It all started in August 2017, in a warm, fluorescent-lit lecture hall at UCCS. Organic Chemistry wasn’t supposed to be romantic, but there she was, seated confidently in the front rows, focused and fearless. I ended up in a seat just behind her, one row back. Fate, maybe? I didn’t think much of it until my roommate leaned in after class and whispered, “She kept looking back at you. You should talk to her.” Curiosity sparked. Over the next few days, I found ways to chat with her, small talk between notes, half-laughs over confusing mechanisms. That’s when I found out something surprising: she was a pharmacy technician at Walmart, and I was one at Rite Aid. We shared a job title, but not a mindset. I told her I wasn’t really into pharmacy. She smiled and told me she loved it. That smile stayed with me. Then I found out she had a boyfriend. Just like that, the door closed. At least for then. We stayed friends. Study groups, hallway conversations, shared stress before exams. Spring came, and so did Organic Chemistry II. She was moving to Wyoming for pharmacy school, and her relationship had quietly ended. I sensed the shift. So I made my move and she helped me get a job working right beside her. It felt like something was building. But I didn’t know how to handle it. I overthought. I hesitated. And just like that, she was gone, off to chase her dreams, while I stayed behind in Colorado, wondering what could’ve been. But life has a funny way of looping back around. Over the following year, there were moments. Little chances she gave me to step up, to try again. And each time, I let the moment slip. It felt like I’d missed my shot for good. Then came her birthday. I sent a simple message: “Happy Birthday. We should grab drinks sometime.” I didn’t expect anything. But on July 1st, 2019, she replied. We went to dinner. And everything changed. That night, it was like the universe finally exhaled. Conversation flowed, laughter was easy, and it felt like no time had passed at all. From that night on, it wasn’t a guessing game anymore. We just fit. Two puzzle pieces that had spent years circling the board, finally clicking into place. Moral of the Story: Sometimes the timing isn’t right. Sometimes you aren’t ready. But if it’s meant to be, love will wait. And when it returns, it will be even more magical than you imagined. Jeffrey Callan