Avery and I first met our freshman year of high school. We were the only freshmen in our Music History class, which meant we naturally gravitated toward each other and quickly became close friends. Avery kept trying to get my phone number “for a group project,” but I said no every single time… until I finally caved. Once he had my number, we texted nonstop. We would stay up late talking on the phone, and most nights my mom had to make me hang up because it was way past my bedtime. It didn’t take long for Avery to become my best friend. Our first date was at our local movie theater—our parents had to drive us because neither of us could drive yet. I even told my dad I was going with girl friends… definitely not a boy. After the movie, Avery asked me to be his girlfriend, and of course I said yes. We’ve been inseparable ever since. We chose not to go our separate ways for college and ended up at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga together, where we kept growing up side by side. Over the years, Avery’s family has treated me like one of their own—welcoming me, supporting me, and loving me as if I’d always been part of their family. I knew that this was the family I wanted to be a part of. By my senior year, I was not-so-subtly hinting at marriage every single day. Avery always said, “soon.” Then this September, he told me we were going to his grandparents’ house to pick up his boat for a lake day. But when we got there, there was no boat in sight. Instead, Avery got down on one knee in front of the lake and asked me to marry him. I said yes, and now I get to love Avery Cooper forever. I cannot wait to marry my best friend!