We met in 3rd Semester ASL (spring semester of our Junior year) at the University of Minnesota. I arrived early for the first day of class and Shelby was one of the last people to straggle in right before class began. When she walked in I was instantly enamored by her. Then I noticed she was wearing a shirt with the Greek Letters “AXO,” and she noticed that I was wearing a sweatshirt that said “AXO Lil Bro”. Shelby and I were both in Greek life and were each living in our respective houses; I in ATO, Shelby in AXO. For the uninitiated (hehe, pun), there’s a tradition in Greek life where guys can have “Big/Little Sis’s” and ladies can have “Big/Lil Bros”. Anyways, class ends and thus begins a stretch of a few weeks where I’m flirting with her, but that comes to a sort of halt upon learning she has a boyfriend. Now, I’m a gentlemen who doesn’t meddle with people’s relationships, but that didn’t stop me from trying to get to know her better. Eventually the semester comes to an end, we go our separate ways, I start dating someone else. Afterall, Shelby is taken… Summer starts, I enroll in summer courses and learn I need to change rooms in ATO because we’re renting all the rooms on my floor to some sorority girls for extra money. I paid my dues, I waited, I got a great room and wasn’t giving it up for summer, that would be silly. Fortunately, it works out and I’m allowed to stay. Even MORE fortunately, I find out the girls are in AXO, and one is Shelby. Now, I’m obviously overjoyed, but I’m busy with school and playing my guitar (obviously), I hope that just maybe we’ll get to know each other more. This crush has brewed for a while. A month goes by, I breakup with my girlfriend. A month later I learn some very important intel: SHELBY IS SINGLE TOO. At this point, the other ATOs living in the house and I are friends with the AXOs and hanging regularly. So naturally I resume the flirting I had somewhat ceased. Summer ends, the girls all move out (one even told us to our faces that we were the boy and girl version of each other, subtle foreshadowing?). A couple weeks pass and we throw a party we were NOT supposed to throw, Shelby and her friends come. I had been preparing a lot for this party. How did I prepare you might wonder? I spent the whole day drinking with my friends, obviously. By the time Shelby and her friends arrived in the evening I’m feeling great. But I can handle myself, we aren’t concerned about that. I’m playing it coy. I pass Shelby a handful of times and tell her she’s “beautiful” and/or “so pretty”. I know, so cute, so original. The night ends with all of us hanging out, my arm around her, her head on my shoulder. I’m stoked. A few weeks later I ask her on a date, she says yes. Best day of my life, so far. A few weeks after that I ask her to be my girlfriend, she says yes. New best day of my life so far. A few months later I tell her I love her, she reciprocates; best day of our lives so far. Senior year comes to an end, we keep dating. At this point, we’ve known that I was moving to LA to try “playing guitar for people to make money”. We decide to try long distance. It wasn’t easy, but our love keeps winning. Shelby goes to grad school, becomes a teacher, starts working, a pandemic happens, then she gets a job in LA and moves. We are thriving, now on a whole new level. One day we go for a walk on Zuma Beach in Malibu, one of our favorite activities. We see a dead seal (ask us about this later, I promise its funny), find a quiet place to watch the waves and look for dolphins, and I pull a ring out of my backpack and get on one knee. Shelby starts yelling “Yes! Yes! Yes!” then after a brief moment I’m allowed to ask her to marry me, she says “Yes!” again, but this time it counts. And then we see the dolphins. We’re ecstatic to celebrate out latest and greatest best day of our lives, so far, with all of you <3 Fun Fact: Shelby was enrolled in the earlier ASL class but switched to mine early that morning