It all started in 6th grade, when Ryan accidentally dropped books on my head from the locker above and we locked eyes and everything changed... well... no, not really. Or, at least, not yet.

But, eventually, that is what happened.

Ryan and I grew up, grades 3-12, two blocks away from each other. However, our paths didn't cross in any meaningful way until Junior year of high school. That year, we had the same Social Studies class and Ryan immediately established himself as an outgoing character with an easy laugh. He sat in front of me, so we ended up partnered for group projects, and, unknowlingly to me, we shared test answers also.

Ryan was working at the Regal movie theater his grandparents had once worked at and convinced me to apply there too. Working together at the movie theater, timing simultaneous lunch breaks, and carpooling home was the spark of a life-long friendship.

Although, it seemed that friendship might be in jeopardy when Ryan asked me on a date, and I said... no thank you. With that let down, Ryan pulled away some during our Senior year. He had moved on to working at a mall kiosk, and I stayed on at the movie theater, sweeping popcorn with a new crop of high school students.

However, fast forward to Sophmore year of college, I had just decided to transfer from Florida State to Georgia State. Who did I know at Georgia State with a charismatic energy who could show me around? Ryan Baill. By now, he had seemingly moved on and was excited to rekindle our friendship. For the next several years, that mostly looked like a text every few months and meeting up for Vietnamese noodle soup and a three hour long conversation every six months or so.

After graduation, we kept in touch about the same way, but would throw in seeing a movie, usually a Pixar one, together too. And then Ryan came to my birthday party. Which led to him inviting me to an Atlanta street chili festival with his friends. Which led to me inviting him to my house warming party. Which is where I invited him to my company's fancy holiday party.

And there everything changed. For real this time.