Carly first met Ricardo back in high school, when she was a freshman and he was a sophomore. They were both part of the speech and debate club. Carly only stayed for one semester, while Ricardo stuck with it all four years. One day, they were paired together for a random activity, and Carly couldn’t help but notice how good-looking and kind Ricardo was. She quickly developed a little crush on him.

At 14, still figuring out how to talk to boys, Carly tried to get his attention in the simplest way she knew; by waving at him in the lunchroom a few days later. She was hopeful, but when Ricardo didn’t wave back, she felt embarrassed and convinced herself that maybe he just wasn’t very nice. She moved on, trying not to dwell on it.

Fast forward five years to October 4th, 2019. Carly was a sophomore at the University of Arizona. That evening, she went to a salsa dance class being taught by two of her close friends. She was excited for the evening, not expecting anything out of the ordinary. But when she walked into the room, she spotted Ricardo talking to some friends.

Not expecting much, Carly decided to wave at him again, fully prepared for another awkward moment. To her surprise, this time he waved back.

During the salsa class, they spent hours talking, laughing, and dancing together. As they stepped outside into the night, Ricardo asked Carly if she would like to go on a date sometime.

Carly smiled, still processing how everything had come full circle, and said, “Yes.”

C&R