My Love

I met Her at a Christmas concert in high school.

Actually I met Her during set up. Somehow I got dragged into setting up for the Christmas concert again that year. I wasn't even in the orchestra that year but I had volunteered to help out in the percussion section. Inevitably, I got guilted into setting the stage the night before the concert. I had been in orchestra the last two years so I knew what was in store. There would be a lot of moving heavy, dirty risers and instruments across the length of the school for hours. Everyone involved would be tired and sweaty and grumpy and then once we were almost done, someone would make us rearrange everything for the third time. It wasn't something I was looking forward to.

I walked onto the stage, resenting the evening that lay ahead. I went to greet an acquaintance. He was talking to girl I had never seen before. She must have been an underclassman but She didn't look it. Something about Her pulled me in. It could have been Her grey-green eyes or adorable dimples (I'm a sucker for dimples) but something captured my attention and wouldn't let it go. I introduced myself and She did the same. She was easy to talk with and I could tease Her like I'd known Her for years. I stayed with Her the rest of the night. We sort of ditched the group and went back to the music room where I tried to impress Her by playing the piano. I don't think it worked. She left shortly after but I thought about Her all night.

The next day I passed Her after practically every class. I was dumbfounded that I had never seen Her before. I thought maybe She was going out of Her way to cross paths but I'm sure She wasn't. We'd exchange flirty glances every time we passed and I couldn't stop thinking about Her during classes. I wasn't sure I wanted to get romantically involved, especially with someone two years younger than me. In high school, two years difference might as well have been twenty. I didn't like the stigma that went with dating between grades, but it was hard to forget Her. After seeing Her on and off for about two months, I finally asked Her to go steady with me and She agreed. Why it took two months for me to muster up the courage, I don’t know. We’ve been seeing each other for about two years now and I’ve loved every second I get with Her.

I don't believe in destiny, I think it’s a load of shit, but I do look back at the events that brought me to Her and I feel damn lucky. I wasn’t supposed to be there that night setting up. I wasn’t even in that class. I had considered not even going, but for some reason I went and I’m so glad I did. What a mistake it would have been if I hadn’t. It’s not the most romantic, fairy-tale story but it’s our story and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

To Her: I Love You and I’ll never stop.

-Me, The Romantic