Zack and I knew each other when we were younger. To him, I was Dylan's sister, but for me, he was a nerdy kid who was entertaining to be around. He liked to show off his guitar hero skills, and they were mad impressive, at least to me (I am terrible at guitar hero).
Fast forward, we part ways. We grow up, I move back home from Tennessee my sophomore year of high school. My mom mentions that Zack might be asking me to his junior prom. I didn’t believe her because he hadn’t spoken even a word to me, and I told her such. Literally the same day, he asks to hang out. We went bowling and played games at the arcade. Later, he asks me to prom with a cheesy poster using candy bars to fill in the sentence.
After asking me, I was still on the fence, but we continued to spend more time together. Zack was this cheesy, funny little man, and it was so much fun spending time with him. It also helped that I already knew his dad, so spending time at his house was like going home to family. I became very close with both Zack and his dad in a very short time, making spending time with them a whole lot more fun.
Continuing on, close to graduation time for me, I get my acceptance letter from S&T, which was super terrifying, but Zack was there when I opened the email. I hadn’t been away from family at all, so having to move to Rolla was super scary. Zack and I had to endure lots of long distance time, but a short year later, he also came to S&T. We got to watch each other continue to grow and be there for each other for all the hard decisions and classes (*cough* English *Cough*).
We go on one last spring break vacation with our close friends Jordan and Lauren. We all saved to go to Disney World. They all wanted to go to the beach our first day there. I was hesitant because I DREAD the beach. But I ain’t no Debby downer, so I agreed to go. This is where Zack decided to propose. He caught me completely off guard, considering I was wearing his flamingo sweatpants, a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, and my red converse. It was super surprising, and Zack was shaking like a leaf.
Later on, we graduate, and I have to move back to my hometown, and Zack has to leave for his big boy job. His schedule caused us to face yet another batch of long distance. It still does. But we are there for each other through the difficult distance, hard decisions, and huge growth.
I have been lucky to spend these almost 8 years with the man I can call my best friend, as cliche as that sounds.

Per Zack’s request, he asked me to fill his portion with quotes I have kept of him over the past 7 years.

May 12, 2017
“ this game is called reformers. Is it like transformers, but with birth defects?”

May 20, 2017
Zack: You okay?
Taryn: Yeah.
Zack: Don’t be.

June 26, 2017
“I’m not a gentleman. Because I’m not gentle, or a man.”

July 4, 2018
Zack hatching an egg in the game Ark:
“I’ve never been a mother before, I don’t know what to do.”

July 22, 2018
Taryn: Love me
Zack: I almost threw up

November 8, 2019
“I. Am. Inedible.”

November 28, 2019
Taryn can’t park under tree because it drips sap:
“why don’t you just move the tree, hun?”

April 10, 2020
Taryn: Zack, name two letters
Zack: Twelve

March 26, 2022
“I just want to be tased!”

August 31, 2022
“Don’t make me fight you right now. Don’t make me cap your kneecap”

January 11, 2023
“I’m a canary, I need stuff”

April 18, 2023
“it’s uncanning how much they look alike”

February 12, 2024
“‘what’s it like to be rich’ he asks as I’m sitting on a TV stand”

April 15, 2023
Zack: how do you spell seal? Like a seal on something?
Taryn: S-e-a-l?
Zack: isn’t that like a seal? Ouw ouw?
Taryn: they’re spelled the same

April 18, 2024
“Foliage! I knew it sounded like cleavage. Ahh foliage, the breasts of Mother Nature”

April 25, 2024
Zack sleep talking: “daddy’s home. We need to talk”