Dating The Arkansasians

I went to a small high school. Not small like 30 kids in the total graduating class, but a school with a full roster of maybe 600 students. In fact, my freshman class was the biggest Bakersfield Christian High ever received (125 students).

With such a small school, it naturally happens. Everyone knowing your business. I'm not talking like, it just floats around and eventually gets to people in a day or two. I'm talking it happens fast (For example, I asked my ex-girlfriend out before first period. By third period everyone knew, and that was the trending topic of the day).

But what I find so incredibly funny is that people there are a lot like people from Arkansas. Yes, Arkansas I'm picking on you, but hey, it's true at some points. People date, but people sometimes wind up dating, breaking up, then dating your ex's best friend, and your ex starts dating your best friend.

Checking Facebook tonight I see a friend is in a relationship, and I type my congratulations, then check back an hour or so later to see the comments and find out that she's dating this guy for the third time. But what's funny is that this guy dated my best friend's ex, who broke up with him because she felt she needed to sow some wild oats and date a dairy boy who rides Motocross and quads on the weekend.

I love high school, I really do. But my gosh people enough is enough. Maybe it's just me, but I really think after you break up with someone, you end it for good. It didn't work. Now move on. Do these kids not realize there's other high schools in town with equally 'cool', 'beautiful', and 'popular' kids? Or is it like Romeo and Juliet? No one's allowed to date a Capulet or Montague.

Thankfully I'm graduating in a few months and moving up to college. Hopefully the campuses are a bit bigger than the fishbowl I used to swim in.

The Taken Stare

Went down to the store today to pick up a few liters of Arizona Iced Tea, some snacks and a cheap book or two. Ended up finding a book on video game teams, and how to manage blogs on the business side. What can I say, I'll read almost anything that's remotely entertaining. Anyways, as I get into the car, this Suzuki with Jason Derulo's 'Whatcha Say' blasting on near full volume stops and waits for me to shut my door so they can pull into the parking spot next to me. As I glance back to see what the noise was, the girl in the passenger seat was staring right at me. Not just the 'will you PLEASE move? I need to go buy the new edition of People Magazine and hair supplies, and you're really annoying me by not moving any faster' stare. No, not that stare. It was the 'he can take his time because I can't help but stare' look. My sister in the backseat said this, by the way, not myself. I personally found it a little odd that she was staring at me, since I was in ripped jeans, a greasy tee shirt, without combed hair, and my glasses on. But to each their own.

As I shut my door, plug in my iPod in and search for David Gray's 'Babylon', my sister is in the backseat talking.
"watch this Jake"
"What?"
"She's going to do a double take. Watch. Right now"
The girl looks back over her shoulder at me.
"I TOLD YOU!"
"haha you're crazy to have that timed so well."
"She's...wait, yea. No, she's coming back to her car!"
(I'm still trying to find the song, and reply to a text before I drive the three minutes back home)
As the girl comes back to the car to get her lip gloss (according to my sister), she looks at me, I make eye contact, smile, she looks away.
"Jake she's totally into you."
"Yea, I figured after all you're saying."
"JAKE!"
"WHAT!?"
"oh nothing, her boyfriend just gave you the look."
"hahaha what look?"
"The 'stop looking at her or I'll kill you' look"
"She's cute, but I'm not remotely interested."
"I know, but that was funny!"
*song starts*
...'friday night and I'm going nowhere, all the lights are changing from red to green'...
"Jake, we need to do stuff like this more often."
"Go to the store?"
"No, watch girls watch you. It's fun"
"Uh..sure."

The adventures you can have when you  notice all the fine details of something so normal as a trip to a store to get iced tea.