I'd be lying if I said that all that time ago, I wasn't disappointed that my best friend found a job where we wouldn't be working together. What I didn't realize back then however, is that this would be the single best thing that could've happened to me. She mentioned more than a few times that I needed to meet the emo guy she met at her new job because he was always playing the same music as me, and it wasn't too long before she met me outside one day with a post-it note containing his phone number. I couldn't have anticipated how many things we would come to find that we had in common. It went much beyond the music, spanning many of our interests and values, and it wasn't long before the intrigue was enough to warrant an official meeting. It was everything I could have hoped for and more. We started our short adventure at Starbucks (where I quickly learned that he didn't like coffee), and we grabbed our drinks and headed off to a used bookstore to piddle about and make conversation. What stuck with me the most after the first store was that I could be talking about anything and he listened so intently. I talked about books I'd read, explained a few interesting stories from Greek mythology, and laughed at some silly Harry Potter socks they were selling and he was engaged through all of it. After some time, we made our way into a Kohl's in the same shopping center and he told some stories of his own. I think we must have spent more time there that day than anywhere else, not because it was particularly interesting, but because the conversation was worthwhile and because their bathroom was incredibly hard to find. It wasn't long before we both had places to be, but I came to realize when we were saying goodbye that I didn't want it to end, a phenomena that only became more common each time we had to leave each other. After that, I hoped there would be many more adventures to come and I can't be more happy now that we'll be sharing the rest of our adventures.

Picture this, A cool summers day, the wind whispers through the trees as eyes lock and become lost in a moment. No... that's absolutely not how it happened. First of all, its Texas, its hot as hell, and secondly, I was at work; and there are defiantly no trees. Anyways, it was just another day at work, when this tiny red clown car drifts into the parking-lot. Jenna, (an associate I had recently befriended) stated claim that these were her friends. As they approach, Jenna went to take everyone's order. I, making the orders notice that they had just been to the mall as a few of them had gotten brand new Build-a-Bear Pokemon. One of the girls approach the window a second time, Jenna was busy making an order. I go to help Jenna's friend. I will never forget that these were the first words Marina ever said to me. She walks up and says to me, "Tell Jenna we're eating at Ihop tonight". A truly romantic thing to commit to memory, I know, but this is what she said. Jenna's friends take off and I ask her about the Build-a-Bears, not even about her friends, and Jenna without looking at me says, "My friend is single". The rest of the work day was utterly ridiculous, and at the end of it, I wrote my number on a sticky note. I don't know how, but she agreed to meet up in person and hang out. It was at her place of work... Starbucks, a truly strategic move on her part, as I hate coffee, and I couldn't try any funny business being in the enemy territory. After Starbucks, we pointed our way to Half Priced Books. Wandering around was so fun, I poked fun when I could, but I mostly listened to her talk because I was so incredibly nervous. We ended up at Kohls, racing around to find literally any sign of a bathroom. Kohls is like Macy's for the people that don't wany to go to the mall, but want to be just as confused and lost. She apparently did learn from the first time that I'm weird, but she just kept wanting to hang out. We waited every week for our days off to match up, and we'd spend that whole time together. Furthermore, ladies and gentle people of the Jerry, I am the happiest I've been. I hope the odds be ever in our favor and that the force be with us.