An Ode to Dead Batteries (or The Story of Me & Daddy)

I dropped out of high school at the end of my sophomore year, took a year off then dropped back in at a different high school. At my first high school, it was all about the friends, the clothes, the parties, being popular, not the academics. I didn't like the way I was being. I spent most of my "year off" taking placement tests to prove I wasn't stupid so I could get back into school. (My mother had 'given up' on me, she told me since I thought I was an adult I would have to do all that myself. And I did.) I got back into school, and I didn't make an effort to make friends. I didn't care what I was wearing, I was usually in sweat pants and a t-shirt. I ate lunch with my head buried in a book. I turned down invitations to parties and really never spoke. The majority of the people thought I was conceited, but there were a few who understood. One of them was this guy in my English class, let's call him D.J. He sat in front of me (I sat all the way in the back) and would turn around daily to ask me for pens, paper, answers...anything to get me to talk to him. He was funny, he made me laugh and I would come out of my shell long enough for us to strike up conversation during class. He started having lunch with me, he started waiting for me between classes, he started bringing me candy on a daily basis. (His parents owned a store.) One day I explained The Chocolate Orgasm to him, and from that day on he would bring me a candy bar. (Does anyone know what that is? If not, I will show you my geekiness and tell you some other time.) He never asked me out, he knew I had a boyfriend because I was sporting a diamond engagement ring on my finger, we were the greatest of friends. (Um, yeah I had a boyfriend since my freshman year who gave me a ring but I think it was more out of his own insecurity than out of love.) D.J would always tell me stories about his family, his sisters and brother and his crazy ass cousins. I always listened but these people would never have faces to me, they would just be names in a story. The next year, it was the same with D.J and me...and then I graduated. With Honors. He called me during the summer to tell me that he didn't know what the hell he was supposed to do the following year without me in class with him. (He was a year behind me.) I called him to tell him of my success at breaking up with my cheating boyfriend.
The summer I graduated I was eighteen, working like crazy so I could buy my own car and 'get away'. He came with me when I went to buy my car. Every night we would go out for hours, just driving and talking. (Gas was cheaper, we could do that.)
I started college, going into my shell again so I could focus. Weekends were my time to go out and have fun. I dated here and there but nothing serious. D.J and I would still talk, he told me of a girl he was wanting to date and I would give him tips on how to not be so shy and make his intentions known. The following summer I decided to work full time because the offer was just too good. There was one night that another friend of mine called asking me to go to the movies, and just as I was going to her house D.J called me to ask me something. To this day I can't remember what it was...but it required me going to where he was at one of his cousin's houses. I get there and there were a lot of people there, he told me they were thinking of having a BBQ, did I want to stay? "No, no I have plans, I'll come back later." Just as I was leaving someone started calling D.J's name and I saw someone coming towards my car. "Hey, Diana, this is my cousin, Daddy. Daddy, this is Diana." We nodded at eachother, he asked D.J a question and went back to the crowd.
I didn't even look at him twice. (Nice, huh?)
After the movies I noticed my headlights were flickering. I called D.J to ask him if he knew what that meant and he told me to go back to his cousin's house, he had a cousin who knew about cars and he would have him check it out.
It was Daddy. "Your battery is going, you should buy a new one."
"Thanks." And I went home. Or tried to, the car died before I got to my street. I call D.J frantic and tell him I was stuck on the side of the road and I didn't have jumper cables and hurry up and get here before I get killed! (You know, because young girls on the side of the road are the biggest target. Whatever, I was paranoid.)
D.J came with Daddy and a pair of jumper cables. They jumped my car and followed me home, by that time the battery was dead again. "Okay, it's the alternator." Daddy says. I gave him a blank look. D.J explained my knowledge in the car department, which consisted of starting it, driving it, and putting gas in it. D.J knew of a place near his job that rebuilds alternators, could go there, so plans were made to get my car towed there so they can fix it. As we are on our way, D.J's boss calls him in to work so Daddy is waiting with me while they check the car. "It'll be a couple of days," they say. Groan! I go home and mope.
After that drama Daddy started coming on our rides-going-no-where. Daddy started calling me to see how I was if I didn't come around D.J's house. Daddy started calling to say hi. One night D.J didn't come on our usual ride-to-no-where so Daddy and I hung out at a park and talked all night.
October 13th-I could never forget this date-D.J called and invited me to go with him to Daddy's house to watch movies. After work, I went home and showered and call D.J to ask his ETA to Daddy's house. "OH, I'm running late. I'll meet you there."
Okaaaaaaaaaaay.....
It was just me and Daddy, we saw Donny Darko and had pizza.
Something happened that night that neither of us could explain. By the time D.J got there, Daddy and I felt it was so obvious, this attraction...this inexplicable feeling...
The rest....is history.
Not your classic love story, but it's mine. Now, for those of you who promised yours...get started.

This is what I looked like my sophomore year of high school, pre-drop out: