We Do We Did We Eloped

I remember it as if it were yesterday when Mario walked into the hallways of Crook County Middle School, and I was sitting in the office helping them out. It was all I could do not to pay attention to what he was doing. After that day, I remember getting his Snapchat from his friends and talking to one another on the phone, but I was too afraid to speak to him in person. That next year, he would be a freshman, and I would be an eighth grader, so I would no longer get to see him when he showed up for sports. Instead, a story I will never forget is when he asked me one day if I was going to a high school football game, and I said no but showed up anyway somehow. Mario was standing right at the gate when I first walked in, and he caught me in a white lie, and we hung out the rest of the night. Although I friend-zoned him and thought it best to stay that way, he didn’t think so and pushed for something different. I was and still am a stubborn girl, so I wasn’t letting him change my mind, no matter what he told me. Once I got into high school, he asked me out several times during my freshman year, and the answer remained the same. We spent endless hours hanging out with each other at the county fair, and secretly, that was a time that I always looked forward to because I always got to see him but never wanted anyone to know I had those feelings. My parents always joked that they could tell I liked him, and I always responded negatively. In between, we both went our own ways, and somehow, it was a true testament that we were meant to be together because, my senior year, I ventured back down the path of Mario Hanson. I remember March 18th, 2020, when he told me he was in love with me and wanted nothing more than to be in a relationship, but at the time, I didn’t want a boyfriend as I was supposed to be going to school and didn’t want a long-distance relationship. However, deep down, I knew I loved him and could see him as my forever. Fast forward a few months in the middle of COVID, he said he could get me a job at St. Charles, and maybe it would be best to stay away from school for just a year. Stubborn girl that I am, I said no, but I took a chance since I wanted to go into the medical field and COVID was happening. So we got to work together for a year and a half, carpooled to work, and lived our best life with the same work schedule. It was a pretty cool experience in my eyes. Within three months of dating, I said I was moving in, and I will never forget the look on his face when I told him those words. The rest is history; we are excited about this new journey, taking on yet another chapter in life with one another. We have been each other’s most significant support through the highs and lows, and I could never ask for anyone better. Here’s to a lifetime with you and gaining a new last name. Lots of love!!