"So…Come here often?" Dillon asked as we took our seats in a casual diner in town.

"Not really," I replied. "I don't get out a lot."

"Because of the siblings?"

"Just because I don't really feel like it."

"Oh."

The most awkward dating conversation I'd ever had. It didn't matter that Dillon looked cute with his shower hair, it just wasn't…there.

"So what do you want from a relationship?" I questioned. He looked startled. As though he'd expected me not to ask any questions about it, despite being asked on a date.

"Um…a girl." Obviously. "Someone honest, sincere, ready to have fun, has a sense of humor."

"That sounds like a friend."

"Well, yeah, that's sort of the type of girlfriend I'm looking for."

"Oh. So what do you wanna major in?" He looked up at me as though he seemed beyond surprised.

"Major in?"

"You know, for college." I finally saw the light bulb go on. Geez, he hadn't been this slow when we were playing volleyball.

"He's just nervous," I reminded myself. Simply nervous. I focused my attention on the table, trying not to let him know how bored I was.

"I'm not going to college." My eyes shot up so that I could look directly in his.

"What?" I questioned, completely blown away.

"I'm not going. I'm going straight for the Olympics."

"Are you serious? Do you know how hard it is to get in there?"

"Hey, have a little bit of faith. I'm good."

"Ok, maybe he's not nervous," I second guessed myself. "Definitely cocky when it comes to volleyball."

"And what about after that. You'll probably only play for one year."

"Well, I'll tour with the guys for a while."

"The guys?"

"You know, the veterans of the Olympic volleyball team from that year. Go to a few charity games, and so on."

"And that's what you want your income to be for the rest of your life?"

"Casey, why are we talking about the rest of our lives when we're still in high school." I thought for a moment, thinking about how I'd only started the conversation for just that purpose, to have a conversation.

I found myself stuttering. "Because time goes by more quickly than you'd think, and you have to take the moments as they come before they pass you by for good."

"Deep." I picked up my purse, stood up, and looked Dillon in the eye once again.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I've got to go."

"Wait. Why?"
"It's just not going to work out between us."

"Why?" He was definitely persistent.

"There's no…chemistry." He sat there, dumfounded at what had just happened. I however, was on my way out the door, down the street, heading nowhere.

I wasn't completely sure of where I was going, or what I was going to do. But I could feel again, and that was all that really mattered. I knew what chemistry was. I knew what love could feel like. That was really all that mattered.