Friend is a GOOD Word! (Thursday Edition)

And it was a good weekend.

I had Friday off for the holiday, so I wanted to do something Thursday. Wednesday night Derek had said he was busy Thursday - going to a record store... instant translation: he has a date and he's embarrased to admit it to me.

But after work Thursday, just as I was snuggling in to veg in front of a movie for the evening - Derek calls. Plans fell through - do I want to go out for dinner? YES! So I go to his place, and we go out to Baja Fresh (YUM YUM!!!). He was being unflirty - but he seemed very tired. (Wednesday was a rather late night.) I had been very tired, but the adrenaline from Derek calling me hadn't worn off and I was full of energy. Anyway, he says yes he IS tired. He *was* going to be going to the record store and be taken out for mexican food by someone else, but she had some things come up. He never did say her name - so I teased him that he didn't want me to know who she was because he liked her. He denyed it, saying she's just a friend who likes good music and they sometimes go to concerts together.

Well, after dinner we're sitting at his place, and the phone rings. Its her. I'm quiet and well behaved (as usual) but not only so I could try to hear what she was saying.... ;) I DID hear her name, though. Same as mine! So after he gets off - we suddenly start talking - like, real friend talking. Who does he like, really - who's been chasing him (Yes, I knew cute blonde divorced girl had been! But she scared him and got nowhere with him, score for me!) who's been chasing me. I got him to give me names of guys that like me. That's fun.

He DID know about Not-Doctor Boy. See, they're somewhat friends, and Not-Doctor Boy found out that Derek had been going out with me. Not-Doc. Boy said "Ah man, I wanted to ask her out!" and Derek replyed "I don't have a monopoly on her or anything." So I told him the scoop. We'd been out, he's made his interest very clear, he's a nice guy, but there's nothing there for me. We talk about scary people and the way they pursue. I tell him all about Wanna-be Lawyer and the rest. He explains that he either flirts (in public) with girls, or does stuff with them. Never both. Maybe one day we'll get him over it - be it with me, or with another girl with my support as his friend.

I told him how LDS dating has always been difficult for me because of the amount of expectation for a "real" relationship, and the automatic "possible future spouse" evaluation. He agreed. Yup, on the other hand, I'm used to guys who let me cuddle and it doesn't have to "mean" something. "It's good to be able to talk to a girl" he says.

So this talking was like a major breakthrough. Derek finally feels like the kind of guy friends I usually have... that eventually accidentally turn into something more. We decided to watch one episode of Malcom in the Middle before I left. "Well, I'm still going to cuddle with you even after all that talking," says I. His response, "Just as long as we're clear." Clear as stretched celephane. He's turning into quite the good cuddler.

I is a very happy girl. :)