Jesse and Christine first met their freshman year of high school in Mr. T's Biology class at Elk Grove High in 2003 and were grouped together with their friend, Eric Jones, for the entire year. Although shy and soft-spoken - and completely unaware of what she was getting into - Christine was determined to maintain her 4.0 GPA and ensured all the group work was completed to her satisfaction, giving Jesse and Eric time to occupy themselves with other things, like talking, talking, and more talking. But she didn't mind because they had all become good friends and, boy, was he sweet. He'd leave cute notes in her locker, give her his jacket when she was cold, and walked her to her classes each day.

And then she moved away, and they lost contact for nearly 12 years.

Years later, Jesse and Christine reconnected through Facebook. He invited her out to lunch, and they caught up on all the years they'd missed. They talked about anything and everything - everyday thoughts, current events, interests, and - yikes! - politics. He took her on adventures to places she'd never been before and opened her eyes to things she'd never seen. But most importantly, they enjoyed each other's company and cherished the small, intimate moments - like snuggling together on the couch wrapped in a cocoon of blankets for a Harry Potter marathon or taking leisurely walks around the neighborhood, hand-in-hand.

And so they fell in love.

Over the summer, Jesse and Christine went on their first cruise together to Alaska, and on the evening of July 22, as they were getting ready to leave their room for a formal dinner, he pulled her to the balcony area, looked lovingly into her eyes, and said, "You look so beautiful, but you are missing one thing to complete your outfit..." Jesse bent down on one knee, pulled the shiny red box out of his jacket's inner pocket, and asked, "Will you marry me?" Holding back tears (although it really was no use), Christine nodded and exclaimed, "Yes. Yes! Of course, a million times, yes!" as he slid the ring on her finger.

They hugged. They kissed. They took a bunch of selfies.

And now, they have the rest of their lives to look forward to.