One of my dearest friends Jim, started the Gay/Straight alliance at the local university in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was also the door guy at the only local gay watering hole and spent months encouraging all of us to come out and support.
I had a different partner at the time and we spent the better part of our relationship hating each other but we ended up going to the meeting to support Jim. As I sat down at the table, there was this really hot, quiet girl at the end, sitting on Jim's right. She was reading the local gay publication but kept staring at me, I kept staring back. She was wearing a yellow button down shirt. I was wearing a OKC Pride t shirt and these ugly cotton shorts. OH and birkenstocks. Gimme a break, I was every bit the '90's lesbian! We barely paid attention to what Jim was saying because we kept sneaking peeks at each other, when we would catch the other one staring, we would quickly look down, I probably read what was in front of me, 15 times.
Years go by, and I find out her name was Danielle and soon realize we have a mutual friend and end up being introduced and running into each other at the aforementioned watering hole, we shamelessly flirt (both out of our relationships) and later that night ended up at the same party. We ended up sitting on the floor, drunkenly talking about history, identity, politics and flirting. I needed to go and before she could kiss (which she didn't) she gave me a yellow balloon. We were at a birthday party and it was the closest thing. I held onto that balloon and couldn't wait to see her again. I kept kicking myself over and over again for not asking for her number.
Another few years and a relationship later, now it is my turn to be employed at the bar and I am bartending one day and see her and her friends have come in for an evening of debauchery. As I take everyone's drink order, someone offers her a beer, to which I reply:
"Oh, I got hers. I am buying her beer."
Knowing glances were exchanged and suddenly she kept coming up to my line to get beer which I kept buying.
A few weeks go by and suddenly I am seeing her more often. We discuss her work at the university, I buy more beer and then finally I make the move and say "We should go grab coffee." She agrees and we exchange numbers.
Week One of number exchange- No call
Week One and a Half of number exchange- No Call
Week Two of number exchange-NO CALL
Week 2.1 of number exchange- I call.
She's on vacation. Gets home later that night. Oops.
(In my defense, shouldn't something like vacation be mentioned??)
The next day, I get a call and she says "I was thinking of going to dinner instead of coffee".
Well, we all know that DINNER is SO not the same as getting coffee.
We agree to go to an incredibly nice restaurant where we had Pinot Grigio and we once again, tuned out the world and focused on each other.
"What is your middle name?"
"Danielle is my middle name. My first name is actually Adrienne but no one ever calls me that."
"Oh really? I like 'Adrienne', it suits you. I think I will call you that. Is that ok?"
"I think it's perfect."
It was a great date, with a great kiss at the end.
The next few months were hard. My relationship had a lot of loose ends and I was not really great at tying them up. As a matter of fact, I walked away from amazing chemistry and chose my old relationship.
One day I am coming out of my history class and there she is, standing in the hallway waiting for me. My heart jumped. She said she needed to talk to me, could I talk after class? I said sure. We walked to the library and made small talk. The chemistry was electric and we both knew it. We went into the stacks of the university library. The same campus where we exchanged stolen glances 5 years before. She sat me down and told me she was transitioning. I did not flinch, I did not balk. I need not even move. I simply said.
"I guess it is a good thing I have been calling you Adrian this whole time"
"Yeah, I guess it is"
That is not the point where my ex girlfriend becomes my current boyfriend. The second volume of this story will come at another time. Maybe tomorrow. Right now, I wanted to get down how it started.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading volume 1!
The Happiness Project
January 2, 2013
I am happy that my love story has volumes and that I get to celebrate the birth of my love.
