OUR
Story
Her Side
I was working with JP's sister, Marshall, at a local boutique, the summer after my freshman year of college (2013). At the end of the summer, she mentioned her brother was heading to the Citadel for his first year. Living in Charleston, I had lots of friends who had already endured knob year and understood the tole it can take on people! So, as anyone from the South would do, I told her to let her brother know if he ever needed anything, not to hesitate reaching out.
If you know JP, you know it was only a matter of days before I had a random number texting me to have a conversation. A few months later, my birthday rolled around and I invited him to come to a party we were having at my apartment. That was the first night we met in person.
Being at the Citadel, he had no car, so he asked for a ride. (No, JP is not shy.) My girlfriends and I were at dinner, so we swung by after to pick him up before going back to the apartment for the party. He was waiting for us at the KFC/Taco Bell on Spring Street. We already had a Jeep Wrangler packed full with about 6 girls inside, so we told JP he had to get in the trunk. Again, if you know JP, you know he willingly jumped on in.
We remained friends for a few months and finally starting dating in March. The rest is history!
His Side
It all started in a trunk. Not just any trunk, a trunk of a Jeep Wrangler...in front of the KFC/Taco Bell, in downtown Charleston. You see, I was a knob at The Citadel at the time, and no situation was too weird for me by that point in my life. Anna had been so kind to invite me over whenever a group of friends were getting together. I had finally worked up the courage to go. The only thing was, I needed a ride. So, Anna and a few of her friends piled into her roomates Jeep to pick me up.
At this point, I had already chickend out before when Anna asked to hangout. Let's be honest, she was probably just trying to be nice to her friend/summer co-workes's brother. (Yes, Anna and my sister Marshall were friends first)
So now, I was ready to actually meet Anna in person and enjoy a short getaway from Citadel life for a night...until curfew, of course! Fast forward a little...no Anna and I did not start dating right away. First semester came to an end, Christmas flew by, and before I knew it, it was back to schoool for round two.
A little into the semester, Anna and I started to talk more, hang out more, and before we knew it, I was really starting to like this Anna girl. She probably still thought I was weird (probably still does to this day). Spring Break rolls around and we finally work in, what I still mark as our first "official" date and the beginning of the best adventure of my life.
I remember every aspect of that dinner. We went to Joe Pasta, in downtown Charleston. I remember what she wore, I remember how nervous I was, and I remmeber feeling like this girl was something different.
That grew into a relationship that has forever changed the way I view life, work, relationships, and other people. Remember me talking about an adventure? Our adventure did not start that night we ate some Italian food. Our adventure started the night my bald headed, uniformed self, climbed into the back of that Jeep. An adventure that carries on at lightening speed. Now it's time to see where it takes us. I am just glad I buckled in a long time ago.
