You Had Me At.....

It will have been 8 years ago on June 8th. But I remember it like it was a week ago. To this day, we argue about which shirt you were wearing...the blue hawaiian or the orange hawaiian one. I KNOW it was the orange one. You insist it was blue. I have a better memory than you, so you should just accept it. It's kind of weird when I think of it now. I'm a bit anti-social now. Back then, the apartment that I lived in had a rotating door policy. People just kind of came and went as they pleased. Half the time they didn't even knock and it didn't bother me a bit. But I guess that's how it is when you're 19, single and have at least 3 - 8 friends at your home over every night. It was a Thursday. And Thursdays and Saturdays were our "clubbing" nights. Everyone knew to meet at my apartment and at EXACTLY 11 pm we would get in our cars and go out. We had a set schedule, and usually we had the same group of people that went with us. That night would be different. I'll never forget where I was standing when you walked through my front door. Two of our mutual friends had asked you to come along. They walked in the front door (without knocking of course) and I was standing by the kitchen when I saw them come in. You followed behind them and my stomach did some kind of weird flippity thing. (It still does it every time you come close to kiss me...every time you smile that smile of yours just for me...every time you tuck a piece of hair behind my ear...every time you say "I love you.") I remember asking, "Who IS that?" to someone close by. Then we were introduced. I'm sure I said something stupid. But I remember immediately thinking how polite you were...and how hot you were! That night, we had decided to all go out to eat before we went clubbing. The entire meal...I couldn't say a word. I couldn't eat. You were making everyone laugh...everything you said was smart, funny, nice...wonderfully you. One of the friends who had brought you along kept trying to get my attention during dinner. I realized I had been staring at you with my mouth open. And that I hadn't said a word. Literally. Which if anyone knew anything about me was completely bizarre. Our friend pulled me to the side and begged for my forgiveness. "For what?" I asked. He proceeded to apologize for bringing you to "our group" and "my home" without asking me first. He could tell I was "mad" because I wasn't speaking. I'm sure I turned 40 shades of purple. I assured him I was anything but mad. I do believe right then that the jig was up. He knew that you had made me flat out speechless. No one. No one had ever made me speechless in my lifetime. Then our well-meaning friend said something else that stunned me into silence. "But, Mary...I thought you refused to go out with short guys?" Say WHAT?!?!? I hadn't even noticed. I hadn't even noticed for even a moment that if we stood toe-to-toe that we were the exact same height. I had always sworn (loudly) that I would never EVER date anyone that was shorter than 6 inches taller than me. "Yeah well...screw that." I told him. (Of course, all of this conversation is taking place before I've even spoken 5 words to you!) After we ate, we went to the dance club. Normally...I would have been the first on the dance floor...but not this time. I was in awe of you. Not to mention completely self-concious. I slipped away from you for a while to dance with some friends when boom you were right behind me. I thought my heart would stop beating. Feeling you that near to me...I knew that I wanted you near to me always. They say that there's no such thing as love at first sight...maybe not. But my heart ached for you immediately. I had to walk away from you. I remember walking over to some tables and talking to my cousin. She also asked what was wrong. I remember exactly what I told her, "I love him." "WHO???" I pointed at you, and when I did you were looking right at me. I could have melted right there. She laughed it off, but I knew. I knew that I couldn't let that be the last night that I saw you. I walked past you another time and you were talking to two gorgeous girls. My heart fell. You stopped me as I walked by and introduced me to them as people you worked with. It amazed me that you would introduce me to people you worked with when you had just met me. So polite. It had amazed me that you had sat at our dinner table surrounded by 75% of people you didn't know and dominated the conversation and had everyone roaring with laughter and made everyone feel like they were they only one you were talking to. It amazed me how you danced with every girl in our group but didn't creep anyone out or flirt so much that made anyone feel like you were hitting on them. It amazed me that you made each person feel like you were their best friend. You stole my heart immediately. And it wasn't just because you were drop dead gorgeous in your ORANGE shirt (and you totally were.) And it wasn't just because you could dance like a sexy beast (and you could.) It was all of it. It was the way you walked in my front door and time slowed to a crawl. It was the way that I was comfortably speechless in your presence. It was the way that you made eye contact with me from across a crowded club and made me feel like I was the only one in the room.

And you picked me too. How did I get so lucky? Whoever knew that love could be this good?

8 years later I still get those flippity flips in my stomach every time you look at me. And I know you wore that damn orange shirt.

I love you.