My High School Crush Kissed Me On A Bet To Humiliate Me. Now He Transferred To My College And Wants A Second Chance. Should I Give Him The Satisfaction Of A Response?

The Camping Trip

The next two weeks were intense. Nico texted me constantly: good morning messages and goodnight messages and random thoughts throughout the day. He asked me to study together, to grab coffee, to check out a new restaurant off campus. I responded to maybe one in every five texts, always friendly but never encouraging.

He started showing up at places he knew I’d be. I’d see him at the library during my usual study times, at the campus gym when I went for my morning run, at the student center between my classes. Leilani noticed immediately. She said he was clearly pursuing me hard and she was impressed by how I was handling it without being mean or leading him on.

The club we were both part of announced they were planning a weekend camping trip in the mountains. The president sent out a signup sheet during our Wednesday meeting. I added my name without thinking much about it. The next day, Nico texted asking if I was going on the trip. When I said yes, he said he just signed up too and suggested we could carpool together since we were going to the same place anyway. I texted back quickly that I was already riding with Leilani and some other friends. He sent back a thumbs up emoji but I could picture his face, the disappointment he was trying to hide.

The camping trip was the second weekend of October. Leilani and I drove up with two other girls from the club, our car packed with sleeping bags and coolers and camping chairs. The campsite was beautiful, surrounded by tall pine trees with a clear stream running nearby. About 20 people from the club came on the trip.

We spent Friday afternoon setting up tents and gathering firewood. Nico tried to partner with me for everything. When we were setting up the cooking area, he appeared next to me asking if I needed help arranging the camp stoves. When the group split up to gather firewood, he tried to join my team. Each time, I smiled and included other people in whatever we were doing, turning every interaction into a group activity rather than giving him the private time he clearly wanted.

Saturday we went on a long hike up to a waterfall. Nico positioned himself right behind me on the trail, trying to start conversations about the scenery and our classes and random memories from high school. I kept turning to talk to the people around us, asking questions and making jokes that included everyone.

Rocco was also on the trip. I’d been happy to see him when we arrived at the campsite Friday night. We’d been texting less frequently the past few weeks because he had midterms, but seeing him again reminded me why I enjoyed his company. He was easy to be around, no games or hidden agendas. During the hike I made sure to spend visible time with him, laughing at his stories and walking next to him when the trail widened enough for two people side by side. I saw Nico watching us from behind.

Truth or Dare

That night we built a big campfire and everyone gathered around it. Someone brought marshmallows and chocolate and graham crackers for s’mores. The flames cast moving shadows across everyone’s faces. We sat on logs and camping chairs arranged in a circle around the fire. Nico made sure to sit directly across from me where he could maintain eye contact.

Around 9 someone suggested playing truth or dare. A few people groaned but most seemed into it. Nico perked up immediately, sitting forward in his chair. The game started silly with people getting dared to do ridiculous things like hop on one foot around the campfire or sing the alphabet backwards.

When it was Nico’s turn, he chose truth. Someone asked if he had a crush on anyone here at the campsite. The energy around the fire shifted. People glanced at each other, suddenly more interested. Nico looked directly at me and said:

“Yes. He was interested in someone but he wasn’t sure if she felt the same way.”

Everyone’s eyes moved between us. The tension was obvious. Leilani raised her eyebrows at me from across the fire. I kept my expression completely neutral and took a sip of my hot chocolate. The game continued but the mood had changed. People kept sneaking looks at me and Nico.

After about 20 minutes I got up and said I was going to get more water. I walked over to the coolers we’d set up near the cars, away from the firelight. The night was cold and clear, stars visible in the sky above the trees. I was digging through the ice in the cooler when I heard footsteps behind me. Nico’s voice said my name quietly.

I turned around and he was standing a few feet away, hands in his jacket pockets. He said he was talking about me during the game. I’d figured that much. He stepped closer and said he knew we had history but he’d really fallen for who I was now. He said he’d love a chance to take me on a real date, to see if we could be something more than just people who used to know each other in high school. His voice was sincere and his eyes were hopeful.

I closed the cooler and stood up straight. I thanked him for being honest and told him I needed time to think about it. I kept my expression neutral, not encouraging but not cruel either. He nodded and said he understood, that he’d wait for my answer. We walked back to the campfire separately, him going first and me following a minute later.

Decisions and Discoveries

The week after the camping trip I went to class, studied at the library, met up with friends for coffee, and did all my normal activities without thinking too much about what Nico had asked me.

My phone buzzed Tuesday afternoon while I was reviewing notes for my psychology midterm. It was him asking if I’d had time to think about going on a date. I waited three hours before responding that I’d been swamped with midterms and barely had time to breathe. It was true but it was also convenient.

Wednesday evening Leilani came back to our apartment after her shift at the campus bookstore and found me sitting on the couch with my laptop open to a study guide I wasn’t actually reading. She dropped her bag by the door and asked what was going on with me. I told her I didn’t know what to do about Nico. She sat down next to me and asked what I was leaning toward. I admitted part of me wanted to sit down with him and have a real conversation about what happened, get some kind of closure or understanding. But another part of me thought the best response was just continuing to live my life and letting the whole thing fade away naturally.

She nodded and said both options made sense, but I needed to figure out which one would actually make me feel better versus which one I thought I was supposed to do.