About a month ago, I was chatting with a 19 year old who was loved art and had taken a liking to my photography work. We lost contact, but thanks to the wonderful Facebook we got in touch again and he put it:
strangely enough, I missed you…
He sent me photos of himself lying in bed, supposedly thinking of me and wishing he was by my side. Once, he requested to sleep over at my place and just hang out. I didn’t say anything to prompt it, he just asked. Of course I declined, I am afraid to get involved with another 19 year old after the last one.
A week later, he asked if he could help me on a big photoshoot I had scheduled. I accepted, knowing very well that I would need all the help I could get. He asked if he could sleepover so didn’t need to take an early bus. I declined yet again.
The morning of the shoot, he wakes me up at 5:00 am and says he’s in town and would like to come over. I don’t know if it was my fatigue or my caring condition that let him in. Seeing as how I was still sleepy and only had 3 hours before the shoot began, I went back to bed. He slept in the bed alongside me.
Fully clothed, we laid beside each other. Conversation and genuinely cute moments eventually led to us cuddling. Then, one thing led to another and we wound up getting sexual.
Afterwards, we made our way to the photoshoot. He was not only an excellent assistant, but he conducted himself very responsibly.
Five hours later, we went back to my apartment and took a long nap together. We watched movies and enjoyed a pizza together and enjoyed doing nothing really. It was very refreshing to have his company. He makes me laugh and he shows genuine appreciation for the things I create. The way his mind works also fascinates me.
There are a couple things preventing me from taking him too seriously:
His age is a big red flag. I don’t like being labeled a cradle-robber or, worse, a cougar (or Cougay) for dating someone 10 years younger than me. Our minds meet in the middle, so it’s something I’m willing to put up with. It’s just that age brings with it experience and understanding.
The other red flag is that he just got out of a relationship (3 weeks ago) and I don’t like the idea of being someone’s rebound.
The final red flag is that his military family is relocating in August, forcing him to move as well. He really wants to stay in Hawaii and is taking the effort to find an apartment, even asking to live with me. I declined him, so that means he might be moved back to Mississippi, ending the potential for a relationship.
As of this post, he has asked me on an official date. I know I should just enjoy whatever happens. I need to remember that during my stubborn moments.
