#mare winningham

Tia Maria Torres of Pit Bulls & Parolees posted on facebook:

MY FIRST HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH - VAL KILMER

We went to the same high school - Chatsworth High, Chatsworth, CA. I used to swoon over him when he came into drama class. But he had his heart set on Mare Winningham (she also went on to become a well-known actor). So, I had to settle for a crush from afar.

We lived across the street from each other. My family actually rented a house his father owned. So, after school, I would hide in bushes from the top of our hill and look down on him as he rode around on his skateboard or bike. He was a part of the cool kids crowd. I wasn't. So my adoration went unnoticed. But then again, I was not about to tell him either.

I was a hardcore tomboy/cowgirl, so I guess you could say I wasn't his type. He and Mare took drama class seriously. I was only there to fill in a spot to meet my schedule quota. But that didn't stop me from buying "Val Surf" t-shirts and pretending like I was wearing his name over my heart. I always made sure to buy the shirts that actually said VAL SURF on them rather than simply purchasing the brand.

He never knew how much I "loved" him. I was a shy and awkward teenager who wore smelly cowboy boots to school. But now that he's gone from this life, maybe there will be a day when I catch up to him to finally say, "You were my first high school love. Come to think of it...maybe you still are."

Val, you will always be my huckleberry.

St. Elmo's Fire Joel Schumacher. 1984

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Miracle Mile (1989)