How I met Randall ...

ok so here goes ... the novel ... LOL ...

Back to the future …

We’ve known each other since school days … since 1998 to be exact. But, none of us bothered to talk to each other. Although he says I used to ignore him when I used to walk past him and he used to greet me. (I don’t recall this info, although my friend says its true – LOL.)

Anyways in 2003, I started noticing the dude, but I thought he was gay. My reason for these thoughts: I always used to see him with girls and therefore my conclusion based on this was that he was so GAY!!!!

Well October 2003 was our matric dance and that was the first time I greeted him. We were on our way home from our after party and I hitched a ride with him and his friends. They dropped me off at home safe and sound. Then somehow it all went back to the no ‘hello’ situation again.

Late 2004, his friend and my friend started dating. Though me and my friend always used to visit him and his friend and vice versa we never said one word to each other.

The following year, 2005, he started working for the same company as me and we always used to pass each other but still never said a word to each other. I don’t know if we were just too shy to talk to each other or was it the whole him being English speaking and me being Afrikaans speaking.

This one day in October of 2005, his BIL, whom also happened to work for the same company, approached me asking me if I had space in my car because Randall and a friend needed transport. Of course there was only space for on but one of the guys travelling with me was going to finish end of October. He then asked me to let him know as soon as there was space.

In November, myself and my work friend Octavia then approached Randall and his friend to travel with us. We then started chatting every morning and afternoon while Octavia and Kyle used to sleep in the car. That is where our friendship started. Giving each other advice on relationships, chatting about anything, teasing each other, laughing at silly thing and jokes. But, for me it was only ‘friendship’, as I was in, what I thought was, a committed relationship. (Completely different topic – will post at a later stage.) For him, as he says, was love at first sight. For me not...

December 31, 2005. We hung out after work. Me, him, Octavia, Kyle and a few of his other friends. I had just broken up with my ex, but I did not tell Randall about it. After all, it was New Years Eve and time to party. He called me one side and I could see he wanted to tell me or ask me something, when we got interrupted by his one friend. I could see he was pissed at his friend and probably thought ‘good timing, bro’, but instead he said something along the line of ‘dude can’t you see I’m chatting with my girlfriend’. At that time my phone rang and I could not reply to what he had just said and besides I thought he was just saying that so that nobody else could bother me.

The phone call was from my mom that needed to go somewhere. So, I pretended that I did not hear him saying that, because at the time he was in a relationship as well, and said goodbye to everyone and got ready to leave.

Of course we only saw each other after the holidays …

So during that time I made up with my ex, even though we still used to travel together no other conversation was made between us except hello’s and goodbye’s.

Our department relocated to a new office block and there after I lost all contact with him. One cold day in June I drove past him and when I looked into the rear view mirror he was waving me to stop, but I continued on my journey. At that time he had broken up with his ex, as I was told by Octavia who still had contact with him as him and her hubby became friends.

In August 2006 I finally decided that it was time to turn a new page in my life and I dumped my ex yet again! At that time, Randall was made permanent and got e-mail functionality and maybe thought he would break the ice by mailing me. I was shocked to see his email pop up and to learn that he was made permanent and that he had recently bought himself a car. He also told me about his ex and that they had broken up. Of course I just acted as a good friend and read and replied to his emails.

During that time Octavia's department also relocated to our new office park and we once again travelled together. During the course of that week I met him at her house while dropping her off after work. (I still think this was a set-up!) We spoke to each other and exchanged telephone numbers as he still had my old number and I had changed my number not to be stalked by the ex.

A week after his birthday in October the cute lovey-dovey sms’ and emails started pouring in. At first, I did not want to reply as I did not want to be seriously involved again. But something in me said otherwise….

On November 1 he asked me if we could hang out, but I told him my schedule was full, I lied of course … LOL, but I told him we could hang out the following day.

November 2 2006, that night he confessed all his feelings to me. How he fell inlove with me when we were still at school. How he was afraid that I might reject him. How, if we were dating that time already, happy we would have been. How he dreams about me and wants to be with me. This of course made me melt as I have never experienced this. A man laying out all his cards on the table and not knowing if he does have a future with me. A man who was not shy or embarrassed to open up to me in a way that he did. It was soo different, but yet so scary …

I was speechless and all I could say was we have to take things slow. I was scared of opening my heart to someone again. I was scared to get to know someone again and at the end of the day that person still chooses someone else over you…

We started dating … and today we are married …

PS: now I'm challenging all of you to post about the first time he said I love you ... LOL