Kristin and I grew up in the small town of Hanford and went two different high schools, separated by a few short miles. In a town where everyone knows everyone, we had not met until the spring of 2016. We had both been focused on athletics and academics throughout high school, with little time for relationships. Kristin came to my high school after lunch for her classes and we would pass each other in the hallway or parking lot. At the time Kristin did not wear glasses, which means I was likely a blurry spec walking in front of her vehicle, as she would come barreling in for class. The first time I met Kristin was at our high school prom though, contrary to what you are thinking, she was not my date. She had actually gone to prom with my best friend, Zach. After prom, I called Zach to let him know I was going to In-N-Out and see if he wanted anything. At this point I was merely the DoorDash driver for Kristin’s favorite, animal fries and milkshakes. Once the food was delivered, Zach, Kristin and I talked late into the night, laughing, sharing stories before going our separate ways. A few weeks went by and I tried reaching out to Kristin via Snapchat, hoping to get some response with no luck. With a little persistence, I was finally able to convince the girl I had a huge crush on to attend my high school all-star football game. A few weeks later, we went for a very casual date at Applebee’s where we both were so nervous we were of very few words. Though our words were scarce, Kristin lit up the room, she was beautiful with a great smile, a brilliant mind, and a kind heart. Together there was a sense of calm and comfort that evolved into us talking for hours on the phone and in the car. Over the next few months, we became best friends, and I knew she was the one.

The first time I met Derrek was after my junior prom. I had gone to prom with one of Derrek’s good friends, Zach. Zach and I went to his house after prom and a friend of his called, said he was going to In-n-out and wanted to know if we wanted anything to eat. In typical Kristin fashion, I got animal fries and a vanilla a milkshake. When Derrek got to Zach’s house with our late-night snack, that is when I realized who he was: an all-star Hanford High football player, the cool guy, far beyond my league. After a late night of chit chat and laughter, we all went home, and I went on with my junior year. Derrek started to send me Snapchats that I thought were being sent to all his friends to maintain Snapchat “streaks.” I ignored the messages until school got out and decided to respond while coming home from a softball tournament. We sent messages back and forth for the next several hours, then shared phone numbers to let the conversation continue. Soon after, Derrek invited me to his all-star football game. I remember blushing as I met him after the game, my first time meeting him after that night at prom. A few weeks later, my family and I were in Colorado for a softball tournament. My family wanted to sightsee on the way home, but I wanted to get home as soon as possible so I could see Derrek. The morning we left Colorado, I told my mom I didn’t feel up to sightseeing anymore and I would help her do the 12 hour drive home if we could go straight home. Little did my mom know at the time, I was rushing home for my first date with Derrek at Applebee’s. We were both so nervous for our first date, so the conversation was slow to start. Though I was nervous at first, I started to feel sense of peace, I was so comfortable in his presence. One date led to two, three, four, and now, forever.