Graphic Nov: Summer Romance. PART 1

As I was showering this morning, I couldn't help but be reminded of my spicy summer romance. I've been wanting to do a graphic novel of this for months, but I didn't get the ambition until now. So here goes..... my summer love. (in?) Hyperbole and a half style. word.ed.out.

CHANGE OF TEXT COLOR TO DIFFERENTIATE INTRO AND ACTUAL STORY!!!

So I work at a Farmer's Market from June until October every year, right? I know each vendor like the back of my hand. {What they like, what ticks them off, what hand they write with, what they order from Vito, what bread they buy from bread boy, etc.} But never before had I seen one particular vendor until a hot day in August............

The Far-mar was over for the day, and Corn and I were walking back to her car to go home. And that's when I saw him, sitting on a tweedy blanket on a separated piece of grass from the rest of the vendors. I stopped.

He had a sketchbook in his lap, and was surrounded by these wonderful abstract paintings. I couldn't help but gawk from a distance, until I realized that I actually WAS gawking and he actually WAS looking up at me totally being a creep. So, in all actuality, his face looked like this the first time I saw him.

I vowed to Corrin I would go talk to him, and decided to make sure I looked super good before I went and talked to my future man-candy. Unfortunately, I had just spent 7 hours in the hot sun, and have one of the most unobservant sisters in the entire world.

After I got the OK from the sis, I approached the boy.

Me: You do these?

Boy: ......yeah... {HE'S SO SHY AND CUTE AND SHY AND CUUUUUTE!}

Me: They're awesome. You're really good! What did you use?

~~Me (in mind): You're doing great!!! Just keep it cool. Keep it cool. Don't say anything stupid. You like art? Yeah you do. He likes art? Well, obvs! Talk about art and act totally cool even though in the inside you are totally OMIGOSH HIS EEEEEEEEEEYYYYEEEEESSS!! THEY'RE SOOOOOOO PREEEEEEEEETTTTTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!

Boy: Acrylics, mostly.

Me: Really? You do a lot of abstract stuff?

Boy: .... {chuckles awkwardly}.....yeah....

{and this is where I totally lose it.}

Me: Wow. Can I marry you?

Boy: What?.....

~~Me (in mind) : LIBERTY BELL!! CAN YOU READ ME?? ABORT! ABORT! ABORT!

Me: {gesturing to sketchbook} So, what are you working on?

Boy: I'm drawing my dog for school.....

Me: What school do you go to? I mean.... you don't have to tell me.. unless you.. I'm not trying to pry...

I end the conversation as soon as I began it, and we give each other one last awkward chuckle before we depart.

I bowed my head in shame and walked away. I ruined the one chance I had been given with the lurpiest, most beautiful boy I had ever seen. Visions of his jaw structure haunted my dreams for nights to come. How could I have been so stupid? It baffled me. For weeks he didn't show up at the market, and I felt myself slowly eating my way into a mental depression, and only Vito's meatball sub could ease the pain of my own doing. I had failed.

Months passed. The summer wore on, and the boy still never showed. That is, until the last week of Farmer's Market, when I decided to make my move...... again.

{end of part 1. Stay tuned!!}

-Lexi