Austin and I met in high school, where we had a few classes together. He was, of course, a typical teenage boy—shamelessly flirting with me even back then. We became friends during that time, but after graduation, we lost touch for a while. Eventually, our paths crossed again through mutual friends, and we reconnected. There was plenty of banter and sarcastic back-and-forth—so much so that anyone watching might’ve wondered if we were even friends! But underneath it all, a connection was growing. Years later, I remember practically begging Austin to come to a movie night at Kat and Derek’s after he initially said no. That night, the flirting picked up again—and that’s when I first started to feel something more. About a week later, I invited him and a few others to see the new Venom movie. The plan was to meet at Three Monkeys Bar in Crown Point. As it turned out, no one else showed up—so it ended up being just the two of us. We never made it to the movie. Instead, we stayed at the bar, talking for hours. And honestly, I didn’t want the night to end. A week or two later, I asked him out on an official date. I was nervous—I’d never been the one to pursue someone before—but he said yes without hesitation. From that first date on, we've been inseparable. We balance each other—our strengths and weaknesses push us to grow, and the love we share is steady, real, and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Being with Austin has shown me what it means to be fully seen, respected, and loved for who I am. I didn’t even realize something was missing—until him. XO