We first met in freshman year English class. I still had braces and I am pretty confident that Nick’s mom still picked out his clothes (he wouldn’t be caught dead in jean shorts now). Our goofy personalities made it easy for us to become fast friends and it didn’t hurt that I was always a reliable source to get the History notes from. Junior year rolled around (Nick only wore basketball shorts now and my jacked up teeth were as straight as could be) and it quickly became that time of year that people needed to decide whom they wanted to go to prom with. Being 16, most people were searching for that special someone that they could exit the friend-zone with and seal the deal as boyfriend and girlfriend to conquer senior year. So naturally, Nick asked someone else to prom. I patiently waited to be asked and selfishly hoped I wouldn’t be the only one of my friends that would have to go to prom alone. In the meantime, Nick’s special someone realized they wanted to go to prom with someone else, leaving Nick dateless. With prom around the corner, he realized he wanted to ask someone to prom that he knew he could have a good time with, without the pressure of having a relationship. Yes, people, this is where I enter the picture! Nick slid a cheesy card into my locker that said “Prom?” in bubble letters. Without hesitation, I said yes and felt relieved that no one was going to try and kiss me at the end of the night. I was wrong, Nick tried to kiss me at the end of the night and boy was I happy. So yes, I was the rebound, but who doesn’t like a silver lining?

When Nick and I said our goodbyes before we left for college, we promised each other that we would put the work in to make the long-distance relationship work. It took a lot of patience, trust, and honesty for Nick and I to build a foundation that could withstand the cracks of insecurities and feelings of missing someone so much it hurts. It wasn't always easy, especially during freshman year when I attended school in Charlotte, North Carolina, but we learned to grow separately and and still love the person each of us grew up to be. We are both so excited that the distance has finally come to an end!

Nick told me he wanted to take me to Mystic, CT for the night to celebrate at our favorite restaurant my recent employment and graduating graduate school. The entire night Nick was acting super strange and sweating a lot more than usual. Finally, he asked me to take a walk with him - mind you it was raining and I was very concerned about my perfectly straightened hair frizzing up into an afro in a matter of seconds being exposed to the water. I reluctantly agreed and prayed he had an umbrella and a good reason to take a hangry Alyssa on a walk that was prolonging dinner. As soon as we entered the boardwalk of the marina, Nick was very sweet and started to tell me all the reasons why he loved me (it was Bachelor worthy if I say so myself) and got down on one knee to ask me to marry him. I started to do this weird laugh/cry thing I have never done before, and immediately said "yes". I'm not sure if I was happier that I was engaged, or that it stopped raining as soon as we entered the boardwalk ;)