Nui and I met at a mutual friends' graduation at the University of Oregon. She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I asked my buddy, who was graduating, about her. "She's taken." I only just met her but felt a little heart broken. I kept my distance and stole a few glances. Looking back, I remember talking to my friends at the time, saying things like, "I guess that's it then. I'll never see her again." Months later - we were on both on winter break, me from college and Nui from medical school. She flew from Florida to Oregon to spend time with family and friends for a few weeks. I got a text from that same mutual friend: "She's here. She's single. We're going home soon." I ran/walked to the bar that she was at in Portland, which was thankfully only 5 minutes from my parents', where I was staying over break. I tried not too look to eager. Naturally, I stormed into the bar and walked right up to her. She looked surprised/startled. Maybe I was a bit too excited. I remember my nostrils flaring from the near skipping that I did to the bar. I made her laugh, got her number, and made plans with for the rest of the time she had left in Oregon.

Our mutual friend never told me about the text until months later, so I was unknowing of Caelan's plan to come meet me at the bar. I was his first stop the moment he got into the bar. He came in with such haste. His face was still flushed from the cold. I'm sure I looked surprised and honestly, I can't tell you the first thing he said to me. I do remember finding his enthusiasm charming and funny. And obviously... I found him gorgeous. The days following, I couldn't get away from this guy. Caelan would ask me to watch a movie, go to sushi, come to his new year's party, meet his parents (not kidding). The last week I had in Oregon during winter break, I spent predominantly with Caelan. The day after meeting at the bar, he wanted to make me dinner. He took me to Whole Foods to pick up ingredients. He held my hand on the way to the store and looked at me with a sort of giddiness and hopefulness. No one's ever looked at me like he does. He was always buzzing with excitement to have me around. In my head, I tried to dampen the undeniable connection we had since I was in medical school at the opposite corner of the country. Following my flight back to Florida, he kept calling. I found it sweet how he always considered me and thought about me from the start. I remember multiple nights where we'd stay in and watch a movie over facetime together. Months pass - it's July of 2020. I flew back to Oregon. Caelan and I spend nearly all of our time together. One day, we were driving back from his parents' beach house, and he said to me, "So, we're dating."