“Started in the DMs, and now we’re here.” Literally! LOL! 2013. When it ALL started. I noticed Marquise would follow me on IG, then unfollow me, then follow me again. We would like each other's pictures but never anything more until one day, he decided to slideeeee in my DM's. In my head, oh no, weird. He was very consistent and I really thought, "Jeez, will he ever stop trying?!" A YEAR LATER... I finally was like, okay what will it hurt. I’m not going to deny that at first, I was so scared to go meet him. My friend Bridgette is the main reason why I got the courage to go and I’m so thankful for it. This was before he got the starting QB position at UNC and best believe God had a reason of us meeting before then, lol. I went to his dorm on campus and remember I was on my phone the entire time. It was so awkward. I had told him before I got there that I couldn’t stay long because I had to go back home to pick up my sister (I had to make sure I had an escape.) It was “time” for me to leave and I didn’t want to but I had already made my excuse up so I had too! Then, the rest was history. I started going every.single.week until season was over, then he came here every weekend. He loves Goldsboro even if he denies it. I remember I cried for the entire 2 weeks that he had to go to training camp his junior year and I NEVER cry and definitely never show affection, so that is when I knew he must be a little special! Clearly, I had no choice but to get use to meetings, practices, and A LOT of FaceTime calls. Fast forward to over five years later, WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!

Let’s start off by saying Marquise is terrible at secrets. I have to give him the respect to ask if I would be upset if my parents weren’t at the proposal whenever he decided to do it. Ofcourse I said no, just do it! I’m pretty impatient. However, I knew the only weekend they wouldn’t be in town was for my sister’s cheer competition. So, the weekend comes and he has his “aunt’s birthday” party reserved for The Farienheit, a restaurant that overlooks downtown Charlotte. Well, before the “birthday” dinner, everybody decided to cancel so just me, him, his cousin, his dad and dad's girlfriend went. The entire time at dinner he kept getting up literally more than 5 times (to go talk to my aunts and cousins in the other room which definitely was a surprise). After we finished, he asked if I wanted to take a picture outside. On the way out, he asked, “are you nervous?” I looked at him like, “what?!” He was so nervous that he couldn’t even think straight. But he quickly changed the subject and we went on to “look” at the scenery which felt like forever. I then turned around to see the candle lit bags on the fireplace, “Summer, will you marry me?” Ummm. Duh! Finally! I CRIED! & was so excited and surprised to see my family there. It was literally the best night ever that I wish I could relive!