I was seventeen years old. My first ever flight where I had connections and I was flying across the United States to my freshman year of college. It was a red eye. I couldn't sleep on the plane. I was nervous out of my mind- and exhausted.
My last flight. My flight from Atlanta to Roanoke. I was on the smallest little plane. Two seats. In walks this short blonde girl. All I could think in my mind was: "Please don't talk to me. I'm tired. And I don't want to have to make conversation."
She sits down. I don't say a word.
She finally says something... and I hold my breath.
Tatiana: "Soo... why are you heading into Roanoke?"
Uri; "School."
Tatiana: "Oh that's nice. What school?"
Uri: "Southern Virginia University."
Tatiana: "Yeah, that's what I figured since you were wearing the BYU sweatshirt. So... do you like play any sports or anything?"
By this point in time I was SOO done. I wanted to try to sleep. I wanted to put my headphones and for this girl to just shut her mouth! But she didn't.... so I continuted:
Uri: "Yeah, I play on the women's soccer team" I finally decided to ask her something. "What about you?"
Tatiana: "I play on the womens team too!"
Oh crap. OH CRAP! This girl was on the team. This was a girl who was supposed to be my "family" and I was being so rude. Every answer that I ave was short and awful. OH crap. All I knew was that it was awwwwkward! And she was also a sophomore so she wasn't this dinky little freshman like me.
So... that pretty much ended our conversation. I put in my headphones and tried to sleep and I think she passed out against the headrest of her seat. We finally landed. I got my luggage and I waited for my shuttle to arrive to take me to SVU. I got a text letting me know that my shuttle was going to be late. So I picked a chair and I sat.
Well, guess what? That's right. Tatiana also was waiting for her ride. We waited for three hours. In silence. Complete silence.
I didn't say a word- and neither did she. We sat there. I would occasionally look over awkwardly... but I never said anything.
FINALLY her ride arrives (I'm pretty sure it was Alicia- one of my close friends now) and she speaks again. She says to me as she is leaving, "Here's my number in case you need anything". I took her number, I said thanks and I could now breathe a sigh of relief that she was gone. I could feel the awkwardness peeling away from me as she left and I noticeably accepted that my exchange with Tatiana was one of the most awkward of my life.
Now get this... I had to face her again. Every day for the next several months because were were on the same soccer team. And let me tell you this, She is a SUPER good soccer player.. and I am not the greatest so I often felt that we were on very different levels. So we never interacted. Also, Tat is one of the quietest people I know. And I am the loudest and most obnoxious so that was also a dividing factor.
Season comes to an end. Things aren't as awkward... but still we just cannot deal as normal people. Thanksgiving rolls around. We are both going to coaches for dinner and would be spending a lot of time together.
You might be worried that this time we would be spending together would be just as awkward as the past... but it wasn't! It was awesome! We hung out with coaches kids, we bonded over Grey's Anatomy, adorable children, and pie. So basically through all the awkward and awfulness-- Tatiana has become one of my closest and coolest friends!
Yeah, we made it through all the awkward. I embraced it... and made the most out of it. And now sometimes I just act awkward to remind Tat about that endearing part of our relationship.And even though it started off a little bit awful... I am glad to have gained an awesome but incredibly uncomfortable friend like Tat.
Love ya Tat!
