Dave Myers is the TarheelinNashville

At the young age of barely fourteen, I began my High School career at Scotland High School in my hometown of Laurinburg, North Carolina. I was far from popular in middle school, so the change of environment was both nerve racking as well as exhilarating. My cousin Randy drove me to school my first day. I was scared and excited to begin this new chapter in my life.

My homeroom class was pretty laid back. I guess everyone else was thinking the same thing I was. People were looking around for familiar faces, but they were few and far between. There were five (I think) Middle Schools in Scotland County, but only ONE High School. So the majority of us didn’t know each other.

“A Fresh Start” I said to myself over and over all summer long leading up to the first day of school.

I wanted to make new friends. Try to move up the popularity chain. MAYBE even get a girlfriend!! Let’s just say my luck with the ladies at Sycamore Lane Middle School was a bit disappointing to say the least. While other guys and girls were playing spin the bottle and attending ever popular middle school socials, I spent the majority of my days in my room listening to records and playing my guitar. When I wasn’t doing that, I was playing Nintendo with my best friend David ‘Tater’ Turner – A Great American. But outside of Tater, I didn’t have much of a social circle.

“THAT was going to change this year” I thought to myself as I walked down the narrow, crowded halls. I remember all of the older kids looking so much bigger than I. I was barely 5′5 and weighed all of 110 lbs back then. I was still at the age when I thought I might still have a chance for a growth spurt, the disappointment didn’t set in until a few years later( By the time I hit 25, I finally gave up hope). The kids were bigger and older, but I wasn’t going to let that bring me down. It was my first day in a brand new school. HIGH SCHOOL!! “A FRESH START”.

My first class was my Physical Science class. Mr. Hedgepeth was a bit nerdy to say the least. He wore high water khaki pants with coffee stains on them, a short sleeve plaid shirt with a pocket protector, and he had glass with lenses thicker than I (or most anyone else) had ever seen. I was put at ease when I first walked in the class and saw him.

“At least I won’t be the nerdiest one in the room” I though to myself.

My assigned seat was in the 2nd row of seats, 2nd seat back. I was seated between two very pretty girls that made me feel shy and weird immediately. Not because they were mean or stuck up. Pretty girls just brought that out in me at that age. Beside me was a guy who I could tell was popular just by the clothes he was wearing and the way the girls acted around him.. I felt my popularity meter going doing down drastically with every second that went by. It felt like old times!!

Then as I glanced around the room, I saw something that would change my life forever.

Well, not really someTHING, but someONE.

She had long blond hair, with a dark tan. She wore tight acid washed jeans(it was the end of the 80’s, btw) that just fit her perfectly. It was late august, but she came to school in a light brown leather jacket. When she removed the jacket, she revealed a plain white T-shirt that brought to my attention that I was not in Middle School anymore. Her lips were full and red, her eyes were light.

She sat in the 9th seat back on the 14th row. She would become more than just a freshman crush. More than just a High School crush. At that moment, she set the mark for everything beautiful I would see for many years to come. She would become my primary participant in many daydreams to come, as well as my minor obsession. On top of that, she would teach me one of my greatest life lessons…..

Love Y’all
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