On Thursday night, after tipsily returning home from an open-bar art show, as well as a White Stripes CD release party, I hopped on Facebook and saw that my HS boyfriend had posted pictures of Times Square only minutes before.  I messaged him “you’re in NYC and didn’t tell me?! ps- (my phone #)”.  When I woke up the next morning, he had text me back, saying that he was in town with his family until Sunday, and contemplated letting me know beforehand, but wasn’t sure if it would be too random.  I hadn’t seen, or really talked to him, past freshman year of college, so I understood where he was coming from. Living in NYC, away from all people and things familiar to me, has made me excited when anyone from home is visiting.  We text back and forth a bit that morning, though didn’t make plans to see each other.  I was leaving things up to him, because I was honestly fine either way.  Around 9 that evening, he asked what I was up to, so I invited him to come out in East Village with Nick, Jamie, and me.  Two hours of getting ready and pre-gaming later, the three of us headed over to Cherry Tavern.  HS bf was at a show, so didn’t head down that way until 12:00ish.  I told him I’d meet him on 1st and 6th, just because I wasn’t sure if he’d be able to navigate his way to the bar.  I ended up waiting alone since N & J were meeting a couple other people, 1 being a guy who was good friends with the hipster I’d brought home merely 2 weeks prior.  I was surprisingly nervous, even though him and I had been good friends through high school… taking classes together, running xc, etc, and hadn’t had that dramatic/traumatic relationship… we had started friends, ended friends, and due to attending different universities, had simply fallen out of touch.

I kept scanning the different cabs and who was emerging out of them, wondering if I’d recognize him immediately, and I did.  We shared an awkward hug, most likely because I’m innately bad at hugs.  Did you think that was possible?  Well, it is.  We walked towards the bar, I introduced him to the group, then we went up to order.  As soon as we got our drinks, two seats were vacated, so we sat down.  Initially we were chatting about school, old HS people, several of which are engaged, and one who recently had a baby- so weird to me.  We ordered two rounds of the Saturday special, a tequila shot and Tecate for $5, can’t beat that in NYC.  Somewhere towards the end of #2, N, J, and the hipster’s friend came up and said bye to us.  We stayed for a little longer, then he asked if I could show him around a little bit.  I had great confidence that I could fulfill the role of drunken tour guide at 2 am, and I did.  We wandered back through East Village, past Astor Place, where I showed him the cube, then ventured towards Washington Square Park.  I love showing people the view through the arch with the Empire State Building in the back.  One of the shots that  that screams you’re in NYC.  After admiring the few for a little bit, I asked if he wanted to go to another bar or head home (home = my apt for me and his hotel for him).  At this point, I was semi-hoping he’d pick the latter, because I could tell I was a drink or two away from being too drunk to carry on quality conversation and just wanting to pass out instead.  He chose bar.

I took him to Half Pint, so at least when our drink(s) were done, it wouldn’t take much energy for me to get home and into bed.  We got one round of Magners and segued our conversation to our innocent and short-lived relationship Senior year.  Him and I had liked each other for a year prior, but due to us both dating our respective good friends, had held off on dating each other, and instead had just been good friends.  When we felt the grace period of us being broken off from our friends had been long enough, we decided we could finally date.  Well, as I find what often happens when you go from being good friends to dating, the intimacy was weird, and basically non-existent.  Three weeks after he “asked me out” (thank goodness that ritual stays in HS), we held hands.  Three weeks after that HUGE landmark, he still hadn’t kissed me… not on the cheek, not even an attempt.  At this point, Christmas break had started, and he was away the first, and I was the second… phone conversations were lackluster, and the night before going back to school, we broke up with each other.  I could lie and say it was mutual, but truth be told, he dumped me.  We had a little hatred for each other the first week or so, but in no time, he was dating a girl from a different school, and I had begun dating my HS—> college bf (who’s now engaged, might I add).  At any rate, even with several drinks deep, no flirtation ensued… he was still the timid boy I had known in HS.  4:00 am came, and we were kicked out of the bar, which left us standing on the street for a few moments before I posed the question of whether or not he wanted to head back to his hotel or come see my apartment.  After he text his parents that he wasn’t coming home (yes, at 4:00), we climbed the 6 treacherous flights up.

I briefed him on how small the apartment was earlier, but like all other visitors, it doesn’t sink in until you actually see it.  The grand tour took 10 seconds, and then we went into my room and the talking continued.  I briefly stepped out to use the restroom, and when I came back, he was wearing my work badge around his neck… what I liked to think of as his attempt at flirtation.  I joked about our employee code printed on the back, “The — Way”, then decided he wasn’t going to make a move, so of course, I did.  We made up for all the lack of kissing in HS, and after 15 minutes or so, I turned the lights off and the making out persisted, however nothing else happened.  In fact, 30 minutes later, and still, nothing, aside from him feeling me up (such a HS term) over my shirt.  As it was now a bit after 5, I had reached my sleepy point.  We snuggled and fell right asleep, fully clothed, until his alarm blared at 8:30.  We woke up and talked for about 15 minutes, then I instructed him on where to hail a cab.  We hugged goodbye and that was it… so odd and random, but fun.

He’s been texting me quite a bit ever since, although I’m sure that’ll die out in a couple weeks or so.  I’m quite fine at leaving it at that, even though it was fun reminiscing about the old days.  He’s definitely going to make a life in TX, where we grew up, and I’m quickly paving my Northeast future, so there’s no probability anything between us would manifest.  Overall, this adds to the reasons I love NYC.  It’s such a tourist city, so chances are there’s always someone from my past who’s up here, though some people I feel more inclined to see than others.  I love where my life’s taken me since the age of 18 and the HS days.