Young Love

So this is a post I could drag on for hours and hours but I will try to keep it short. This is the post about how I met my handsome boyfriend, O.J.

It was just after I had turned 13, and my cousin Megan had invited my dad and I to witness her baptism. She was living at our grandmother's house at the time in Pacifica, in the same house our mothers grew up in. Being young, we didn't want to hang out with the 'old farts', so we decided we wanted to go for a walk.

As we walked down the street, we ran into two of her friends from school, Kevin and David. She told them that we wanted to go to the park and would be there shortly after we ate. They said they would come and asked if they could bring O.J. along. Megan said sure and we parted ways.

After eating, Megan, her brother Jordan and I all headed to the park and that's where it all started. He looked so dang cute! And he was shy which made him that much cuter. We introduced ourselves and then decided to play a game... you guessed it, Tag. And who was on my team? You guessed it, O.J. He was so cute, the way he would try to protect me from getting tagged and we would hide together under the bridge or something. The way he tried to protect me from getting tagged was just the cutest thing ever to me. We hid under a little castle-like part of the playground and I can still remember the smile he gave me. After a few more hours we realized we had to get ready for Megan's baptism and knew we had to get going. We invited all three boys to come with us to watch Megan get dunked and they said they would come.

We picked the boys up on our way to the church, and O.J. sat next to me in the car. We talked, and flirted and really just enjoyed each other's company the whole way there. Once we got there, it was picture time. Everyone in attendance posed for a picture and we just had a blast. Before the ceremony, one of the Young Women's leaders walked up to me and asked if I knew the song I am a child of God and of course I did, so she asked if I would sing with the Young Women because they were kind of low in numbers. I accepted and then we were ready to get the party started. As the ceremony began, we took our seats and O.J. just happened to take the one next to me. When it was time to sing, I got up, and sang my little heart out, and the entire time I was singing, I just couldn't take my eyes off of him.

From there, Megan and Jordan were baptized, and shortly after, we all broke for refreshments. O.J. followed me around like a little puppy dog, and when I told him I needed to find a drinking fountain, he offered to follow, which I didn't mind. At the water fountain, I sipped the cool liquid as he shyly asked if I wanted to keep in contact with him. I blushed, nearly chocked on some water, and smiled the biggest smile my face could possibly hold and said yes. He asked for my email address and handed me a pen. I had nothing to write on, so he pulled up his long sleeve, and offered his arm as a sheet of paper. I scribbled down my address and then we slowly started walking back to the rest of the festivities. I was detained briefly by someone I knew and he walked back into the room to find David and Kevin. As I walked into the room shortly after, I saw the three of them huddled over in the corner, all staring at his exposed arm, and when he caught my eye, he quickly covered it, hoping I wouldn't notice.... But I did.... And that was the moment, I knew, that this young man at the time, would always have a place in my heart and in my life.

As my dad rushed me out of the room so we could make the three hour car ride home, I quickly said goodbye to my family, and new friends and started walking to the door where our rickety old Volks Wagen bus was waiting for us. But when I turned to O.J. to give him a hug goodbye, we didn't hug right away. He started walking with me to the door, where we stopped, hugged, promised to stay in contact, and parted ways. But as that old bus pulled away from the church parking lot, I turned one last time to see him smiling and waving at me, all the way until we were out of sight.

It was dark as we drove home, and I usually sleep whenever I lay down in the back of a bus.... well I usually sleep when in a moving vehicle, but for some reason, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see his smiling face staring back at me, with his braces hanging out and his eyes squinted. I never forgot that face. And I know I never will.

I love my boyfriend, with all my heart. We have some fantastic memories, and some that are not so great. But I know that is how a relationship works, and I know that we can make it through anything. He is my knight in shining armor as well as my prince charming. And nothing will ever change that.