The secret place ended up being not very secret. Just a tree in the front of the school. But I guess it was secret if you made it. We sat and I began playing with the grass.

“So,” I said, “Where do we start?”

“Let’s start with your shirt. Bright Eyes. You like Conor Oberst?”

“What makes you think I like Conor Oberst, and not the whole band?”

“Because Conor Oberst basically is the band. I mean, there are other members”

“but they are constantly changing.” I finished, smiling.

It went on. We talked about bands and music for a while. I was surprised at how alike our taste in music was. He seemed surprised I’d heard of so many of these bands.

We went on to talk about other things; movies, books, art (he didn’t know much about), politics (yes- you read right. he basically ranted about how corrupt it all was), and ideas, our views and beliefs. It was the longest I’d gone actually talking to a boy I liked. And it was also the most I’d gotten to know one.

And I found I liked him, a lot.