Where did all this optimism come from?
I really shouldn't be surprised. I've always been hopeless romantic (another serving of irony, please). Right, well enough skirting around the issue - this is just a draft anyways.

I met this girl last Wednesday night. It really wasn't much at first - I was eating dinner at a table by myself after some people (assholes - for other reasons) had left and she sat with me instead of with her other friends. A kind gesture, those like it I'm sure she's constantly making. We met, I met her friend Tom (also a nice guy) and I promptly forgot her name. She was the first girl I noticed when I walked in to the gym - perhaps even then we shared something or other. We finished dinner and I left to help out with the field setup. She asked if I needed help with anything while I was vacuuming the carpet. Nothing special, just another moment that she let me know that she wanted to be talkative and friendly. Before I left, she told me that she'd give me a hug but didn't want to scare me away - why I didn't give her a hug at this point is beyond me and only managed to confuse her over the course of the next two days, surely. I walked to the train station confidently - I could meet nice people still.
The next day I saw little of her during my 8 hour stay at Drexel - she was busy doing her thing and I mine. We ate lunch together and that was about it. It was a day.
Friday was pretty crappy for me. I hadn't had enough sleep to deal with the leaders and assholes I was to encounter and my social ability was not up to par as a result. At the end of the day I managed a hug to try and convince her of my intentions of being a friend. I managed to ruin my night by not going to the team social and having another two hours to hang out with her. I felt like I had close to ruined any chance of befriending her and I had a choice. I was underslept and not enjoying my job there - I could go back on Saturday of my own accord like I told her I would be or I could not go and let her fade in to my past since she had no way to contact me. I assure you, I thought seriously of not going back. Eventually, I decided to sleep in a little and come in later. Little did I know it would be the best day I'd have in a while. I got there around 12 and after finding her having lunch, I scurried off to get something of my own and wait for her to approach me or for a better time to approach her myself. Shortly after, she found Tom and I and we chatted about how she had nothing to do that day. I also found out that she has a boyfriend. For the rest of the day, we worked together and talked and general stuff and she acted... interested in me. I tried as I could to return the sentiment. I'm interested in dating first and friends after I've gotten to know you in most cases and so this kindof struck me as strange. Surely she couldn't have been interested in me in more than a friendly way - she was giving me that vibe though... She was kind enough to offer me a ride home even. As per the ride home - she does like to talk... I'll give her that.

But she's brilliant and cute and seems to be interested in me. Who can argue?

The day left me with a gender changer, a half used train ticket and a promise that I'd hear from her. I figured not that day since she had less sleep than I, surely. Perhaps the day after if she got to school early - this turned out to be false. Most likely Monday.
And Monday it was when I got my first email from her. She wanted to keep in contact - enough that she found my AIM address on my website as well. And we'll talk - it'll be a little awkward because we don't really know what we're doing talking to each other. I'm a college dropout (as Sean so kindly put it the other day) and she's a brilliant linguist who loves her college and has a boyfriend. Perhaps she's dealing with some interesting feelings right now. I know I am.