A Love Story: How It Started
I’m not claiming to know much of anything, but I will say this: You will know your person is your person when goofing around is at the forefront of your relationship!
Imagine being told you have an incurable disease that you’ll need to manage for the rest of your life on top of suffering lifelong injuries and then less than a year later your (at the time soon-to-be) husband is diagnosed with metastasized thyroid cancer two weeks before your wedding…
Hi, welcome to our story!
Yes, you read ALL of that correctly! Two, 26 year old, kids facing obstacles we never imagined would ever cross our paths. But that’s life’s motto isn’t it?
Expect the unexpected. *insert nervous laughter*
That’s also Big Brothers’ motto, but I digress!
Spoiler Alert:
We got married as planned! Some had advised us to postpone, but with the help of our angels on this earth we were able to push through!
I think it’s time for a little backstory on my husband and I- we met freshman year (2008) in high school. Louis played football and I was a cheerleader. We absolutely highly disliked (*hated*) each other believe it or not. I thought he was a player, he thought I was full of myself and boy were we wrong about each other!
Fast forward to 2009 winter break of our sophomore year, apparently Louis SWEARS this happened and I have no recollection... But on New Year’s Eve when the clock struck midnight, I DO remember sending a mass text of “Happy New Year!” to everyone in my phone. Apparently, Louis was one of those numbers and he swears that when we received the text message- a light bulb went off and he started thinking about ME. haha
Low and behold the next semester starts and we have Spanish class together with our mutual best friend (yes we shared the same bestie despite our feelings towards each other) which caught me by surprise and to be honest I wasn’t happy about it.
Mind you, I didn’t know he had softened his heart towards me and I still didn’t like him or his cocky attitude. But a week or two into January I got a call from my friend saying and I quote, “Don’t hate me, I gave Louis your number…”
WHAT?!!
Why in the world would she share my number with him.
Why did Louis want my number?!
An hour later I got a text from Louis saying and I once again quote,
“Hey, it’s Louis. Do we have any Spanish homework?”
Knowing damn well we didn’t have any! I’ll never forget how “smooth” he must’ve thought he was being, when I sharply replied,
“No.”
He oh so “smoothly” responded with,
“Oh ok. So what’s up?”
Kids that’s the og example of sliding into someone’s dm’s! I didn’t respond. #savage
This is a prime example of how shooting your shot could absolutely work out for you in the end! So message that non-toxic person! Don’t be afraid of rejection!
For whatever reason... we’ll no, we know the reason- fate.
It was pure fate.
Somehow, someway, I actually got butterflies talking to him. He asked me on a date to dinner and a movie. I remember being so excited I asked my mom if I could go- naturally she was hesitant, but decided to let me go on one condition- she dropped me off and got to meet him first! I thought it was so embarrassing, but now I understand the method behind the madness and I’m here for it.
Important to note, the day of the date- my grandparents and Titi were in town visiting! So naturally I took Titi and Nana to the mall to help me shop for the perfect first date outfit! Of course, Titi being the fashionista she is- she was brutally honest! I ended up wearing shorts, a nice tank top, and thin cardigan! #2010fashun
First date went great conversation wise! I won him over with my Jersey Shore accent impersonation and somehow, he won me over by not making a dinner reservation on a Saturday night in Naples at a high traffic restaurant…
That lil mistake actually gave us time to just sit with each other and talk. Honestly that was the first time we had to learn to roll with the punches and adjust to whatever life threw at us. Looking back, it was the very first time that, we as a unit, learned to make lemonade out of lemons!
We forwent dinner and just talked until the movie. Which we went to see Lovely Bones- not a romantic movie whatsoever, but we didn’t care the movie was great! And I’m a sucker for Mark Wahlberg and a good thriller.
Afterwards my dad and brother were waiting in the car and his parents weren’t there to pick him up yet so I waited with him. And you better believe Louis went in for a kiss…
and was smoothly denied!
Wasn’t about to kiss him on the first date, no way bucko!
FUN FACT
Titi + her late husband, Uncle Joe, went to see Psycho in theaters for their first date! So maybe seeing horror/thriller movies is some sort of secret? Idk idk.
We continued flirting, talking, going on dates, and the more time we spent together we would want more. More time together.. at just 16 years old. Little did we know, we’d be where we are now.
11 years together, 1 year married.
We’ve been each other’s rock through the most traumatic events. We’ve had ups and downs.
Believe me love is WORK! It isn’t always easy! But it’s been oh so worth it.
There’s a lot of details and story left to be told, but this is the first glimpse of how hatred turned into love and commitment.
This is our story. A story of two fighters. Two survivors- who are destined for each other.
This is a story about love.
Thanks for reading! More about our love story to come!
All my love,
Arose