Off The Record
My High School Crush Took Me Out Years Later—When The Bill Arrived, I Was Left Speechless
Reuniting with my high school crush, Jason, in a fancy restaurant felt like something from a romantic comedy. But as his attractive exterior crumbled and a startling secret was revealed, the evening took a dark turn that hit me like a ton of bricks. The boy I had admired was gone, and in his place was a person I hardly knew.
Hello everyone, My name is Emma, and I’m 35 years old. I have a backstory that goes all the way back to high school. I used to be the reserved, literary girl who preferred to spend her time in the library to going to parties. The golden kid of the school, Jason, was the object of my intense crush. Jason appeared to have it all: good looks, popularity, and everything.
“Emma, come on, you have to at least try talking to him,” my closest friend Sarah would encourage me each time Jason passed.
I would hide behind my thick glasses while I flushed. You are aware that he is beyond my capabilities, Sarah. I’m simply me.
“Emma, you are incredible.” She would argue, “He’d be lucky to know you,” but I would simply shake my head.
Jason never once looked at me when he was with his friends. As the football team’s star, he was constantly the center of attention. Persuaded that he was unaware of my existence, I observed from a distance.
It never occurred to me that he might notice me wearing braces and spectacles. And he didn’t. We lived in quite different worlds.
I had grown into a beautiful and prosperous woman years later. I exchanged my glasses for contacts, my geeky outfit for a chic look, and braces for a flawless grin. I was living my best life and had established a successful marketing profession.
I recognized the voice when I was selecting avocados at the supermarket one evening.
“Emma? Is that you?”
Jason was there when I turned around; he was a little older but still quite attractive. He was looking at me incredulously. He exclaimed, “Wow, you look amazing,” with wide eyes.
“Jason? Hello! It’s been a while,” I said, my heart pounding.
He grinned broadly. “It has, in fact.” “How are you?”
We spent some time catching up on each other’s life. I told him about my recent return to the area and my profession.
“You work in marketing now, then?” “That’s impressive,” nodded Jason.
“And you?” Curious about his post-high school life, I inquired.
He laughed and managed to sidestep my question by saying, “My work is interesting, but it’s not as glamorous as marketing,” lol. He had done that, but why? He interrupted me with an unexpected offer while I was still digesting his response.
“Hey, how about we go out to supper sometime?” “You know, properly catch up?”
Without hesitation, I agreed. Jason was there! In addition, he was asking me out! Naturally, I said “yes.”
We met at a classy downtown restaurant a few days later. I was impressed by his pick because the establishment was renowned for its elegance and good dining. As we sat down and placed our orders, Jason started talking about our high school years.
“Do you recall when we took home the football championship?” Laughing, he remarked, “Man, those were the days.” “I still spend time with the team’s guys. We get together once a month as part of a small custom.”
Although I listened courteously, I couldn’t help but feel a little alienated. Jason seemed to be stuck in the past, but I had moved on from high school.
I forced a smile as I answered, “That sounds nice,” “Do you ever catch up with anyone else from school?”
“Not really,” he said with a shrug. “Just the men. How about you? Do you have any special memories from high school?”
“Well,” I started, not sure what to say, “I was at the library most of the time. There aren’t many noteworthy stories there.”
He chuckled. “I recall that you were constantly absorbed in a book. The way things change is hilarious, isn’t it?”
After our lunch arrived, we carried on talking. I started nodding off as Jason’s stories got monotonous. I excused myself to the bathroom when dessert time came.
Jason was tinkering with something on my plate when I got back. He looked up with a cheeky smile before I could ask him what he was doing.
Whispering, “Watch this,” he put a hair on my plate. “I’m going to show you a trick.”
My eyes widened in disbelief, but Jason summoned the waitress before I could object.
His voice was loud enough to draw attention. “Excuse me, there’s a hair in my friend’s food,” he shouted. “This is unacceptable!”
The server apologized excessively and was uncomfortable. She promised to bring us new dishes and take the old one back. However, because of the inconvenience, Jason asked that we not pay for the lunches.
Following some back and forth, the manager finally agreed to pay for our meals and even included a complimentary dessert.
Jason was beaming from ear to ear as we left the restaurant. “You see, that’s how you deal with these locations. Never should a negative experience cost you money.”
Still reeling from what had transpired, I faked a smile. “I CAN’T BELIEVE you did that.”
Jason gave a shrug. Since my job as a promoter doesn’t pay well, I have to find other methods to make ends meet and dine at these kinds of establishments. This method is always successful.
Promoter? Jason spent his high school summer vacations doing just that. It was unbelievable to me that he was still employed at the same position. “You’re still promoting?” Trying to speak steadily, I asked.
He added, “Yeah, it’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills,” without noticing how uneasy I was becoming.
“Don’t worry,” he said, noticing my discomfort. “It will be much better the next time. However, because I handled everything tonight, you will be responsible for paying.”
I nodded and feigned another laugh. “Yes, Jason. Thank you for tonight.”
I told him I would give him a call as soon as possible, but I knew I would never do so. The cool, popular person I used to look up to was still living out his high school glory days and using shady tactics to make ends meet. The ridiculousness of it all made me laugh uncontrollably all the way home.
I shook my head and banned his number as soon as I took out my phone, amazed at how much individuals can change and still stay the same.
I felt rejuvenated and empowered when I got up the following morning. Even though I had a full day planned, I was still troubled by what had happened the night before. Seeing how much I had changed and progressed since high school was satisfying.
I was eager to share the occasion with my coworker and close friend, Mia, in my office.
She knew something was wrong as soon as I entered. “Emma, tell the truth. How did the big date go?”
I started laughing. “You won’t believe it, Mia. In order to avoid paying for our dinner, Jason really put a hair in my dish and made a big deal out of it.”
Mia’s eyes became wide with shock. “What did he do? “Are you serious?”
I continued to giggle as I nodded. “It was like to viewing a subpar film. I’m shocked that I ever harbored such a strong romantic interest in him.”
Mia laughed with me and shook her head. “Well, at least you had a complimentary meal. and a compelling tale to share.”
When I realized how true that was, I grinned. Yes, and it’s a worthwhile lesson. The individuals we looked up to as children can occasionally prove to be quite different from our initial expectations.
Still laughing, Mia reclined on her chair. “There, you escaped a bullet. Is it possible to date someone who believes that such antics are appropriate?”
Feeling more assured of my decisions, I shook my head. “No, I am unable to. I simply appreciate the experience. It demonstrated to me my growth and progress since high school.”
As I immersed myself in my job, the remainder of the day passed quickly, but I couldn’t help but notice how much had changed. Jason being stuck in the past helped me appreciate my path even more, as the high school me would never have imagined that I would be where I am now.
I felt a feeling of closure later that night as I unwinded with a glass of wine on my couch. Although it had played a big role in my high school experience, my crush on Jason had lost its influence.
I was confident in who I had become and could now enjoy the present and the future. With a smile on my face, I prepared to write my story, chapter by chapter.
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