Not Quite Love at First Sight

First of all, I feel an obligation to say not every post will be about Clark or our relationship.  However, he is a very big part of my life, so I felt it only right to start this off where he and I started off.  
Awkward would be the best word to describe our first few encounters.  

It was the summer of 2011, and I was working at American Eagle.  I should mention at the time, I was in a relationship.  When I'm dating someone, I shut off any cute-boy-censors or flirting-detectors that I may have while single.  This makes me a little oblivious & standoff-ish to my male surroundings.  

My manager at American Eagle let my best friends and soon-to-be roommates at the time know that she had hired a new, very cute boy.  She then proceeded to give my friends his first and last name so that they could thoroughly "creep" him on Facebook.  After doing this, one of the girls requested to be his friend.  Keep in mind he had not yet actually started working at American Eagle.  

About one week later, Clark had his first day.  It was a busy Saturday and he received the most dreaded job there was.. picking up the clearance clothes off of the ground and finding some seemingly impossible way to shove, I mean hang, them back on the rack.  After about an hour, when things slowed down, my manager told me to introduce myself to Clark.  

I walked up to him, reached my hand out, and said, 
"Hi, I'm Erin.  (Unnamed Manager) told me to introduce myself."
He had a goofy smile on his face and quickly replied,
"Hi! I'm Clark."
Boring enough, I know.

Not long after that, I was coming in to work, and found myself walking into a conversation I wasn't meant to hear.  As I strolled into the back room, I noticed several of my employees gathered around listening to Clark talking.  He had his back to the door and did not see me come in.  He went on to explain to everyone how he and I had the same birthday.
What? How in the world does he know my birthday? And why is he talking about me to everyone else?

When he noticed me, his smile dropped and his face became red.  When I asked how he knew my birthday, he embarrassedly replied he had seen it on my Facebook.  Without thinking, I blurted out,
"We're not even friends on Facebook."
He had found me through my friend that added him before.
I quickly tried to give back the dignity I had just ripped away from him, and joked that we should have a joint birthday party.  The group laughed and dispersed.  He was left feeling embarrassed, but that did not deter him.

Shortly after that, my two friends and I were moving in together.  Clark, looking for any opportunity to "chat up the blonde girl" as he says, gave me his number and offered to help us move.  I politely said thanks, and went on to move without his help.

Two days after moving in together, I was laying out by the pool with a friend.  I had just become single and was looking to enjoy my summer, boy free.  Clark, however, was determined to not allow that to happen.  While laying in the sun, not a sound but the splash of the pool fountain, I suddenly hear, "HEY! What's up! Come let us in!"

I look back at the gate surrounding the pool area and see Clark standing there, drinks in hand, with a group of guys behind him.  My first thought: What the hell are you doing here? Second thought: How do you know where I live?  Third thought:  If I just lay here will he go away?  Doubtful.

I went over to the gate where he explained to me he had seen my roommate at a party the night before, and she invited them all over for a pool party.  Because that sounds like a great idea.  

My roommate showed up and I let the guys in.  My plan was to keep my distance for the day, but Clark made that impossible.  He spent every moment by my side.  Although it was not what I had planned, it was the best thing that could've ever happened.  He won me over in a matter of hours.  His friends left later in the day to get food and head home.  I expected him to go with them, but instead he stayed with me.  This day was June 4th, and we did not spend a single day apart until August when he left to play Juniors Hockey.  

I had intended to spend my summer a very different way, and I never thought the awkward boy at work would be the one I spent it with.  However, I couldn't be happier that I did.

June 2011