In Hot Water

This weekend I took a long trip with Juan to the Lava Hot Springs. This is a 2 hour drive up, plus an hour or more in the hot springs, then another 2 hours drive home. We've hung out a lot and gone out so I thought this was a good test run to see how we do alone... for a long time.

DISASTER

His car is fancy - it has a DVD player in the console. Halfway through the drive up he puts in season 4 of the Office. So much for conversation. We watch until the light hurts his eyes and then turn it off to make small talk. Very small talk.

When we get there he wanted to go in the hottest pool first. I thought that was stupid; start with the coolest [a balmy 102 degrees] then work our way up to the hottest [112 degrees]. He wins because he just drove us up here and I figure it's not that big of a deal.

We're in there for 3 minutes before he thinks it's too hot and we have to move to the second hottest pool. I held back a told you so.

We get in and are sitting there making quiet conversation as the mist and steam swirls around us. I wait for him to try to dunk me, splash me, pull me around by my feet - any interaction really - but no game. He just sits there. Hmmm, I decide to take a trip around the pool. I come back thinking the old adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder" would come into play. Nope, silence.

We go back to the hottest hot spring and he asks, "do you see yourself dating me in a year?"
How do you respond to that?!

The best I could think of was a sad "depends". Turns out he doesn't see himself dating me in a year. Aghast I said, "well then don't call me next time you want to go out". I mean honestly, who says that? On a date. 2 hours from home. What is with these guys?! After some discussion I realized he was putting up an emotional wall to keep me out. I recognized it after all the walls I was putting up over the last few months. Ah, making a little more sense, but really. Let's be tactful here.

In the end, we discussed how he just broke up with a girl a few months ago. He's having a hard time being with someone else, yada yada. Fine I say. Just so you know I'm just looking for a little fun. He observantly says, but you're ready for a relationship. Well duh kiddo, I've been in an emotional cocoon for the last year. I'm ready to play.

I assure him *fingers crossed* I'm just looking for a good time. I enjoy(ed) his company, the few smooches I got, and having someone to play with during the week. I am NOT however, wanting or expecting a relationship from him.

In all honesty, I couldn't care less. I am having a blast with friends in the ward. Last night we had a Pi Party. It was 3/14 and that's the rounded off number associated with pi [think back to alegra and all that math stuff you've completely repressed because it was so horrifying]. So we had pies and played games. I laughed until I cried about this video and bonded with some great people.

Juan can jump off a bridge if he's going to be a putz.

PS - the Thursday date went fairly well. He is probably the most generous guy I've ever gone out with. It's a bit ridiculous really. I don't want to tell you what he just bought me. All good things; up, down, and around. Who can name that movie?