “Oh my god.”
Continuing to look at each other, searching for a way to keep this going, I suggested, “Do you want to get something to eat,” and without hesitation I continued by saying, “We can talk.”
This made her smile, and then nodding excitedly, she seemed to agree it was a good idea. Smiling, I took her hand, leading us out toward the parking lot. She was obviously nervous, I knew that, but at the restaurant, we did end up having a good time, talking and getting to know each other. It was going well, but as our conversation paused, she suddenly asked, “How old are you?”
I worried it was all over, but smiling I asked, “How old do you think I am?”
Again, there was a pause, but smiling she asked questioningly, “25?”
It made me smile and hoping she’d be okay with that, I said, “That’s pretty close,” which again made her smile.
I knew I couldn’t tell her how old I really was and when she again asked, “So, how old,” I asked her, “How old are you?”
This made her again smile, and then she asked, “How old do you think I am?”
It too made me smile and looking at her inquisitively, I suggested, “21, right?”
She hesitated but smiling she started to say, “No,” and then pausing said, ‘Not exactly.”
I didn’t want to lead her on too much, but if was going to get anywhere, I knew I’d probably have to do something. Smiling I said, “Well, I’m actually 28,” and continued by asking, “I hope that’s okay.”
It made her smile and she seemed to be okay with me being older, almost excited. I didn’t press her on her age, but I knew she wasn’t 21, or even 18 and as we sat there, I started to become anxious, wanting to see if I could get her to go with me back to my relative’s house.
Melissa however, suddenly blurted out, “Where do you live?”
I was taken aback, but relieved she asked, I smiled and said, “Well, …” but, before I could answer she asked, “Can we go over to your place?”
Continuing to smile, hoping she’d be receptive, I continued by telling her, “I don’t live here,” and then explained, “I’m visiting relatives.”
She seemed a little apprehensive, and not wanting to lose the opportunity, I continued by say, “But we can go over there.”
Melissa still looked concerned, but when I explained that there wasn’t anyone home, and told her they went to a concert in a nearby town, she smiled cautiously, but after a few seconds she excitedly said, “Okay.”
Like I said, they had gone to a different concert in the neighboring town that was big enough to get bigger name bands, and being I had decided to come up at the last minute, I didn’t have a ticket, or I’d probably have gone, but right now, I was glad I didn’t go.
Getting in my car, we made our way over to my cousin’s house, and then hurrying inside, we ended up sitting in the living room. I was nervous, but so excited too; I wanted this to go well and as we sat on the sofa looking at each other I asked, “Do you want anything to drink?”