We're getting married

We were in the middle of LPA 2021 (Life Point Academy) when I realized I had a crush on Mercedes. I told my friends Trae and Mason about it and told them I would ask her out within the next few weeks. However, they tend not to listen to me. During a lunch break I took Mercedes with me to In and Out to pick up some food. Next thing I know I get a FaceTime call from Trae and Mason. "Hey Jack, Me and Mason are grabbing flowers for our girls. We got flowers for you to give to Mercedes. You could ask her out with them." I then look at Mercedes whose face has turned all red and flip the camera over to her. "Oh Shoot!" And they end the FaceTime call. When we get back to LPA I give the roses to Mercedes in a super awkward fashion. Later that day because of all the awkwardness that already took place I decide to ask her out on a date. Because of Trae and Mason I took the leap and now I am about to marry my dream girl. -Jack Hamil

If you know Jack, you know he is a terrible liar and doesn’t lie very often… until the days leading to June 21, 2024. Jack and I are just a couple of college students who don’t make a lot of money. So when Jack and I began to talk about marriage we both knew he would need to save for a very long time to be able to afford an engagement ring. When I found out he was beginning to save for the ring I knew this proposal would be coming in the near/semi-far future but had no idea when. In April 2024 we had planned to go on a joint family trip to South Padre Island, Texas that we had done a couple summers ago. We booked our condos for June and this is where the realization started to sit in for Jack that the beach would be the perfect place to pop the question at our favorite place. Jack had bought my ring in May when I was in Barcelona and told everyone and showed people besides me of course. Toward the end of the semester and all throughout the summer, he constantly reminded me that he was still saving for this ring and that he was almost there even though he had already made the purchase and I held on to that statement. Before going to sleep right before going to the beach I thought to myself “What if he proposed to me at the beach…no no no he is still saving”. Subconsciously I kept having this feeling but totally ignored it so much so that I even asked Jack “Wouldn’t it be crazy if you proposed to me here” and he replied with a lie with a sad look on his face, “Mercedes, I am trying my hardest you know I want to do something special for you I just don’t have the money right now” and oh my goodness did I feel terrible. I bet he was laughing inside and panicking because he wondered how I found out. Then the next day he asked if I wanted to go for a walk along the beach happily saying yes we went for a walk with the box in his right pocket and my hand in his right hand which was risky but I was so oblivious. He began to talk about how he couldn’t see a future without me in it and in my head I was thinking “This is like something you would say when you're about to propose…but he is still saving”. He weirdly kept looking back waiting till it was just me and him and the next thing I knew he stops says my name and got down on one knee asking me to marry him and I stand in shock, say yes, then continue to stand in shock then I start screaming, running in circles, and then cry as I hug him and on the walk back to the condo that was filled with our families waiting our return with decorations and joy. I was the happiest girl on earth and wanted to yell at every person I saw that I’m engaged. The moment I have been waiting for finally came to start the journey to marry the man of my dreams. - Mercedes Lazcano