"We love because he loved us first." -1 John 4:19

Adrian and I first met during our sophomore year at San Luis Obispo High School. It was a time when the world was slowly coming back to life after a year of online classes. The day we returned to campus, March 15, 2021, was filled with a mix of anticipation and wonder. I was sixteen, and Adrian was fifteen—just two students in a sea of classmates. Little did we know that this simple return to school would mark the beginning of something extraordinary. We had two classes together: World History and Geometry. I first saw Adrian in World History, where his quiet presence stood out. Though our masks concealed our faces, I noticed his black and red suede Nike shoes and maroon sweatshirt. He wore AirPods, lost in his thoughts, yet there was something captivating about him. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt drawn to him. Later, I discovered that Adrian was also in my Geometry class. I always sat at the front, while he sat in the back. One day, I moved to a new seat near him, a change sparked by a large hand sanitizer bottle on my original desk. From that day on, I found myself sitting there more often, eager to be closer to him. Adrian was quiet—so quiet it fascinated me. I tend to fill silence with words, but with him, silence felt comfortable. Our conversations began with small exchanges, and over time, we talked every day. Even when our schedules didn’t align, I looked forward to seeing him. After school, we started walking together as he made his way to his sister’s car. I’d always say, “I’m not in a rush today,” just to have more time with him. Those moments, talking about everything and nothing, became the highlight of my day. That’s when I realized I had already fallen for him. As our friendship grew, I longed to spend more time with him. We drove around, windows down, laughing until our cheeks hurt. Everything felt so right, and I began to feel complete in his presence. It wasn’t long before we both realized that our connection went deeper than friendship, though neither of us dared to speak those words aloud, afraid of disrupting the beauty of what we shared. Summer passed in a blur of joy and stolen moments. By the time school began again, our bond had only grown stronger. On the first day of junior year, we walked through the school gates hand in hand. Yet, we still hadn’t defined what we were. I knew the weekend ahead would be the moment to change that. On Saturday, August 21, 2021, we went to the Sunset Drive-in together. I couldn’t tell you what movie was playing that night because all I could think about was the nervous excitement swirling in my chest. Adrian’s tender gaze made my heart race. We both knew what we wanted but didn’t know how to say it. So, as I always do, I broke the silence. “I like you,” I said, my heart pounding. “You like me, right?” He nodded, and my breath caught. “So... can we date? I want to be your girlfriend. Do you want to be my boyfriend?” The words spilled out, simple and raw, but full of everything I had been feeling. He smiled, and in that moment, I felt a weight lift off me. “Yeah,” he said softly. It wasn’t the most romantic confession, but in that raw honesty, it felt perfect. I couldn’t stop smiling, thinking about how much we had already shared without saying the words. That night, I couldn’t wait to tell my mom, the only one awake to hear my excited voice. And just like that, after months of building a deep and beautiful friendship, we stepped into a new chapter of our lives together. The journey we had started was now something more—something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

As the third year of our relationship neared, I found myself certain of one thing—I wanted to marry this woman. Our bond had deepened over time, and with each passing day, my feelings grew stronger. A trip to White Lake, Wisconsin, was on the horizon, and it seemed like the perfect setting for a life-changing moment. White Lake wasn’t just any destination; it held a rich family history, a place where generations before had gathered, and the thought of starting a new chapter there felt both fitting and profound. Weeks before our trip, I had purchased the ring, my heart racing with the excitement and nerves that accompany such a monumental step. But, as fate would have it, the moment of surprise was jeopardized by my own carelessness. In a brief lapse of thought, I had left my suitcase open, and Liv stumbled upon the ring. There it was, glinting under the light, an unintentional reveal. My dad had already spoken to her, jokingly telling her that she was “almost part of the family,” and even teasingly saying, “He’s practicing,” when I bent down to tie her shoe one day. His playful comments only added to the quiet anticipation that hung between us. When we arrived in White Lake, I knew the moment had to be right. My nerves overwhelmed me, making me restless, and every word seemed too heavy. The idea of asking her to spend the rest of her life with me felt daunting, and yet, I couldn’t imagine anything else. As sunset approached, we made our way to the dock by the water. The golden light washed over everything, and I knew this was the time. My heart pounded in my chest as I prepared myself for the words that would change everything. With the sound of the lake’s gentle lapping against the shore and the weight of family history surrounding us, I knelt down. But in my haste and nervousness, my knee slammed against the dock with an audible thud. Wincing in pain, I looked up at her and said, “With the amount of family history here, I figured it was the perfect place for us to start a new chapter in our lives.” Then, the words that had been building for so long tumbled out: “Will you marry me?” Her eyes widened, and for a split second, I thought I had misjudged the moment. But then, in a rush of excitement and disbelief, she exclaimed, “ARE YOU SERIOUS, ADRIAN?” The joy in her voice was unmistakable, and before I could even catch my breath, she said yes. From that moment on, the evening transformed into a celebration of love and excitement. The rest of the night was spent laughing, reminiscing, and basking in the warmth of our future together. What began as a simple question had turned into the beginning of a beautiful, shared story—one that started at White Lake, a place brimming with family history, and would continue to unfold in the chapters yet to be written.