"I Swear, We are Best Friends!"

I find myself making the statement "we are just friends" at least twice a week. As most of you probably know, I am referring to myself and Jerrel. For some reason, people in Eufaula find it impossible to believe that a girl and a guy can be friends without having added benefits or dating. If there is one boy that I can assure you I have never looked at as more than my best friend, it is Jerrel.
Jerrel and I first became friends during high school- back when he was the skinny, scrawny quarterback at Eufaula High School. Over the years, our friendship has grown a lot. We have been friends through much excitement and much disappointment. While Jerrel was in high school, we celebrated the fact that he led the Eufaula Tigers to the 2006 Class 5A State Championship, and we cried when Athens took home the blue map. One of the best stories involving the idea of Jerrel and me being in a relationship was a situation I created during the playoffs that year.
Eufaula High was set to play Fairfield High School in the second round of the playoffs in Eufaula. Being that Mimi and I were in college and had nothing better to do, we decided we would stir the pot a little and scout the Fairfield team. Through a credible source, we found out that the team would be dining at Michelle's when they arrived in town. So, guess who was at Michelle's for lunch that afternoon as well? You guessed it- Mimi and me. To say that Mimi and I stood out a little in the restaurant was an understatement. Fairfield is an inner city Birmingham team that is majority African American, not to mention we were the only females in the room. We got a lot of attention from the players, much to their coaches' dismay. As I stood in line waiting to go to the bathroom, a couple of the players began asking me if I was going to cheer for Fairfield that night. Hello little high school boys, I am wearing a "Go Tigers" pin, no I am not cheering for you! But instead of pointing out the obvious, I replied, "I can't cheer for yall, my boyfriend plays for Eufaula High." As the conversation progressed, I told them that my boyfriend was #11 Jerrel Jernigan. By the time I got out of the bathroom, these boys were pointing me out to the coach exclaiming, "SHE DATES THE QUARTERBACK!" As I left the restaurant a few minutes later, these nice gentlemen from Fairfield High School assured me that my boyfriend would not have anything to say when they got done with him that night. This situation was the only time in my life I acted as though I dated Jerrel. It provided much entertainment for Mimi and me and a good bit of motivation for my Tigers. After all, it was my Tigers that got the last laugh. My "boyfriend" and his team put a good beat down on Fairfield that night, so he had plenty to say!
We are no longer two Eufaula High School students, rather we are adults. I am a college graduate, getting ready to embark on my law school journey. Jerrel is getting ready to begin his senior year at Troy and prepare himself for the NFL Draft. Since the days of high school football games, we have experienced the ups and downs of college life. We have faced tragedy together and a lot of triumph. I never understood that a girl and a guy could be such close friends without having feelings for each other until my friendship with Jerrel.
God has blessed me by sending such a wonderful friend my way. I can't wait to attend all the Troy football games this year and sit in my comfy chair (Thanks MOM)!!! After next year, it will be very strange for Jerrel to be a foreign city so far away. But, I am sure he will fly me out to visit; someone has to unpack his bags and decorate his house!
The underlying point of this blog is that a guy and a girl can just be friends. If you need evidence to back up this point, just look at Jerrel and me. Do not be surprised if you walk in Willy T's in Eufaula and see the two of us eating lunch together, we are not on a date, it's just a friend outing.