December 8

December 8th, 2008 is undoubtably the day that Derrick and I would say everything changed.

I'm sure it started out almost like any other day - but not void of anticipation. It was the last day of the semester. One exam left, and then the Christmas party at Tara's house to celebrate Christmas break. My exam was that morning, the party that evening, and Derrick and I had - as friends - made plans to spend the afternoon hanging out, playing games, and walking around campus.

I remember what I wore that day. Dark blue dress jeans. High heel boots. And my green turtleneck. I probably thought a little too much about what to wear that day.

After the exam, Derrick and I headed upstairs to the Comm office - where we spent an afternoon playing a Friends boardgame, watching Monk, talking about music, and filling the air with laughter. It was a brisk, jack-frost-nipping-at-your-nose kind of day, and we set out to stroll around an almost-abandoned campus. I still remember that feeling...the air of possibilities. A nervous, excited comfort. He took me into the convocation center - I had never been before. We walked to the natatorium, as I told him that I liked red noses. We saw a classmate in a tree as we crossed the street, and Derrick tried to teach me about football in front of the old law building. It was turning out to be a perfect kind of day - and maybe, at that moment, I felt that things were changing.

Derrick followed me to Tara's house, where we were flirtatiously discussing who was more awesome as we walked up to her doorstep. The night proceeded with boardgames and food...before we all retired upstairs to talk. This was where Mark and Natalie were born.

Tara and I were discussing what was romantic...and Derrick informed us that it was different for every girl. We decided to make up characters and let Derrick write their love story, write their romance. Natalie was our main character. She was a brunette who was a waitress at a country club. Enter Mark. He was the rich, country-club type...but, inevitably, they were to fall in love.

As we poured out the details of the story,  I was curled up in an oversized chair. I remember feeling happy/sleepy and blissful. Derrick leaned up against the chair that I was in - and it seemed as though all was right with the world.

The night finally came to an end, and Derrick and I left at the same time. As we stood in the twilight darkness on a silent street, I think everything changed. I gave Derrick a gift that I had picked up for him- a copy of The Notebook (which he had never seen) and his favorite chocolates. I don't think that I intended it to come across the way it did when I bought the gift, but on the night of December 8th, I was ready to let my gift send whatever messages it might...

Then I drove home. But the night wasn't over - and it won't ever be over. It was the night that led to forever.

Over the course of the next few days, Derrick shared his feelings, his thoughts, his intentions through Mark and Natalie. During those days following the 8th, we never talked about us. Our relationship. But he poured his heart into Mark and Natalie and, in doing so, he stole my heart completely.