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FRESHMAN YEAR We started high school at North Bay Haven Charter Academy, where we had a few classes together but rarely interacted for most of the year. That was until we crossed paths in our neighborhood one weekend... As we were packing up to leave Mrs. Henderson's Earth Science class the following Monday, Gavin approached me to ask if I lived in the neighborhood. We didn't interact much after that, but it was kind of nice knowing that SOMEONE from school lives nearby. SOPHOMORE YEAR This was the year we started talking a little more. Well, he did most of the talking. We sat right across from each other in Mrs. Gomillion's English class, which made it easy for him to ask me every question under the sun while I answered each one with a shy laugh or a raised eyebrow. JUNIOR YEAR This is when we had chemistry together (the class, not the lovey-dovey kind), which was also with Mrs. Henderson. She did ask once if we were boyfriend and girlfriend, at which we both nervously looked away from each other and told her no. It wasn't until the junior and senior class trip to New York and D.C. that we started actually talking more and becoming closer as friends. So close that he asked me to prom just before boarding to plane back to Panama City and I said "No, thanks," which was not a huge deal at the time. SENIOR YEAR We had grown a lot closer during this time, which made this second time around a little more... complicated. After a combined band and choir trip during which we bonded even more, I answered him with a resounding "Eh..." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Fast forward to the choir's annual Coffee House event, I watched Gavin sing Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" with fellow Tenor section leader Jacob "Allan" Parauka. This was when I had my Clueless (1995) fountain moment, and I knew I had to tell him that same night that I had feelings for him. I did tell him, but only after hurrying inside after he dropped me off and texting that I had feelings for him because I was too scared to say it out loud. COLLEGE YEARS After our first date at Newk's on May 14, 2016, and the rest of the summer, we endured four years of long-distance as we went to different colleges; Gavin at Florida State University and myself at Stetson University (not for the faint of heart). We were fortunate enough to be in the same city one year when I moved to Tallahassee to start my Master's program as he was starting the second year of his Master's program at Florida State. I will end with this for the sappy conclusion: When my family was in the middle of moving from where the wind comes sweeping down the plain to the emerald green waters of Northwest Florida (and being completely new to having neighbors right next door), I often wondered what I would do if there was a boy next door that I'd fall in love with. While he wasn't right next door and the falling-in-love part took a while, being with Gavin has been a dream come true. TL;DR We met in high school.

I was on my two-minute trek down the street to his house so we could carpool to his grandparents' and hang out with his family that was into town for July 4th weekend. As I started crossing the front yard, I heard the front door of the house open and saw Gavin walk out with a worried look on his face (odd) When we both met in the middle of the yard, he asked, "How are you?" (also odd). Right as I finish saying "I'm fine..." He gets down on one knee and quickly says "Will you marry me?" I was so taken by surprise (which doesn't happen often) that he asks again. The initial shock subsided and I simply said, "Yes." He followed up with "You promise?" "Yes." After that, I cried a lot and spent some time catching my breath, a feeling I never knew until then. We then shared the news with all his family while I cried more happy tears.