All Mixed Up!

Networking websites such as Facebook seem to be the newest craze in the internet world. Imagine my excitement when I found out that my high school had it's own version site! It's like Facebook, but only for alumni and it is soooo cool and so addictive. There are so many people that I haven't seen or spoken to since high school graduation that are members. It's kind of like a high school reunion...via the internet.

Within the site, there are sub-groups set up with the intentions of linking former classmates that share the same commonalities. From sororities and fraternities, to career sub-groups...the list goes on and on. For added fun, there are discussion forums that enable the alumni to talk about "Long Lost Friends," "Will Obama Win the Election?" and my favorite "Secret High School Crushes."


I was pretty popular in high school, but I didn't have many boyfriends. Most of the guys at that time seemed to be more interested in the "fine girls" and the girls that were sexually promiscuous, so many of them were not interested me- the under-developed, proud virgin!Though we were always surrounded by guys, my circle of sister-friends often always found those guys to be strictly platonic friends. None of us had boyfriends until we were well into our junior year. However, that doesn't mean we didn't have crushes.

My ultimate crush was a guy we'll call Marc. Marc and I didn't really hang in the same circles as he was 2 years younger than I was. He was a jock and preferred the "fine girls" and frankly, upper classmen didn't hang with under classmen. I can count on my hand the amount of times he and I exchanged pleasantries, let along full fledged conversations.

So imagine my surprise when I browsed the "Secret High School Crush" discussion thread and read that he had a crush on me while in high school. I was so shocked! I replied to his post saying that the feeling was mutual and had I known he had a crush on me then, I would have made a move...or not. LOL. I was kind of shy in that aspect.

Marc and I began communicating via email ever since his revelation. Amidst discussion, it was revealed that he too, lived down south and is single with no kids. We had some things in common. As we got to know each other a little better, we realized that we are similar in many ways. I began crushing on him again.

About three weeks into our communication there was an event going on in our hometown that brought both of us back to the city. We agreed to meet up at one of the popular night spots so that we could have a drink and shoot the breeze face to face.

I wore my little black dress and my special event pearls. The red stilettos that adorned my attire provided just the right amount of "sexy" without going over board. I was ready! My sister-friend and I entered the party location and immediately began mingling. I spotted MT in the corner and immediately headed towards him to greet him. I approached him with the biggest, cheesiest grin on my face that I could muster. I tapped him on the back and he turned around and greeted me with a smile and let out an enthusiastic "Hi!" We engaged in a bit of small talk....the usual "You look great!", "How have you been?" blah blah blah...then he said something that took me by surprise. MT said: "Forgive me please, I know I know your face- but I can't remember your name." I looked at him confused. I said "C'est Chic" with a slight duhhhh in my voice. He said "that's right, that's right. You used to hang with Charmed and Chase and the whole good girl crew!" and let out a slight chuckle. I was confused. After all, we had been talking for weeks and had already covered this ground. Why was this guy suddenly showing signs of selective amnesia?

Then a friend of his approached us and called his name, and I suddenly realized that I had been communicating the entire time with the wrong person! The guy I had been talking to via email was not the guy standing before me at that instant! I had mistaken his face for someone else's name. He was actually MB NOT MT. MT was a totally different guy altogether. I was so embarassed.

I played it off for a minute, engaging in a few more minutes of useless chatter and then I excused myself to the ladies room in an effort to attempt to wipe the shit look off of my face. As soon as I turned around to head to the ladies room, I was stopped by a guy that looked vaguely familiar. He walked up to me with the most eager, toothy grin I had ever seen. It was the REAL MT. As in the guy I had been emailing back and forth for several weeks, thinking he was MB. He called me by my government name and then reached out to embrace me. I returned his hug and excused myself, telling him I had to use the restroom and that I would return shortly.

I called Charmed immediately upon entering the ladies room. I could NOT believe that I had mixed up the guys' names. I thought I had been communicating with my High School Crush, when in all actuality I was talking to a totally different guy! I really had myself in a pickle now. She laughed at me....hysterically. How was I ever to get myself out of this precarious position? And to top it off, my ego was also bruised. Not only was I talking to the wrong guy, but the right guy didn't even show me the slightest bit of interest. At least not until the end of the night.

After leaving the ladies room, I never saw the REAL MT again, but I ran into MB several times. At then end of the night as I was walking out of the party, he grabbed my forearm and asked if it was ok for us to exchange contact info. "Of course it's ok!", is what I was secretly thinking. If only he knew! The very next day we met for brunch and I just had to share with him the mix up. It was at that point that MB told me that he too, had always had a crush on me, but due to my age he was always afraid of approaching me. Who would have known?! Even if he was just saying that to make me feel good...I enjoyed the flattery.

My only problem now is, How am I supposed to tell the REAL MT that I had him mistaken for someone else- MB. What is the most tactful method of letting him know that I really didn't have the hots for him in high school afterall. How can I break the news to him that I had his name attached to someone else's face- in my mind? After all, the REAL MT is the person I have been crushing on lately due to his personality. I am such a sucker when it comes to tough talks like this. I hate confrontation and disappointment. Ladies, please advise! I would love to know how you all out there in blog land would approach this problem.

XoXo,