Our lovely story begins our first day of high school 2008. Justin had grown up there his whole life and I had moved there literally the week before. I was shy, incredibly naive, and not at all social; basically an easy target. Justin and his buddies immediately spotted me as such and set about trying to ask me embarrassing questions. One made its mark and I immediately turned beet red. Justin seemed to like my answer however, because he immediately hopped out of his chair and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Obviously, my tomato face and I said no, but his lopsided grin and endless charm had made their mark. We had nearly every class together that year so I could never quite get away from the Howe swagger. We really began talking mid summer 2009, when text messages were still paid for by the message. I had gone to Alaska to visit and we talked ceaselessly for several weeks. It wasn't until several years had passed that I learned Justin had gotten in some serious trouble that summer because we talked so much his phone bill was nearly $800.

I had moved to Texas High beginning our sophomore year, but Justin and I kept talking. We didn't make it very far into the school year before he decided enough was enough and asked me to go with him to the Fair. Little did I know, Justin does not do rides. But that evening he rode every ride I wanted. On the scariest ride, Mr Smooth leaned in for a smooch! We officially started dating that evening.