Kyle and Alex met one another, out of all places, in a Crunch Fitness in Norman, Oklahoma. Both had had their heart’s broken previously in the summer and were not actively looking for love. The two worked together during morning shifts and it became quickly apparent that both had similar drives and mindsets. In short, Kyle and Alex are overachievers :)

They competed with each other in sales and tasks and talked endlessly about learning, exercising, and wellness in general. While the gym was slow and work ebbed by, they began to open up to one another about love and life. A friendship grew between the two as well as a mutual respect for one another. Months went by of heavy belly laughs and long conversations, until OU/TX rapidly approached.

Alex came into Crunch the evening before leaving for OU/TX in Dallas to get a spray tan alongside her sister, Maci. She did her best to describe to Maci (who had never sprayed at Crunch before) what she needed to do while Alex tried not to be distracted by Kyle, who was training just a short distance away. Maci, inevitably, came out of the spray booth looking a little more tan on one side than the other. Alex, dismayed that Kyle—who was also driving to OU/TX the next day—had not come over to ask her on a date night in Dallas, quickly rushed the both of them out the door.

Oh, but Maci. She was having a full-on, Friends-sized, meltdown. Alex, at first, embarrassed, did not want to turn the car around; but, for the love of her baby sister, she did. Alex sent Maci to rinse off in the gym shower and awkwardly stood by the front desk. Then, she noticed Kyle running over to her.

It turns out, Kyle was nervous too. He wanted to ask her out, but could not work up the nerve in time earlier. As soon as he saw Alex walk back inside, he didn’t hesitate.

The two talked through text and Snapchat back and forth until OU beat Texas later the following night. Both football fans were excited to celebrate and see each other dressed up and out of gym clothes. That night, Alex had the pleasure of meeting Kyle’s childhood best friend and now best man, Dylan Martin. Alex’s friends hung out with Kyle’s friends while the two of them danced the night away in a random Dallas nightclub. And just like that, the veil of friendship was lifted.

Love bloomed feverishly where a beautiful, honest, and open friendship had been planted. Before the two went on their first date (neither considered OU/TX an official date since it was a group activity) Alex took Kyle to meet her best friend and dog, Willow, who hated most men she met. Willow immediately ran up to Kyle and flopped over for a belly rub. Alex’s jaw dropped. When Kyle didn’t move fast enough—according to Willow—Willow woo’ed at him fervently in husky until she got her belly rub. Willow was in love with Kyle from that moment on…like, infatuated. It’s safe to say, Alex knew she was safe with Kyle. In a way, Willow chose him.

They had planned a night at the OKC Amusement Park, Frontier City. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned. It was freezing outside and Kyle did not pack a jacket…instead, a paper-thin pullover. The payment to get in was well above what two students should have paid for, but neither of them spoke up about their hesitancy. Kyle and Alex walked inside to find out all the rides had been closed down and each “haunted house” was an additional charge to walk through. Upset that the amusement park was lacking the adrenaline-surging rides she wanted, Alex tried to keep her head up. Then, Kyle spotted that the ferris wheel was open. The two of them climbed on ONLY to absolutely freeze to death and laugh the entire time about how romantic it had seemed before they made the horrible decision to hop on board.

They left the amusement park after that, but Kyle refused to let the night end on a sour note. He somehow found last minute, amazing seats at an OKC Thunder game. The two were so happy nestled into warm seats with their giant game-sized Coors Lights that they actually took a picture to commemorate the moment forever.

It was the first selfie in what would become a lifetime of selfies together.