In the summer of 2017, we met through a mutual friend and began texting as friends. We quickly became close and talked every day. Eventually, though, we drifted apart and stopped talking until September 9th, 2018. I was in my freshman year of high school, and he was a sophomore. I messaged him to ask if he was at a Friday night football game near where I was, but I didn’t get a response until the following Monday. We started talking again, catching up as friends. Over time, our friendship grew into something more, and we started liking each other. A few weeks later, on September 21st, 2018, he asked me if I wanted to go to a St. X vs. Moeller game with him. I said yes, and we had a great time (even though we were both awkward and shy teenagers). We continued hanging out and talking over the next few weeks, and on September 27th, 2018, he asked me to be his girlfriend! We’ve been inseparable ever since!

The day of the proposal, we had plans to have lunch with my mom. Arden told me to dress nice, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. I had always told Arden that I wanted a “professional photoshoot” when he proposed (keep this in mind for later). We went to Joyce Park in Fairfield with my mom, so I could show Arden a spot I used to visit often as a kid. It was a small rock beach by the river with a large flat rock to the left where you could stand. While I was skipping rocks in the river, Arden asked me to come stand on the rock with him. I told him I didn’t want to, but he replied, “We’re getting our professional photoshoot taken.” In that moment, I immediately knew he was going to propose! We climbed to the top of the rock, and I was looking at the river. When I turned around, he was on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was already in tears and couldn’t say anything. He then said, “Can you say something? My knee is hurting,” since he was kneeling on a rock. I said yes (of course!!). My mom had been taking pictures and videos the whole time. Arden put the ring on my finger, and we hugged for what felt like forever, crying together. It truly was the best day of my life, and now I get to marry my best friend!