Our story began in the most unassuming way, nestled in the third row of a high school production graphics class, where our seats were assigned alphabetically. Michael wishes our tale had a more dazzling beginning, but I've always loved the happenstance that brought us together.

On that first day of our sophomore year, there we were, separated by just one seat, in what would become the most unforgettable class of my high school experience. As the days passed, our seats became a stage for an unlikely quartet of friends, and I found myself drawn to the charming blonde boy two seats away. When the class shifted to photography, the universe played its hand. Our classmate who sat between us was absent, and Michael and I were paired together. Thus began our adventure—exploring parks, roaming the school, and capturing the most wonderfully terrible photos.

Though my intrigue for Michael grew with each passing day, it wasn’t until a fateful afternoon by the creek behind our school that I realized I was in deep. Balancing on a rock to snap a dramatic photo of the water, I stumbled, and Michael caught me in a moment that felt like something out of a fairy tale. It's a memory Michael famously doesn’t recall, but for me, it was spellbinding. Later that week, mustering all my courage, I asked him to homecoming with a photo of a poster I had secretly prepared. It was the bravest thing I have ever done.

Registry