I kind of feel like he's the "one" and I constantly want to say "ILY" but I don't?!

[elisee8d]

First things first - I'm not even sure if that's possible to know if someone is the "one" without loving them, or if you can tell this soon, or what in the world is going on. I know this is long, but I don't really know where else to get advice on this, so here goes...

 

I have a new boyfriend of a little over a month. I've known him for a couple of years - we met in high school, never hung out until now, but had classes together and talked constantly. We both liked each other back then which we just expressed to each other recently (we both had significant others so the timing wasn't right, or we lost touch.) I ran into him a while ago and we started talking again, I vented to him about the break up, then I pushed him away (started getting the sense he liked me, but I was working on myself after a break up, was healing and didn't wanna rebound onto someone... he seemed like he wanted to see me so badly and that freaked me out, so I stopped talking to him. I felt smothered and didn't really want the clingy type of attention while dealing with that - it's been 6 months since the break up now, my ex was my first serious relationship, lasted 2 years, however I don't feel that this is a rebound at all.)

 

Once we started talking again, we made plans to hang out, and I guess fell right back into liking each other. Now that we're dating, things with him seem just too good to be true. He's everything I want in a guy - he's the only person who's quirks I don't tolerate but actually like, who I genuinely have fun with, who is able to give me butterflies which I haven't felt in such a long time, and who can cheer me up no matter what. We're so comfortable around each other already, and agreed that it feels like we've been dating forever when it hasn't been long at all. The first time we hung out (besides briefly running into each other a few times in-between the past few months and high school..) I realized exactly why I liked him so much back then, he was still the same, and so am I when I'm with him. I can 110% be myself, and could from the start and I can't say that about any other guy I've been with when we first start talking. The next few times we hung out, I started getting that feeling of just "knowing" I was supposed to be with him. Like how they say you "just know" when you meet the "one..." that's how I feel, and now this is freaking me out.

 

Also, I know I'm young (20) but I almost feel like I've learned all my lessons - of course there will be more to come, but I feel like I'm so sure of myself and what I want out of my life already, and I know it has a lot to do with what I've been through and people I've been with who have taught me about myself. For the first time ever, I'm totally happy with my life and myself and I know I'd be completely content without a boyfriend... I was before he came along. I don't depend on him for my happiness like I have in the past with other guys. The timing now just feels perfect for us.

 

Anyway, onto my question...

I feel like saying "I love you" to him CONSTANTLY. I was leaving his house today and almost said it, we were cuddling and I almost said it, I'll be cracking up, in tears laughing over something he said, and I'll wanna stop to take a breath and say it. I have to practically bite my tongue to stop the words from coming out of my mouth.

The thing is though... I don't think I do? I feel like I couldn't possibly know enough about him to love him. It took me about 8 months with my ex to realize/say that I loved him. I know I like him a lot and I'm definitely the happiest I've ever been with a guy and just with life in general, but WHY am I feeling such an urge to say it to him?! Could it maybe because I was so used to saying that when I was happy for the past two years to my ex? And what do you guys think about all these weird "knowing" feelings? Am I being silly or is there actually something behind all that? Never really felt either of these things before, I could see a future with my ex when I was with him, but never felt this way with him until after a year and a half of dating.

 

All opinions welcome, I feel too corny talking about this to anyone in my life