How We Met
Jarret and I met all because he had a HUGE crush on my best friend, Jillian. It began in 2010 on a rainy summer night while we were both in high school. The freshness of school being out was still new and exciting and that buzz was in the air. Jarrett had agreed to help Jillian “study” for the SAT at a coffee shop on our town square. Jillian told me that they were there and I should stop by if I was near. And I was. I was finishing up rehearsal at my dance studio next door. I show up sweaty and drenched from the rain thinking that I’m just going to hang out with my BFF and her random friend. Boy, was I wrong. As we got to talking, I realized that something was happening. This guy was not like any other guy I had ever met. Yes, I was only 17 and he was only 16 but there was something there. I said some sarcastic thing to him, testing to see if he could take it, and he gave it right back to me. That’s when I knew this cute, slightly nerdy, funny guy was the one for me.
A few weeks later, he asked if I wanted to go grab lunch before I left town for 6 weeks for a ballet summer intensive. I said yes and we went to a pizza place on the Square. Both of us acted super casual about this get together but we both found out later that we were a bundle of nerves. This innocent meal did not start as a date but as it went on it defiantly turned into our first date.
Through the years, the Square became an important place to us. I had grown up taking dance lessons there and he had grown up living 5 minutes away. It was where we had our first date. It was where we had our first kiss. It’s been our rendezvous point in our mostly long-distance relationship. It has been the spot of many talks and walks. It was where he knew he was going to propose to me after we first started dating. It is where we designed and bought my ring. After 7 years, the plan he planned so long ago became a reality.
how they asked
It was my birthday weekend and Jarrett was coming into town from Medical School and I was super excited because we hadn’t seen each other in a couple of weeks. As we do every year, we made plans to get dressed up to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary by going to our favorite fancy restaurant. As the weekend got closer, Jarrett tells me my sister and my best friend, Abby, will be in town. “Weird”, I thought but then I was excited that everyone was going to be in the same place. I decided to take off work so I could fully enjoy the fun weekend ahead. I’m a Director of the dance studio I grew up at and after work we all met up for lunch on the Square. Jarrett told me that my Mom was going to bring her nice camera to the Square to take pictures of us before we head to our big dinner. “Normal” I thought, as we do this before our anniversary dinner each year. To prepare for the dinner, Abby and I had a mani-pedi scheduled. As we were about to pay Abby says “Oh by the way, Jarrett already paid for this!” I thought “Oh how sweet, for my birthday!”. (I learn later that he scheduled the appointment a month earlier) So Jarrett calls me and says you should go get ready so we can make it on time. I noticed he seemed a little anxious but I know he doesn’t like to be late. So I go and get ready and meet him where we had our first kiss, 7 years ago.
We were taking pictures in the Square’s park and then Jarrett takes both of my hands and looks directly in my eyes and says “I have something that I have been wanting to ask you for a very long time”. I knew then what was about to happen and started to cry. I heard the words he said but could not process them and I only felt the love he has for me as he was talking.
He got down on one knee and I backed away from him trying to take in what was happening. He had to ask me twice because I could not believe this moment had finally come. I am not even sure today, if I actually said the word “yes” or just nodded because there were so many happy tears. After he put the ring on me and we kissed and hugged, he then turned me around and both of our families had watched the entire proposal. I was so surprised. I cried even more happy tears. Then he turned me to the other side of the Square and all my dance students and colleagues were cheering and clapping from the studio. Even more tears! And then as we walked to hug our family, I noticed something. On the theater’s marquee in lights it said, “Gray, Will you Marry Me? Love, Jarrett”. I turned to him and could not believe it and just started crying again.
I am so happy that I got to say yes to the man of my dreams surrounded by the people who mean the most to us in such a special place. It was a dream come true.
