Bamboo Love (AKA pickle boy part III)

While at the time I was sure that I had Rivers in the palm of my hand, I eventually learned that he wasn't really trying to win me over at all. In fact, the last thing Rivers was looking for was a relationship. I was unaware at the time, but he had just spent the past year in a tumultuous relationship that had left him emotionally drained. Although he "liked" me (alot), he wasn't sure if he was ready to start another serious relationship. Cooking curry, singing songs, sharing food...Well, those are just the types of things Rivers does for everyone because he is just so unabashedly friendly and kind. To me it was a cruel trick. Needless to say, this made the road to our actual "dating" very long and confusing. I was sure that we were, like, totally girlfriend-boyfriend, when he was probably just wondering why I kept trying to hold his hand and send him suggestive texts (No, sicko. Not that kind of suggestive. Suggestive in the "Haha wasn't-insert new inside joke here-so funny? What are you up to tomorrow?" sense.) In fact, on Halloween night a friend had asked me if I was "dating Rivers", and the only response I could conjure was: "I don't know", to which she responded "Ya, no one ever knows if they're dating Rivers." What in the Molly Mormon Heck was that supposed to mean? As I would come to learn, Rivers talks to people. He asks them questions about their lives like he actually cares (because he does). He looks them in the eyes. Some of these people happen to be hopeful girls, which has proven to be a potentially confusing combination. Finally, after about a month of being together every spare moment, Rivers finally asked me to be his girlfriend. (Note: I've been trying for a pretty while to think of a less juvenile way of saying the aforementioned, but those were his exact words. Sorry.) We were sitting in a classroom observing a "Senior Seminar" presentation at school, and I was demonstrably at my witts end with our ongoing, intense "friendship". In fact, I was ready to call it quits, although I didn't really know how to "break-up" with Rivers when we were just friends. I'm pretty sure that would have made me look even more desperate and strange. Luckily, during the presentation Rivers leaned over and and told me how he felt while explaining the previous rocky year. It was about time...