The short story: Ced and I met though our high school friends. The extended version: I had the biggest crush on Ced for the longest time, and him being him he never let on that he was feeling the same. We both enjoyed flirting whenever our paths crossed at hangouts, but you know I was the lil 9th grader…. I did say this was the extended version, right? Fast forward 19 years (and every year in between) we would only see one another at Glen Oaks High Alumni events; even through life happening and happening fast, this man was still the easy on the eyes and knew what it took to make me smile whenever our paths would cross. Then one day fate decided to intervene and one of my girlfriends asked me to hang out to celebrate her birthday in the middle of the week; my initial reply was “Girl I’m on my way from church”, but the heathen in me then asked “where we going?” So fresh out of bible study, I roll up to Bella Noches to celebrate my girl. Enjoying myself and who do I see? This particular friend who moved in the same circle as Ced, lo and behold I finally got to run into him outside our regular meeting places. Luck was on my side that night Cedric swept me off my feet, since then this smile has been permanently plastered across my face. If you know Ced and me, when it comes to telling a story they’ll always be two versions of events…so you know you’ll have to stick around for him to tell you the rest.