For this week's article, I wanted to share the story of how I fell in love. One of the best parts about telling it is that I can use words that I've written from years ago, when it all started, because of my journals. Those words are the ones you'll be seeing in quotes throughout. I know that everyone experiences feelings of love differently, but here's how mine began.

It started in November, junior year of high school. That is, November was the first time something happened between him and me that made me write it down in a diary.

“So, on the bus, there’s this kid named Nick who is a freshman with spiky, silver/blonde hair. And he is the only boy who lets me off the bus first. As in I sit behind him, we’ll both be ready to go, and he will motion with his hand for me to go before him.

“Now, he’d always done this, but until yesterday, I’d never asked why. But I wondered, because we’ll look at each other before getting in the aisle, me waiting for him (since he should go before me) and him waiting for me. And what happened yesterday was a quick exchange while getting off the bus. It went like this:

“He did the motion thing and I looked at him like he was crazy. Then I shook my head, went on before him, and laughed a little. Since he was behind me, I turned my head and said, ‘Why do you do that?’ He replied, ‘It’s called being polite.’”

That was that for several months. Brief exchanges on the bus between him, his friend, and me. I always thought he was cute, but I held back from trying to have a real conversation with him. I don’t know if anyone else is like me, but when I’m interested in someone, I can hold onto that interest for a pretty long time. So, zoom all the way to March.

“Anyway, it’s nearly midnight. I’m texting Nick. Yes, Nick. My bus guy, Nick. Nick T, who is moving away.”

That’s what was going to happen. I had been talking to my best friend about how I wanted to get to know him, but he was going to be moving several states away in April. She told me to go for it, because what did I have to lose? So, I did.Soon afterwards, when I got on the bus, I saw that his friend wasn’t there to sit by him yet. So I jacked his friend’s seat, consequentially plopping down right onto his book. I sprang back up and grabbed it, blushing. I apologized, and couldn’t stop smiling. He looked surprised, but he grinned easily and I felt like we’d have a lot to talk about.

And we did, funnily enough looking back on it, have a handful of rushed conversations during our bus rides home. Until one day, I told him I wanted him to come play laser tag with me and a group of friends. And that day, I got his number. That day, that night, we texted things I can’t even remember.

But what followed our exchange of numbers, and our trip to play laser tag, were walks. Walks in our figure eight shaped neighborhood that we would take after school, for hours upon end. I tried to convince him I should walk closer to the car side of the road, and he would never let me. We’d talk about all the things we thought mattered enough to share, finding countless similarities that we’ve continued to bond over in all our years together.

By the time it was April, we were dreading his leaving. And we didn’t even know what we were. We weren’t dating, but to leave each others thoughts was impossible. During the final moments we’d have together, we stood outside my house. The spring evening was warm and the sun was setting, his cue to leave. We hugged next to the roses, their scent wafting through the air. I’d never had my first kiss, but as we embraced, I turned my head towards his face. I felt him doing the same. That was when we both had our first kiss. A warmth that makes me glow just to recall it.

Our story wasn’t over with those last goodbyes. And now, with fortune’s favor and the feelings we’ve shared, there truly isn’t an “over” in sight.

So, that's my love story. It's my personal favorite, but I hope you enjoyed reading it as well!