US: The Prologue



A note to all the non-commentors who voted yesterday,
can I just say:


You all are really cute.

Apparently, people get a kick out of love stories,
(including myself)
and so now I'm sticking to my promise 
and figuring out how to articulate 
what is actually a rather complex story 
into four blog posts. 

And the easiest way to do this is, of course, 
to give you some background
on the two main characters of this story.


Are you ready for this?
Like, are you sitting on a train...
on the couch with a cup of tea...


Because this is a bit longer than my normal post length.

Fall of 2002

Tyler is a sophomore in college. 

After starting his college career off to the tune of
fraternity life & skipping class for PS2 (gross),
his parent's made him transfer into a smaller, local school...
where he lived at home, worked at a the nearby Home Depot,
and slowly began to wish away his college years.

Far away in another state,
Lauren is a college freshman at this point-
and her life could not be more different than Tyler's.

It's her first fall in college,
and she is busting at the seams.

She is making so many friends, 
getting to wear real clothes to class instead of uniforms,
connecting with great professors & administrators...
and for the first time in her life- 
boys are noticing her!

With this new found "talent,"
Lauren quite quickly scales up her previous kissing record 
of, ahem, one to a rather fun total of six boys by April...

Including one hilarious of make-out with a guy (Number 5)
surrounded by her friends, 
who were sleeping next to & around her
while at an acquaintance's house.






It could be said by an observer, 
that Lauren was soaking up all the fun she could on campus
before she left to study in Italy next year...
but also in the way every parent hopes for their child.

(She's incredibly innocent, naive, & prude.)


Christmas 2003

Tyler goes to visit his relatives for Christmas...
who happen to live across the street from the college Lauren attends.

His cousin is currently a freshman there at the same college,
and over the course of the weekend-
his cousins sell this college to him as a good place to finish school.

Tyler, being beat down with life, decides to give it a try.

He goes over to the school, fills out paperwork, enrolls, 
and decides that regardless of how this move ends up....
nothing could be worse than what he is doing now.

He also gets a Boxer puppy out of this decision from his parents,
which his sisters name Leia.

Meanwhile in Dallas, Lauren is packing up a giant suitcase
with Juicy Couture sweats, a Baby G watch, 
& a rainbow of solid tee's from GAP
to leave for the adventures that await her in Italy.

While she expects this time to be an adventure of a lifetime,
neither could she have guessed what actually is in store for her.

Lauren also makes out with a guy who is 2 inches shorter 
than her (Number 7) over the break.


Spring 2004

Tyler packs his F-150, 
sits his new puppy on the front seat,
and drives out of his drive way to start over.

He has an awesome job set up for him on-campus,
and he even has a free room to stay in at his Aunt & Uncles 
in the house across the street from the school...

 The same room, in fact, which Lauren had kissed #5 in just a few months earlier.

Upon arrival to campus,
Tyler quickly finds himself hanging out with the "cool crowd."

And to be honest, the girls love him.

He is nice, he's smart, he's got a backbone...
and with all the attention he receives,
Tyler soon decides that this might not have been a bad decision.


Lauren has no sooner touched down in Italy and drank her first cappuccino
than meets an (older) American boy who just moved to Italy.

She decides this is a great way to experience Italy-
getting to travel all over Italy
and fulfilling a dream of 
a Meg Ryan-induced romance in a European setting.

(Yes, I was ridiculous. I was 19.)

This semester in Italy ignites something in Lauren.

She loves living overseas, loves learning a new language,
loves the food, loves to go out with friends,
and loves having a boyfriend for all the romantic moments 
that she would have otherwise moaned to her friend:
"Man, I really wish I had a boyfriend right now."

Dates along the Arno river,
kissing on a bridge,
talking in cafes...
it was all perfect.

So perfect in fact, 
that it covered up all the awkward incompatibility
that would have been revealed
if they had met in a real-life setting.

At the end of the semester,
Lauren is heartbroken to leave Italy
and all the fun she has had there.



Her new boy-toy is heartbroken for her to leave.

They decide to keep this thing going...
which keeps her time in Italy alive
& allows her (non-confrontational) self
the option of avoiding a break-up & hurting feelings.

Va bene.


.... And I'll stop it here for now....


So what do you think...
should I keep going?


31 comments:

  1. You better keep going! If not I will hunt you down myself! (Which will mean I will have to go back to London so really it will be a win win for me.)

    Keep going!

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  2. Yes! Keep going! This is such a fun story!!!

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  3. love all your little inserts about making out randomly! Yes please continue I love hearing stories/living semi vicariously considering I am leading the single life!
    xx emily

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  4. So glad this is going to be more than 1 post :) .... can't stop now!

    http://itsthelittlethingsblog.blogspot.com/

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  5. I love this! Can't wait to read more :) Your writing style is so beautiful, and captivating. So happy to be reading! xoxo, eliza http://asteroid-325.blogspot.com/

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  6. Of course, keep going! Can't wait to read the rest!

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  7. I'm hooked. Def keep going!!!! I love LOVE stories!!! :)

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  8. I love hearing love stories...can't wait to see how your lives intertwine!

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  9. Oh my yes! LOVE! Sounds like a story right out of one of those wonderful Gilmore Girls-esque adventures.

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  10. Yes! You've left us with so much anticipation!

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  11. Keep going! Your description of yourself in college reminds me of my own college experience. I had the wardrobe of "a rainbow of solid tee's from GAP" as well!

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  12. oh you KNOW its a good love story when the first installment doesn't even have Romeo and Juliet meeting.

    love it. cant wait for next

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  13. Not fair...just when it was getting good...keep going please!!

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  14. Adorable. Can't WAIT for the Part II!!!!!

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  15. More more more!! Especially the kissing...love it lol

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  16. U have to keep going, please don't just leave us hanging! LOL

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  17. More!!! If only for the AWESOME photos. And I only say that because we all have such great photos.

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  18. Yes yes yes! Please keep going. This is like the Pioneer Woman/Marlboro Man romance all over again!

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  19. Lauren, This is bringing back so many memories. Does Tyler still hate me because I squealed about seeing him at the tanning salon? Whoops. I just spilled the beans again on the internet...

    It's really fun reading your love story. Well, it's fun reading about your life in general. I'm happy things are goings so well for you two.

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  20. Love, love, love - the anticipation is killing me! Please keep going!

    xoxo
    Jenna

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  21. Yes... I want to hear more! I am laughing out loud at your college kissing memories. You are so funny and charming. LOVE this series!! xo

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