Julia’s pov:It all started in 2021 when I was working at an Auburn game with my family’s business, Ben’s Soft Pretzels. I was stationed in Booth 34 when the rest of the workers came in ready to help. My cousin Kevy and Chloe had just started attending Autauga Academy and told our other cousin, Bear, that he should recruit some of his friends since we needed more workers. So Bear brought along his friends — Jake, Garrett, and Mason — to work the game.The moment Jake walked into the booth, I noticed he was a cutie. After the game, Kevy and I had to ride back with Bear, and in his car were Jake, Mason, and Garrett. On the way home, we stopped at a gas station for snacks and a restroom break. At first, I wasn’t going to get out, but then I saw Jake get out, and I thought, this is my chance.We both ended up waiting to “use the restroom,” and I took the opportunity. I said, “Hey, do you have Snapchat?” He said yes, and I asked, “Can I have yours?” He agreed… but then didn’t add me back until about a month later. (I know, right? What a loser.)We started talking on Snapchat here and there. At the time, he was attending Autauga Academy, and I was at Prattville High School. He came to some of my soccer games, I went to some of his, and we were in that “talking stage”… kinda sorta.Then came one of the times we hung out — and my phone broke. Like, shattered. I couldn’t talk to him for three months because it was the second time I had broken it, and my dad said I’d have to pay for the next repair. (And he stuck to it.)When I finally got my phone fixed, I snapped Jake and said, “Hey, sorry I haven’t been talking to you — my phone was broken.” His response? “Yeah, okay.” He told me he thought I was funny, but he just wanted to be friends. So, friends we were. He still came to my soccer games, I went to his, I met his family at his all-star game, and we worked at Ben’s together through the rest of my junior year.That summer, we talked a little but not a lot. Then came my senior year, and I transferred to Autauga Academy. By then, I had zero interest in dating Jake because we hadn’t been talking much. Then I got into a relationship with another guy… and Jake got jealous. Oh, he got jelly.When that relationship didn’t work out, Jake swooped back in, and we started talking again. It was October 2022, and homecoming was coming up. Jake asked me to go with him, and I said yes. That night, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes again — officially starting our relationship on October 15, 2022.From there, we spent the rest of my senior year together. I graduated, took some time off, and joined the military in December 2023, while Jake finished his senior year. It was hard to miss that time with him, but he supported me every step of the way.After graduation, Jake began rookie school to become a firefighter. We talked a lot about our future and knew without a doubt we wanted to spend forever together. On March 22, 2025, Jake proposed, and I said yes!Now we’re engaged, counting down the days until we say “I do.” I love him with all of my heart, and I’m so excited for our future.Moral of the story: I made the first move… so technically, I’m the boss. (Just kidding.)