The Boyfriend List

Ravi Patel

It was all so sudden.  I was in fifth period chem lab when he walked in.  You see, I was having a particularly rough day, and couldn’t help but ask myself if all of my choices that had led me to this place were the right ones… and like a breath of fresh hair, Ravi and his wild untamed locks were all I could think about.  All it took was one bat of my lashes, and he was hooked.

And honestly so was I.

It was pure divine bliss being partnered with him.  I convinced my teacher and my former lab partner that it was best if we worked together because he needed the help and I was taking all AP classes.  He was only in the room because he was a late semester transfer that needed a science credit and there were no other classes available.

Points from the universe to me.

Rank 7/8

Good looking: 10/10

Charming: 10/10

Dresser: 10/10

Musician:107/10

Smart: 10/10

Nice car:  10/10

Kind and Generous: 10/10 

Celebrity: 0/10

Everything about him was enticing! I loved his deep skin and the way his chocolate brown eyes would look into mine… He was the most intelligent person that I had ever encountered.  I no longer needed to help him because he surpassed me! I was in shock. I was in love. He was everything I ever wanted.

And then he broke up with me.

To be fair, he had never really asked me to be his girlfriend—but I, like everyone else, had assumed we were a thing because HELLO we spent every waking minute together—and I had never introduced him to anyone as my boyfriend.  And you know what he had the audacity to tell me??

HE SAID THAT I WAS TOO VAIN!

ME!

HE SAID THAT I NEEDE TO WORK ON MY PERSONAL LIFE AND THAT HE NEEDED A BREAK FROM MY TOXICITY! I kid you not. I mean, I thought we were probably going to be together forever because the universe had placed us together! He was the closest thing to perfect on my list…

He was the last boy I dated in high school, and to be honest I never think I truly got over him. His words of correction are wounds that stay with me. I have tried diligently every day to become a less toxic person… and it’s hard. Like when I saw Justine Michael’s wear the same pants two days in a row, I actually complimented her instead of my usual degradation spiel that I had reserved for people like her that took no thought to personal hygiene.

That took a lot.

And like when I noticed that Henry Kline had incorrectly fused the catalyst on the board with the carbon and oxygen formula, I didn’t call him out in front of the entire class. I let Mr. Hardwick address him. It took everything in me to not blurt it out like I normally would have. Things like that KILL me.

I hoped Ravi would notice. I wanted him to see how much growth had taken place, but he wouldn’t even look at me. He started dating Priya Burman about a month after we parted ways. He even switched lab partners with me again, much to Mr. Hardwick’s chagrin.

I thought I would be done with him. I thought I would never see him again after we graduated. But lo and behold, the first day of Advanced Chem 1 at Harveston Applied Science College, there he was. In the front row. His gorgeous dark locks slicked back to make him look like Clark Kent. I tried not to stare. I tried not to let him know that I was nervous that he was in here.

You see, that summer I had worked long and hard on the image that I wanted to project. I had devised a plan to become more a humanitarian through various efforts that included but were not limited to:

1.       Volunteering.

2.       Babysitting.

3.       Joining the city Junior Leagues.

4.       Accompanying every parade that came through that supported environmental science.

I had made it into the paper and had a spotlight in the daily news about the different efforts the Junior League was trying to accomplish our first year together with me as their leader.

Of course, I was shoe-in for the elections. Everyone loves me. I have a natural leadership skill set that never ceases to amaze me.

But Ravi didn’t even mention those things to me when he saw me. He simply nodded and turned back to the front of the classroom. I thought my heart was going to break in two. I was so lost in my misery spiral that I barely felt the tap on my shoulder that jerked me back to the table I was occupying.

“Excuse me, miss? Is there anyone sitting here?”

My eyes were bulging out of my head. Chase Tyler was standing beside me, a backpack slung across his shoulder like a casual commuter.

“U-uhm! N-no! I’m single!” I blurted.

He laughed as he sat, his books plopping to the hard black surface. “I just meant the chair, but OK.”

Perfect. I screwed up my smile to its megawatt setting. “I’m Eloise Thompson.” I stuck my hand out for him to shake it.

“Chase Tyler.” He clasped my hand. A thrill of shock cascaded my nerves as he pulled away.

Chase Tyler. I couldn’t believe my good luck. He was the singer and forefront musician for the group Blank Paper. They were cutting edge, and so hott. He was everything a young hot musician should be. Whipping out my notebook where I kept my most dangerous thoughts and observations, I looked up his name in my makeshift file-a-dex.

Chase Tyler

Rank: 8/8!!!

Good Looking: 10/10 (He had a face chiseled by Michelangelo)

Charming: 10/10  (In every interview I’d seen he’d make the hosts smile)

Dresser: 10/10 (Obviously, he only wore the best of everything)

Musician: 10/10 (He played anything he wanted to!)

Smart: 10/10 (I read an article once about how he was part of Peace Core for a year before traveling full-time with his band.)

Nice Car: 10/10 (Since he owned any car he wanted)

Kind & Generous: 10/10 (He was listed in the Top Ten list for Most Giving Celeb three years in a row!)

Celebrity: 10/10 (I know a girl that got his face tattooed on her thigh. He’s big time.)

 “What’s that?” He asked, peering over my shoulder.

Snapping the booklet closed, I twisted to face him. “Oh, nothing.” I batted my lashes, hoping that he’d smile at me.

He did.

I was about to open my mouth to say something beautiful and witty and land my full spectrum of charms on him when the classroom door opened, and in walked out professor.

“Welcome to Chem 1. I’m Dr. Horovitz and will be your instructor this term. I do not tolerate chit chat and will not consider changing already graded papers.” I heard a few mumbles from the people around me. I wasn’t worried. I’d never made anything below an A in my life. This would be a breeze.

“Make note that the person you’re sitting beside is also your lab partner.  No, I will not switch or reconsider this. If you’re unhappy with this outcome, drop out now. We are separating the wheat from the chaff, ladies and gentlemen.”

I couldn’t help the ring of gratitude that came to a full swell around my heart. Who needed Ravi Patel when Chase Tyler was right in front of me?

I shot Chase a look, hoping he knew how fortunate he was to be with me.  Little did he know he was about to fall in love with me.