Is it normal if i don't want to date someone cause of high school?

Really strangely enough, my old and actually first major crush and I have been talking a lot lately. I was crazy about him in the beginning that I was set. He didn't know it but it was set that I was going to marry him. I knew after HS, we would go our separate ways you know into college and life but that didn't stop me from believing us in the future. Throughout it all, just two small special things happened that meant a lot to me; he touched my shoulder in sucha gentle way and about three yrs later, he finally kissed me. But that was it. After Hs though, life happened and now its been a few years since and we're talking again, but just as acquaintances. However, its crazy to believe that me and him finally have a chance to pursue something real. Were more mature and free and talking to each other more often than I would have ever imagined. In a way, I was right back then. Life would happen and we would come into each other's lives again eventually. I would completely go for it except one thing: high school. You know high school sucks, and everyone knows each other, the drama, the nosiness, the tension, the public, everything I despise. I prefer privacy and something no one knows about or has a say about. My last bf was from college so coming back, all my old friends and everyone else didn't know anything of him so it was just me and him and I loved it. With my old crush, everyone knows us, there's no privacy. Of course, few years have passed by, but everyone always has something to say. I'm scared that if we were to date, stupid crap like that will get in the way and ruin it. If he was fresh and someone new, I'd go for it.