OP, it does not appear confusing at all. If you are asked whether you were arrested and/or convicted, you should answer in the affirmative because your response(s) would be true. (Why would you find your circumstances as you described them confusing?) The fact your arrest and conviction did not generate a great deal of paperwork, booking, incarceration or court proceeding does not erase the arrest or the conviction. It is entirely possible, if not indeed likely, the arrest and conviction would pop up in a background check.

With all due respect, it is now time for you, as an adult, to take steps to ameliorate this situation. To this end, you should consider exploring whether you can have this juvenile misdemeanor conviction expunged. If an employee or job applicant with an “applicable” criminal record can successfully have his record expunged under state law, then the state will remove reference of this criminal activity from court, police and motor vehicle records and files. Moreover, the effect of the expungement order allows the affected individual to “truthfully” deny the existence of the charge or conviction when seeking prospective employment.

For more general information on the expunging of criminal records and related issues, you may want to review the following article, "Is Your Criminal History Thwarting Your Job Search? How to Improve Your Employment Prospects," http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Your-Cr...cts&id=6691498