LJ Idol Week 11: Long Distance Dedication

[flipflop_diva]

This is the story of Girl and Boy. It starts many, many years ago in a small college town. 

Girl had just gotten a new job as a bartender at a sports bar called Bun Huggers. Girl was not super impressed with the name, but the money was good, the hours were decent and the manager was nice. Much better than the last manager she had who she did not wish to speak about in polite company. 

Boy was a regular at Bun Huggers. He and a few of his buddies went there almost every night after they got off work, mostly to have a beer or two, sometimes to eat dinner, always to sit at the bar.

From the day Girl started work, Boy flirted with Girl. Girl mostly ignored Boy for the first couple weeks, but little by little he started to grow on her. So much so that when Boy asked Girl to go out with him, Girl said yes.

Boy took Girl to a nice restaurant for dinner, with plans to hit the cinema afterward. Over appetizers, Girl told Boy she was leaving the small college town for a much, much bigger college town in a couple months, so she could go to graduate school.

Boy took a sip of his beer and said, “I don’t do long distance.”

Girl didn’t have a problem with that. Girl wasn’t looking for anything serious anyway.

Date Number One went really well. At the end of the night, Boy asked Girl for Date Number Two. Girl thought about it and decided she might as well have some fun for her last couple months in town. Girl said yes to Boy.

Girl and Boy continued to date for the next two months, with Boy reminding Girl that he did not do long distance, and Girl assuring Boy that it was fine, even though Girl sort of wished they could at least try it.

For their last date, the night before Girl moved away, Boy and Girl went to the same restaurant they went to for their first date. Afterward, they went back to Boy’s apartment. Girl waited the whole night for Boy to tell her this was it and that from here they were both off on their separate paths. But Boy didn’t say a word about it. And when Boy walked Girl to her car so she could head home, Boy said, “I’ll call you.”

So Girl moved away to the much, much bigger college town, and as promised, Boy called her. And Boy called her again. And again and again and again. Each time he called, Girl waited for Boy to tell her this was it, but Boy never did. Instead Boy always said, “I’ll call you.”

So time went on and Boy kept calling. Every single night. Girl and Boy would spend hours on the phone, talking about anything and everything. And then Boy told Girl he was coming to visit, and Girl was overjoyed.

Girl and Boy had a wonderful time. Girl showed Boy around her new town during the day, and Boy and Girl hung out with Girl’s new friends at night. On the way back to the airport on the day Boy had to leave, Girl looked at Boy and finally confessed.

“I love you,” Girl said.

“I know,” Boy said.

Girl wasn’t sure what to think about that, but Girl didn’t want to push. Boy had always said he didn’t do long distance, and Girl was always waiting for the moment when Boy would realize that was exactly what they were doing and call it off.

So Boy went home, but Boy kept calling. And Girl kept telling Boy she loved him, and Boy kept telling her he knew. Boy also invited Girl to come spend the summer with him, and Girl accepted.

The day classes were done, Girl packed up the car and drove across the country back to the small college town where Boy lived. Girl went back to work at Bun Huggers (she had always known the manager there was awesome), and Boy went back to flirting with her as she worked.

It was the best summer of Boy’s and Girl’s lives, and it was even better for Girl one hot August night.

“I love you,” she told Boy like she always did.

“I love you, too,” Boy said, and Girl knew then that Boy really was the one.

When summer ended, as it inevitably had to, Girl once again returned to her much, much bigger college town. And Boy returned to calling her every night.

And then Girl had a decision to make. Girl was going to graduate in December, and Girl would need a job. But Girl wanted to work for an advertising agency, and the small college town where Boy lived didn’t really have what Girl was looking for. But if Girl went somewhere else, Boy might end it between them for real.

Girl told Boy her fears on the matter one night.

“Go to the Big City,” Boy said. He didn’t say that doing so would be the end of them. But he didn’t say it wouldn’t.

Girl was scared of what it might mean for her and Boy, but Girl also knew she had to pursue her dreams.

“I’ll go to the Big City,” Girl said.

The weeks until graduation went fast. And then it arrived. And Girl’s family and Boy’s mom and Boy himself all flew into the much, much bigger college town. They all put on their fancy clothes and went to watch Girl graduate. Then they put on fancier clothes and went to one of the nicest restaurants in town for a celebration dinner.

Halfway through dinner, Boy stood up to make a speech.

“Girl keeps asking me what I got her for graduation,” Boy told the table of people, and everyone laughed. “I got her this,” Boy said, and reached into his pocket.

Girl’s family members screamed. Boy got down on one knee. Girl cried.

“Will you be my wife?” Boy whispered.

Girl cried more and nodded enthusiastically. Boy slipped a ring on Girl’s finger. Girl’s family members screamed louder. The table next to their table asked the waiter to bring over some champagne. The celebration lasted into the late hours of the night.

A week later, Girl packed up all her stuff and moved to the Big City, a shimmering ring on her finger. Boy stayed in the small college town. A year later, Girl and Boy said “I do.” Two months after that, Boy and Girl both moved to the much, much bigger college town where Girl went to school.

Finally, Boy and Girl did not have to do long distance.



Non-fiction, actually. This is the story of my sister and brother-in-law. They'll have been married 13 years this April and have two beautiful kids. But we still tease Brian to this day about not doing long-distance xD




Thank you for reading! This was written for Week 11 of the therealljidol. If you would like to read the other entries, you can find them here!

Comments

[adoptedwriter]

This is a sweet story. I like how you named them as Girl and Boy.

[song_of_thea]

This is beautiful. Someone was chopping onions while I was reading this though. Congratulations to your sister and brother-in-law.

[kimschlotwrites]

That’s so sweet!

[fausts_dream]

This is epically cute. Packs a dozen smiles into the short length.

[rayaso]

This is such a nice story, especially since it was true. It's amazing how "no long distance" faded into a long distance romance and went on to marriage.

[bsgsix]

I love "Girl" and "Boy," and how just - sweet and gentle and loving this is. We need sweet and loving and gentle in this world. I'm so happy for your family, and thank you for sharing this great story!

[halfshellvenus]

It looks like Boy meant that he didn't do long distance, except when it was the girl he couldn't let go of.

Kind of like someone who is only interested in dating blondes until he meets the brunette that knocks his socks off, and he marries her-- the one woman who 'wasn't his type,' except that she was. He just didn't realize that his 'type' was about more than hair color.

[babydramatic_1950]

A sweet story! So glad it ended the way it did.

[dmousey]

This was very sweet, it's funny how many say they don't do LDRs but my hubs and I had one for over 25yrs. and we've now been married for 10. We each took a couple detours, but that's another story.

Anyhoo, thanks for sharing!😊✌🐭🐀❄

[static_abyss]

Oh man, I was so worried that there was something super tragic coming, which is really great writing because it kind of highlights Gitl's perspective in this. I'm glad there was a happy ending.

[tonithegreat]

It’s funny how what we “do” will change in the right circumstances. It’s so nice when real people get their “happily ever after every now and then.”

[murielle]

You had me with, " This is the story of Girl and Boy." You never lost me. Wonderful story! I'm so glad it's true!

Brava!

[la-loony.livejournal.com]

That is such a cute story and that it's non fiction makes it even better <3