Forbidden Fruit - UPDATED

I managed to get myself involved with something, rather, someone, that I shouldn't have.

I met this girl a couple of months ago and quite honestly, didn't even think about trying to date her, hook up with her or anything. For one, things had just ended with Amy and I wasn't sure if I'd made the right decision on that front. Going further, this girl just struck me as someone that I could become good friends with. I didn't want to risk ruining a friendship like I'd done so many times before, but it was especially important with this one given where I met her. TOYOTA PARK.

You know how it goes, a couple of weeks of emailing, running into her at Chicago Fire games, the occassional quick bite to eat, and I was hooked. Well, as hooked as I can be. True confession: I clearly have a hard time staying hooked for very long over the past several years. I know this.

Time went on and we continued to hang out once in awhile, though not seriously. Hutch can attest to my repeat annoyance over the situation and whether it has any potential. The first time she even met Hutch, she went on and on about how different she and I were and that it couldn't possibly be going anywhere.

To be honest, when the whole thing started, I just saw it as a challenge. A new girl walks into your life. She makes it clear within the first couple of days of conversation that you aren't her type without ever even saying so much. She's cute. You like immediately have to prove otherwise. Right? Maybe it's just me, but I love proving to people that they are wrong about me.

Well, after hearing how she felt, that we would never last because we were so different, I decided to slowly back away to protect myself. No sense getting involved with someone who doesn't see a future there. But as I was pulling away, she got upset and let me know how much she really cared about me. Now what am I to do?

The thing of it is, she's right. We are different. She is coffee, sushi and a music fesitval. I am heavy beer, a bacon cheeseburger and a football game. She's artsy, whimsical and creative. I'm loud, analytical and brash. She doesn't like it that I don't ever feel like I need help, that I can be emotionless at times when I'm in a bad mood and that I don't like sympathy. I don't like that I can't get her to watch a Buckeyes game, that she doesn't like it when I cut my hair real short or that she isn't a preppy little j crew girl.

The bottom line is this; the more we hang out, the more I like her. The more we're apart, the more I wish she was with me. She plays soccer. She's cute. She's fun. She doesn't put up with my bullshit. She's smart. She has good taste in music and movies. She eats steak and potatoes. She can cook. She's very organized. She's a good midwestern girl.

All I know is that I have a good time when I see her, that everyone tells me I shouldn't do it, and that I feel like there is something that she's not telling me.

As it turns out, there was something that she wasn't telling me. Kinda wish I had waited on posting this for about 8 hours. Oh well. Game over. Live and learn.