Way back in seventh grade, there was a new trombone player in band who I thought was a bit loud/obnoxious. We became friends after a few weeks since we had several other classes together, and we landed at the same lunch table. Turns out, he is actually really nice, just a bit of a jokster if there is a crowd. Fast forward to 9th grade and we are talking on the phone a lot. We both admit to having a crush, and he finally tells me he is crushing on a French Horn player (which basically has to be me). I immediately ask him on a date, and he says no. At this point, I am angry. We both know we like each other, but he's giving me the "I don't want to ruin our friendship" business. Over Christmas break, I tell him to go out with me once. I suggest having our parents drop us off for dinner and a movie, and he agrees. We go see Seven Pounds and get fake Mexican food, and we both have a great time. That night, he shocks me by asking me to be his girlfriend :) Turns out, he lives right down the road from me, and we date for a long time. By the end of high school we are both in the same band, choir, show choir, church youth group, and clubs at school. We work at the same place. We drive to all of these things together. College is a bit tricky; we are in different places for the first time and no longer have much in common. I am at a private school studying engineering, and he's at a state school studying education. We work it out, and really enjoy texting, skyping, talking on the phone, and seeing each other when we can. I guess this story maybe doesn't have the ending you were looking for..... We last until junior year. He decides he wants to live where we grew up forever and I want to go, well, wherever I land. We are still best friends though. He is a teacher and I am still looking for my first engineering job. We talk often about anything: debt, food, life, old friends, musicals, shoes, etc. He's loving the single life, and I am living with a new boyfriend that I met senior year of college. But, my ex and I lasted from freshman year in high school to junior year in college. Honestly, we could have stayed together and made it work, but neither of us were wanting to give up a couple things we wanted in the future.