We’re getting married!

Austin and I moved into the same neighborhood back in middle school and rode the bus together every day. As we grew up, we naturally became inseparable—he was my best friend, and I was his (well, second best after his brother, but I’ll take it!). He was my confidant, my personal “rodent guy” (yes, he once rescued a mouse living in my car’s center console), and the only person who somehow always knew exactly what I needed before I did. It took seeing each other with other people for us to finally admit what was right in front of us all along: we were meant to be more than just friends. I had friend-zoned him early on by telling him he was like a brother, totally oblivious to the fact that he liked me! Thankfully, Austin wasn’t deterred by being stuck in the “bro zone” and kept pursuing me anyway. I’m not great at reading between the lines, and Austin’s shy nature made figuring him out an adventure. But looking back, I realize how lucky I am that he never gave up on us. He truly is my best friend and partner, and I can’t wait to spend forever with someone who knows me so completely—even when I don’t know it myself.

Our first kiss happened in my parents’ basement while watching The Breakfast Club—because nothing says romance like 80s coming-of-age movies and dim lighting. I could tell Austin wanted to kiss me, but I was nervous enough to turn it into a full-on negotiation. Instead of waiting for him to make the move, I blurted out, “Do you want to kiss me?” When he said yes, I closed my eyes, braced myself like I was about to jump off a cliff, and shouted, “Okay, go!!!” It was awkward and adorable all at once—definitely not the smoothest moment, but totally perfect because it was ours. And honestly, that’s exactly how every great love story should start.

All Thursday morning, I’d been on high alert, certain I knew exactly what was coming. I had mapped it all out in my head—the timing, the words, the moment—and felt completely prepared. The night before, Austin had been trying so hard to throw me off the scent of his plan that I genuinely thought I’d let my imagination run away with me. So when he casually suggested a walk with Rufus—just before we were set to leave for vacation with his family—I barely blinked. It was a little out of the ordinary, sure, but I was so confident I had it all figured out that I didn’t even suspect a thing—that he would blindside me before the weekend even began. We wandered through the Al Sabo Nature Preserve, Rufus zipping ahead and giving Austin a run for his money before finally settling down. We laughed and talked about honeymoon plans, completely unaware that the moment I had been expecting for the upcoming weekend was quietly about to arrive. Then it happened. Austin dropped to one knee. My heart soared, my stomach flipped, and I noticed a little sweat mustache forming on my upper lip—proof that he must really love me. The world narrowed to just him and me, with Rufus wagging his tail beside us as if he’d known all along. Austin later admitted he had completely blacked out from nerves, and I, stunned, could only remind him that it was his job to put the ring on my finger. Perfectly imperfect, completely us. We didn’t call anyone right away. Instead, we laughed, held each other, and let the moment settle with just the three of us. And in that moment, I couldn’t help but think back to what Austin once told me—how his friends had suggested he should be with the “girl next door.” In a way, he’d almost predicted our future. And here he was, marrying the girl next door they had pointed out all those years ago. When we finally told our families, the excitement overflowed, but that quiet Thursday morning at Al Sabo—the sun blazing, the heat wrapping around us, and Rufus prancing at our feet—will forever remain one of the sweetest, most romantic memories of our lives.