I met Anthony at Publix in 2013. We were both working there during high school and couldn't seem to stay away from one another. Our managers would try to separate us by putting us on different registers, to no avail. Only after starting to date did we confess that we both would religiously check the weekly work schedules to see if we would be working together. I would see his huge, lifted Tahoe in the parking lot and get butterflies knowing we were about to see each other. I would make excuses to go to the grocery store just on the off chance that I would get to see him. About a year later on July 14th, 2014, Anthony asked me to be his girlfriend and we have been together since that day continuing to grow in love and friendship. I cannot imagine a better man to spend my life with.

How did I meet the love of my life? Well, we meet at Publix about 11 years ago. She was a beautiful cashier, and I was a lonely bag boy. I still remember it like it was yesterday, walking into work and being blindsided by her. It was Lauren’s first day, and she was working on register 2. I walked by her, clocked in, and went right up to our customer service staff and asked, “who is that on register 2”? Of course, I was a little shy and tried to play it cool by making small talk with Lauren on and off for the next few weeks. One day while shooting rubber bands back and forth with another coworker, I had a misfire and the rubber band shot across the register striking Lauren. Of course, I was nervous that she was going to report me to the front desk, and I would get a write up, but that is not what happened. Lauren picked up the rubber band, stretch it back with all her might, and shot it back at me striking me in chest. It might as well have hit me in the heart because after she started showing her more playful side, I knew that I wanted to be more than friends. Within the next year and a half (and with a few missed opportunities) I finally asked her out which started the best 10 years of my life!