Our Story
Sometimes things just work out amazingly...
At the Beginning
Back When Fazoli's Had Paninis With Seeds on the Bottom of the Bun
Victoria's P.O.V.
May 27, 2007
This was our first non-official date. Keelan and I had been talking for a while on the computer. We'd been in art class together in eighth grade, but had gone to different high schools not too far across town from each other. He'd actually been asking me to hang out for some time, and I just kept making excuses (a couple of which were actually real!).
Then finally one day I just said yes. Of course, I made sure to schedule things while it was still daylight. I mean, I hadn't seen this guy in a few years; something at night probably would have been a bit awkward (and would have freaked me out).
We met up at Fazoli's for an early dinner. Imagine my surprise when I pull up in the parking lot and there's a guy next to me watching me freak out over my car's RPMs! :) Then we went inside and, without any prompting, he paid for both of us.
I now feel it somewhat necessary to mention that he was wearing a semi-casual suit... and tennis shoes. I think about this day every time he does it :) It's such a ridiculously adorable (and humorous) thing, yet so practical, because dress shoes HURT!
After sitting and talking for a while, we went to go see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Throughout the movie I sat there silently going "Wow, Orlando Bloom is so hot! ... I hope he doesn't notice me staring at Orlando... Why isn't he moving? Is he asleep or just bored senseless?"
After the movie was slightly awkward. I wasn't sure if I should hug him, give him a kiss on the cheek, or just say "See ya!" and take off. I mentioned this to him, and we went in for a hug. It was, to be honest, a weird hug since we were both kind of unsure of how to go about it.
After I drove home that night he asked me out again for the very next day. I was so surprised and pretty excited. I mean, here was a smart guy I could talk about anything and everything, and he had a sense of humor and the most adorable dimples, AND he wanted to hang out again!
The next night (May 28) we went to Godfather's for dinner to split a pizza. It amazes me whenever I think about it, because I definitely had braces at the time. That didn't matter to him, though, apparently. We spent hours talking and laughing.
June 2, 2007
I was actually visiting my uncle in Florida on this day, but that certainly didn't stop him from asking me out. Then we made jokes about Facebook making our relationship "official."
He's been by my side ever since, through thick and thin. I couldn't (and wouldn't) ask for anyone better.
Besides, how many other guys do you know who would wear a suit and tennis shoes? :)
There's a First Time for Everything
Do It or Lose a Foot
Victoria's P.O.V.
I don't remember the exact date. It's written down somewhere...
I just thought I'd mention this, because it's one of my favorite memories from when we first started dating :)
One evening, probably in July (our 1 month? or for my birthday?), I was in Keelan's driveway in the Mustang with the engine started and the window rolled down. Quite frankly, I was getting annoyed at him because it had been at least a month and he'd made NO move to kiss me! Grr...
I was about to start backing out of the driveway when I stopped and looked at him. In a very serious voice I said:
"If you don't kiss me I'm going to run over your foot."
And that was that.
Looking back in my old journal entries I see that he actually HAD tried to kiss me at one point before that, but I turned him down because we were in front of my house. It was broad daylight and I think my garage was open. I can only imagine what my dad would've done if he saw that...
That First December
... That Certainly Wasn't an Appropriate Response...
Victoria's P.O.V.
December 22, 2007
School had just gotten out for Christmas Break and BOY was I ready to exchange presents! Do you have any idea just how annoying it is when people go "Oh, wait til you see what I got you!" and "Oh, you're going to love your gift!" ???
Well, *I* have an idea, and i just about smacked Keelan in the mouth after he kepy doing it!
We decided to exchange gifts on the 22nd of December. We were in his room watching Lord of the Rings (probably The Two Towers or whatever it's called) and making jokes about Orlando. This was the Christmas he gave me everything but the kitchen sink...
He said something, I don't remember what, and it just really irked me. So everytime he moved closer to me I would move farther away until I was on the floor by the door. Then he had the nerve to tell me "If you don't come back over here you won't get your present!" Hardy har har >__>
Gradually I moved back over in front of the screen. Next thing I know he's grinning in my face like he just did THE most amazing thing ever. I looked at him, and then looked back at the screen. He kept staring so I looked back at him and then I think I looked back at the screen again. Then I looked at him again and realized he's holding something. I looked at what he was holding and realize it was a ring box. My response?
"Oh, sh*t."
Very appropriate, huh? :)
And the December After That
"Saaaaaanta Claus is Coming to Town!"
Victoria's P.O.V.
December 22, 2008
Like the year before, I went over to Keelan's house and we did our gift exchange there. I was super excited because, let me tell you, I think I had a pretty awesome gift. You know those giant remote control cars that they sell at Target in either Corvettes or Mustangs? I got him one of the 'vettes.
Of course, that's nothing in comparison to his gift for me. He made me a scrapbook of our entire relationship up to that point, including (but not limited to!) when he went to my choir concerts (including show choir and my choir's symphony performance), tickets stubs, pictures we'd taken, envelopes I'd sent him letters in, pictures I'd colored for him and left little notes on tissues and any spare paper I could find last minute...
I cried. I cried a LOT. Which is ironic because on one page was a quick note I wrote him on a tissue (hey, it's paper!), and he wrote "Anyone have a tissue?"
And to think, his parents were in on the secret. At least his dad was.
But I still had my "secret weapon."
A 14K yellow-gold 4mm half-round men's band.
...
He knew I got him a ring because I had him try it on at one point to guarantee that the sizing was comfortable, but he didn't know what it looked like or when he'd get it.
And that night marked the beginning of our official engagement.
... Although strangely enough our stuff has a tendency to become "official" on Facebook before we tell people...
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December 23, 2008
I told my dad that morning. I made sure to do it RIGHT before he left for work... That didn't exactly go over too well. He just looked at me, said we'd talk later, and kept going.
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December 25, 2008 (or the day after)
I told some of my aunts. I already knew the reactions I'd get.
The third aunt I told (the last two I mention here are the first two I told) kept going "Engaged in what? No, you're not... no, you're not."
One actually asked me multiple times if I was joking. She then proceeded to tell me that my ring was pretty but her 30-something-year-old daughter's engagement ring cost a few paychecks, and that her daughter went to pick out her engagement ring with her (now) husband. Oh, and that I should've had a diamond.
One aunt, who already knew, ignored the conversation because she doesn't like interracial relationships. But that's ok; to each her own.
Yet ANOTHER aunt joined in the joking about how a diamond is what you need to get engaged. I discovered later that she wasn't actually serious, but it hurt like hell...
And then everyone kept going, "Where's he work? Are you going to stay in school? His grades don't matter; getting a full ride in college says nothing about what kind of person he is. You ARE planning on having a job, right? You know, things happen and if something happens to him you need to be able to take care of yourself!"
...
What a (not-so-)happily ever after...
But things have been getting better.
