Josseline claims we met outside PE when her best friend introduced us. The truth is I had a crush on her for weeks prior. Ofcourse when the moment came, I fumbled at a few jokes(no one laughed) and walked away pretty sure I had bombed any chance at a date.
A few weeks later Im standing on the street, watching a recently made friend climb a tree so he can break into an apartment complex and let us in. He wants to go visit one of his friends that lives in the building, and is apparently willing to commit a misdemeanor to see them. He opens the door, no problem, and off we go to see this friend of his.
Who else would open the door at this friends house but the very same girl I had just spent a week cringing over.
Things go better, we talk, hangout, and soon enough I’m practically forcing my friend up that tree every other day to go to this girls house.
We start texting, hanging out without other people around, and the whole time, I’m sweating bullets trying to figure out how to launch out of the friend zone and start dating.
Then on New Year’s Eve, while I’m sitting on the couch in her parents living room, thinking that making a move would be a good New Year’s resolution, she comes out of her room, and kisses me.
Fireworks, panic, a billion little feelings. While I was stalling out trying to work up the courage, she makes the first move.
We aren’t dating yet, so I spend the next few weeks enlisting her friends to convince her that we should. It takes minutes to convince her friends. It takes weeks to convince her. I hate every single second of it. Finally I ask her if she want to go out with me, and in a single moment, the trajectory of my entire life changed.

I don’t think I can ever express how much I owe to everyone for making this a reality,

Thank you to the friends who helped make it all possible.

Thank you to Josseline’s amazing family that has been welcoming and genuine from the start. You all have treated me like I belonged from day one and I don’t know if I can ever properly express how much that means to me.

Thank you to Nefty and Gladiz, for all the food I’ve eaten, car rides I’ve taken, patience I’ve absolutely pressed, and knowledge over the years. I couldn’t ask for better in laws.

Thank you to Nancy and Leilani, watching you two grow up has been wild. I still remember the Harry Potter marathons, and Leilani throwing me into a headlock while I was trying to hit on her sister(she kept that same energy to this day)
Also special shout out to Leilani, the proposal weekend wouldn’t have been nearly as special or memorable without all the work she put into it.

Thank you to my own family who have supported me along the way.

Without all of you I wouldn’t be sitting here, with a beautiful fiancé, trying to figure out the least cheesy and generic way to type out our story. I’ve probably bombed on one of those categories so if I do, keep that to yourself, my ego can’t handle it.

Jay