It all started on December 14, 2012-Trace's 17th birthday. A group of my girlfriends wanted to go hangout at "this guy Trace's house", so off we went. We ended up in his parents' backyard, sitting in a playscape castle, laughing way too much and probably thinking we were cooler than we were. At the end of the night, Trace decided to make his big move. He came up to me, told me I was cute, and very smoothly asked for a birthday kiss. (Bold choice for someone I had just met that night. Confidence: 10/10. Timing: 0/10.) Needless to say-I turned him down. But, God had other plans. Not long after that night, we started hanging out more and more. I caught feelings for the boy who had the courage to shoot his shot in a backyard playscape, and here we are 13 years later- getting ready to marry each other. Turns out saying "no" to that kiss was just the beginning of our forever.