Our story began in middle school, back in 2016. I had a crush on Zack for a while, and at a school dance, a friend told him. He asked me out shortly after, and the rest is history. After a brief, awkward phase, we were inseparable throughout high school. When it was time for college, we decided to attend different schools to grow as individuals and gain our own friends. We stayed together all through college, and on our senior year spring break, Zack proposed! I'd often joked with him, "ring before spring"—as in before graduation—and he came through. He listened well and got me my dream ring, and he even asked my parents for their blessing on Valentine's Day. The following month, we went to Punta Cana with a large group of friends. Zack took me on a "sunset excursion" where he surprised me by getting down on one knee, and I said YES!