Wednesday, May 22, 2002

Lara: Episode 2

I got home from work today and there in my living room sat Greg with Lara from our ward. She was wearing this tan shirt and black tight jeans. Her roommate Rachel was there too. It was actually the first time that we met. "Hey John, this is Lara and Rachel." Greg said with beaming pride that made me want to punch him in the face. "Hi." I said. I walked up to Lara and said, "Lara right?" as I shook her hand. She smiled. This is the closest I had been to her, and her skin was very nice. I then walked over to Rachel and repeated the handshake and introduction... skin? as nice.

I sat down at the computer as they watched TV sort of and talked. "So what are you guys up to tonight?" I asked. Greg said, "We don't know. I told these two if they came over that something fun would happen." I replied, "Probably true."

Chit chat and small talk consumed the next while. I was in top form and was doing a very good job of being funny. Adam and Alan both came home and we all talked for a while. I got an email from a girl on ldssingles.com who wanted to know if I wanted to go to a movie that night. Really, I wanted to hang out with Lara.

As we sat around and chatted, I found myself staring at Lara and I couldn't believe how cute I thought she was. I recognized Greg's dibbs and decided it was probably best for me not to be around. Either I would end up flirting with her and being a cock-block or I would control myself and just continue to loathe Greg.

Everyone decided they were going to go grab some food, and then go ice blocking. I told them all goodbye, and made contact with the LDSsingles girl. Lara and Rachel seemed genuinely bummed that I would be leaving. I told them, "We hug goodbye in this house." and gave them both a hug. I purposely held Lara for just a second longer then seemed comfortable.

I went to meet this girl from ldssingles.com. She didn't look anything like her picture. She wasn't even cute. I thought about Lara all night long. When I got home the other guys were home but Greg was not. I didn't even want to know, so I just went to bed. Stupid Greg.

John Maxim
written on 11/11/02 in retrospect

Saturday, May 11, 2002

Lara: episode 1

I had seen her in the hallways at church a couple of times. I noticed her because she was a beautiful girl. I never thought much of meeting or getting together with her, because our Ward met in the institute building and there were like 20 different Wards that met there on a Sunday. I never actually saw her in my Sunday school class. (granted there were three, and I never saw her in Sacrament meeting either (granted there was like 400 people in the ward)) So I knew that she existed and I knew she was attractive but I didn't know who she was or imagine that I would ever meet her with the vast number of people who went to church in the Salt Lake area. I did however think she was hot enough to mention her to my roommates.

We (me and the roommates) had a new roommate that had moved in just a month or so ago. Greg. The first night Greg lived with us he made-out with one of the girls who hung out at our house regularly. He had long hair, which in Mormonville is different enough for him to be noticed, and he was extremely out going and fearless. So we all regarded him as a bit of a ladies man, though, we soon discovered he was more of a goof then anything. However for the purposes of this story, I regarded him as a ladies man.

So Greg and I went together to a "ward prayer" this was an activity that our ward did every Sunday night were we would go to someones house, hear a spiritual thought, say a prayer, have a refreshment and then mingle and flirt. Set up by the church, no doubt, to more effectively nudge all of us single folk in the direction of pairing off and getting married.

We were at a girl in the wards apartment. Space was tight because probably a 10th of our ward (so 40 people) showed up. Greg and I ended up in the kitchen, where we could hear, and sort of see into the living room, but we couldn't see the girl giving the thought. She had just started, and that's when the girl I had seen in the hallways came into the room.

I instantly became nervous and excited. She squeezed between two girls on the sofa, and looked up right at me. I swear the look lingered for longer then a normal look. However I'm sure that I was just flustered, because she looked away and never looked back.

I leaned over to Greg and whispered, "There she is dude." he asked, "Who?" I replied, "The girl I was telling you guys about... From the hallways." I described her to him. As soon as he figured out who I was talking about he said, "Oh yeah, Lara, yeah she's hot." I looked at him. I was a little stunned he knew her name, he'd been to Church 3 times. "You know her?" I asked. "Nah, I just seen her around. Think I got introduced once, she goes to the gospel essentials class."
I realized that's why I hadn't seen her, because I taught the Gospel Doctrine class every week. Gospel Essentials met at the same time across the building.

I kept looking over at her not at all listening to the spiritual thought. Hoping to repeat the earlier eye contact, or even just to catch her maybe doing the same thing. It never happened though. I surveyed the room, and this girl, Lara, was easily, easily the hottest girl there. Greg asked me if I was going to go talk to her. I told him I was too scared.

The room bowed their heads for the prayer. I didn't close my eyes, I stared at Lara. I wanted to get a good look at her. She had dark skin and long dark hair which looked really healthy like a model in a shampoo commercial. I wasn't sure where her ancestry was from. Figured it was probably Latin American, but she had a unique enough look that I just had no idea. She was tall and slender I could even tell that sitting down. She had these lips that were incredibly sexy. She opened her eyes when the prayer ended, they were deep and brown and big. I noticed how amazing they were just before I looked away.

I stood up and went strait for the refreshments. No sooner had I inhaled my brownie then I turned and noticed Greg had walked strait over to Lara and started a conversation with her. I grit my teeth, I hoped he didn't think that just because I was too scared to talk to her here, on the fly, that that meant I wasn't gonna try period.

I mingled there, with the other wardies, all the while keeping my attention on Greg and Lara's little conversation. She was laughing he was smiling. I suddenly hated him. I felt sort of at fault, I mean I could have gone and talked to her. I was jealous, and it made me very uncomfortable. So I decided to ignore them both. Greg came over 10 minutes or so later. I glanced over and Lara was no where t be found. I said, "You ready." Greg replied, "Yes."

On the drive home I expected him to mention his conversation but he didn't. I wanted to punch him in the face but I didn't. Oh well, I thought, again I missed out because I was too scared to man up and talk to a girl I fancied.

John Maxim
written on 11/11/02 in retrospect