Member-only story
Things were progressing nicely with a guy we’ll call Jackson. I reconnected with some old friends after joining a class reunion group, and he was one of the members. We quickly added each other on Facebook and began trading messages, laughing as we reminisced about childhood memories.
After chatting a bit, I learned Jackson moved out of a subdivision near mine not too long ago. This was surprising since we went to school in a different area, one where I assumed he had remained over the years. He returned to our hometown after a rough breakup but still had friends near me, and he even knew one of my neighbors. Turns out he had visited him numerous times and I never noticed.
We decided to catch up in person, and it went well. It was just a platonic encounter, but we discussed the possibility of developing a romantic relationship. We decided we’d go on a date when our schedules permitted and started texting and calling each other regularly.
The red flags started flying in the wind right away, but I tried to let things slide. I have very little experience dating. Most of my romantic experiences have been friendships with coworkers or childhood friends that evolved into serious long-term relationships. I figured maybe I was just expecting too much from this potential relationship and decided to see…
