We're Getting Married!

It all started at a game night in Charlotte... One of my girlfriends met a guy out in the city named Chris Love, who invited her to a game night at his apartment in the city and told her to bring "some" friends. So of course, she brings our whole crew which was about 6 of us. We walk in and end up being most of the "party," but we make the best use of our time and win every game in a series of girls vs. boys' competitions. During the course of the evening, I had the sudden urge to use the restroom, so I asked the guy's roommate if I can use it. It was technically his bathroom but was also the main bathroom in the living room area. He says yes, so I proceed into the bathroom, and I am in there minding my business when I notice a pink and green shower cap with MY sorority letters, AKA, written all over it. I was immediately excited as I thought I had a soror in my presence! I walk out of the bathroom and ask the gentleman, "Hey, do you have a girlfriend? I saw the AKA shower cap! I am an AKA too." He proceeds to give me a confused look and says, "No, I don't. I don't know what you are talking about." So I go back and tell my friends how he must have been lying because I know what I saw! We all laugh about it and attempt to move on, but the gentleman inquires on what we were talking about. He proceeds to prove his point by bringing us all into his bathroom and showing us that there is no proof of a female living there. As soon as he pulls us in, we see a woman's reading glasses on the counter and a woman's exfoliating gloves in the shower along with the AKA shower cap I mentioned behind the door. We all ran out the bathroom dying laughing, but the gentleman did not find it funny at all and insisted still that he did not have a girlfriend. He said it was his "sisters." That gentleman turned out to be Rashad! :) That day started our journey as friends, and that same group of guys and girls at the apartment turned into their own crew. Although Rashad did make a few attempts to shoot his shot over the next few years (which he doesn't like to admit), I was dating other people and just wanted to remain friends. It wasn't until he moved to Dallas, Texas and returned to Charlotte where things started to take a turn. One day while living in Dallas, he visited Charlotte on a work trip. He randomly texted me and asked if I had plans that evening and if not, we should go to dinner. Rashad and I were pretty good friends at that point and this brand-new restaurant called "Ink and Ivy" had opened up and I had been itching to go! So I thought, this could be a great opportunity to try it out and catch up with Rashad so I said yes. That is a night I will never forget because we ended up having one of the deepest conversations I have ever had with a man and caused me to view Rashad in a completely different light than I had before. We started texting once he went back to Dallas and then texting led to calls and Facetimes, and then the next thing you know I am making a trip to Dallas. We haven't been separated since...

It all started in 2015 on a Saturday evening in Charlotte, NC... One of my closest friends and roommate at the time, Christopher Love, decided to have a game night in hopes of being able to fellowship with friends and acquaint ourselves with new ones. As our guest started arriving we would greet them accordingly until this one particular group of about 6 to 7 girls showed up. They walked through the door talkative and boisterous and all I could think to myself was "Who in the hell are these women?" But as the the night went on it turned out to be a complete vibe! We played various games in typical "GUYS vs. GIRLS" fashion, which was not the best idea, we got demolished. Us fellas could not win not one game against this trash-talking overly confident girl group. As the night went on one young lady, who I came to know as Jermile', asked to use my restroom and of course I advised that it was not a problem. Let me tell you...I was wrong, it became a problem! As she departed from my restroom she comes over to me and ask "Hey, do you have a girlfriend?" I responded to her with "No, I don't" (Looking back that might have been my mistake in not elaborating upon my answer). I then observe her walk over to the girls and start sharing whispers.... I can't lie it made me a bit curious as they just continuously giggled in response. Next thing I know, Jermile' walks one of her friends back into the restroom and they come out laughing even more. So I question the two of them, asking what is so funny. Jermile' responds "You have female items throughout your restroom. There is an AKA shower cap on your door, glasses on the counter and even exfoliating gloves in the shower." I respond "what are you talking about, and why are you looking in my shower? Come on, lets go take a look." As we congregate back in my restroom I let them know that the items belonged to my younger sister who was staying with me for the summer but they wouldn't buy it and just continued to make jokes. So I gave up, I did not owe them an explanation! They clearly just thought I was cute. The night goes on and everyone found a bond which led to friendships that carried on through the years. From that night forward Jermile' and I remained friends. However, her enchanting spirit and joyous interactions sparked my interest to get to know her more. So I eventually asked her to a lunch date. We meet up and have a great time but I could sense the relationship would remain merely nothing more than a friendship. Now what was interesting enough, coincidingly, I was in preparation of moving from Charlotte, NC to Dallas, TX for work. A close friend of Jermile insisted, saying watch " You're going to move, and then she will one day be interested." Long and behold the vision she had was true. I one day returned from Dallas on a work trip and my work dinner for the night was cancelled. So I hit Jermile' up asking if she wanted to catch up and grab dinner. She hits me back " Sure, why not... it will be nice to catch up." So we head to a brand new restaurant "Ink & Ivy" and that night turned into a future that only God had planned. I returned to Dallas and from then on our texts turned to calls, which turned to facetime calls, which then turned to Jermile' flying out for visits. Which gave me all the more reason to visit her as well. Let's just say her consistency from then on forced my hand and well....here I am back in Charlotte where it all started!