How We Met Chloe Daniel and I first crossed paths in our shared English class, I was in ninth grade, and he was a year older and very much the cute baseball player. I quietly developed a crush but never imagined it would turn into anything. Every time I think of the first time I met Daniel, I always think of the time Ms. Adams (Our English Teacher) moved Daniel’s assigned seat directly behind mine. My crush began one day while we were watching a movie in class, I felt him casually playing with my hair. On the outside, I stayed cool. On the inside, full-blown butterflies. Daniel Chloe and I were just familiar faces at first. I knew she played softball and was a very cute cheerleader, but we weren’t truly friends yet. That changed my sophomore year in Ms. Adams’ English class. We started getting to know each other through shared laughs and small moments. I kind of knew she had a crush on me and looking back, I think Ms. Adams knew it too when she moved my seat directly behind her. From there, I slow-played it, doing whatever I could to make her laugh and remembering every little moment. The Years in Between Chloe After that year, life kept us close, but not quite together. For the next few years of high school, we shared friend groups, crossed paths through softball and baseball, and were always around each other. But nothing quite clicked yet. By prom 2018, I was freshly single and had zero expectations beyond dancing and having fun with my friends. Thanks to mutual friends, Daniel and I ended up in the same place for pre-prom pictures. The moment he walked in, those familiar butterflies came rushing back and I’m pretty sure he felt them too. We danced together all night. I went home beaming, woke my mom up, and said, “Guess who I just danced with all night?” I don’t think I stopped smiling for a week. Daniel We kept getting closer through friends, and I was able to see just how kind and loving Chloe really is. The timing just wasn’t right. Still, all those small moments stayed with me longer than I realized. I didn’t have a prom date and ended up going with a friend. Chloe did actually have a date that night, who definitely took one for the team. That night, all of those little moments from years before finally led us to each other and I left knowing one thing for sure, I wanted to do that again. *** From there, everything moved quickly, in the best way. Daniel asked me on our first date to the movies, and after a month of talking, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend on May 24, 2018. Over the past seven years, our love has only deepened. We spent five of those years long-distance; missing each other, growing together apart, and choosing love even when it was hard. Distance only taught us what we already knew, that no matter where we are, we are always better together. Every day, we choose each other and now, we get to make that choice for the rest of our lives.