Three

To continue on in my story-telling... I must own up to some things. There are certainly details I will leave out, but others are just too hilarious and unnecessary to avoid.

...Like when I threw my pending crush on someone else. As in, accused someone else of having a thing for Caleb. Dodge the bullet. Escape the spotlight. Get away clean.

I lived on the 3rd floor of Burritt East. Room 312. The girls on my floor were literally family. We all assumed roles of different Disney Princesses. I was Jasmine. We had Fortune Cookie Tuesday, and it was the custom to simply walk into another's room and sit down and just be. We'd go outside for the first snow of the season in pajamas and hilarious outfits. Occasionally we'd find the Hobo in the Hallway (Katie). We had dance parties where we choreographed work outs (dancercise), and excellent routines. Whitney and I would write songs in the kitchen and bathroom and prayer room, and occasionally our own rooms at 4am. We would perform our songs for the girls while they took showers. We would gather, and watch Disney movies, and Friends. Often times it'd be in Ali's and my room. We had the biggest room. I call Ali Francine. So, just take note of that.

One evening, I had asked my brother, Zach, if Caleb was dating anyone. I did so in a very casual, tone, as if to say, "wait, Isn't he dating so-and-so?" Clearly avoiding the attention on me, and successfully casting it all on the information I pretended to be confirming.

The truth was, I just wanted to make sure the scene was clean.

Zach told me, "I don't know, maybe... he's really kept to himself about who he's interested in, if he's interested in anyone."

Drat. No information. Right? Wrong.

What I gathered from this shut-down conversation was actually quite workable. Caleb isn't girl-crazy. If he were girl-crazy, he hid it well, and didn't go after girls "out loud," which I appreciated. We all know those people... the ones that like a new person every week. The thing is, probably all college students notice someone new every week or so. The difference is, no one calls you a flirt if you don't tell anyone unless the "new noticed person" has been noticed for a while and it's a solid interest.

So. This meant to me, that Caleb was respectable. Wise, even. I liked what I heard.

The possibility that I could be the "new noticed person" of the week was ever in my favor. Until he became interested in someone enough to pursue "out loud" and own up to the interest, I had a chance.

Back on my floor, Whitney decided she would make a status that she was in a relationship. The zinger: she was not. Thee ceaseless hilarity of college life... what we do when we get bored.

"Ohhhh this would work perfectly..." I plotted in my head. I don't recall exactly the scheming that went down...  but I know I convinced everyone on the floor, and my brother, that Whitney was dating Caleb Arb.

I had no idea anyone was on to me.

I didn't think anyone knew Caleb.

We'd all sat around the hallway a week or so before I announced Whitney's new love.

"What's your favorite style on a guy?" I had prompted.

We shared views.

"I like light jeans, and belts, and t-shirts. Sweatshirts... Oh, and hats!"

Caleb. Arb.

But nobody knew him, right? I was safe.

Nope. Everyone knew.

But I didn't find that out for quite some time.