Love Story?

Well, I was tagged by Kaili, so here it is. Just a note of interest before I start.. it is 9:53pm, I should be in bed. But, here goes..

It was October 8th, 1999. I know because it was my Mom's birthday. And that meant that it was Luke's birthday and that is how the story all starts. Luke and I sang in the Children's Choir together and met up again at UCC (now TRU, for those of you that care), in first year Biology. In second year, he was in my Organic Chemistry lab and so I begged him to be my lab partner (sorry Luke). So, he was nice enough to say yes. On that day, October 8th, I had made a card for Luke because it was his birthday (I know that because it's my Mom's too.. already said that). The card was hand-drawn by me, featuring Luke blowing up our Organic Lab (I thought it was funny.. but maybe not. Anyhow, I was walking out of the gym at school and I saw Luke and this tall blonde guy walking up the stairs. I'm excited about the card so I called out to them and handed it to Luke.
Luke says, "Elizabeth, this is my friend, Justin" I took one look at him and knew we were going to get married. The End.






Just kidding. I had you there, didn't I (Like I said, I should be asleep right now)? Ayhow.. the story.
We were introduced and exchanged pleasantries, discovering we were, indeed, in the same Physics class, as well as Organic Chemistry. Justin + Luke = super smart, so you gotta see my connection here, by the way.
So, that was that. As time went on, Justin and I sat together in Physics class, sometimes. We laughed at our teacher and listened to "Blue" on my discman. Yes, I was really cool, okay?! I mean, hey, I played on the University basketball team!
So, we were friends. He was smart (so was I, for what it's worth) and we sometimes talked about life outside of school. I invited him and Luke to my 19th birthday party. They didn't come (I don't think I noticed at the time...., not for the reason you think, though... I was too busy moping).
Anyhow (man, I suck at telling stories when I am tired), I had a boyfriend and Justin and I were friends. We walked to class together and joked about me feeling dumb around him, as I pushed and walked into a door that you are supposed to pull to open!! I'm a genius, I tell you. J and I studied together and sometimes worked on labs and assignments. Second semester started and now we were in Organic Chemistry, Physics and the same Organic Lab. We exchanged phone numbers purely for school purposes.
My basketball team won Provincials and went to Nationals in my second year. Even though I had a boyfriend (and he was at Provincials), the only guy I wanted to talk to and be excited with, was Justin. Still, at this point, I'm clueless that I am falling for this guy. Upon my return from Nationals school was intense. We were given a killer take-home exam in Organic Chemistry. Luke, Justin and I arranged to meet on a weekend and work on our exam, together. I remember calling J and talking to him about meeting up to work and there was some girl in the background that he had a crush on. So, I asked if that was the girl he liked... yadda yadda. Anyhow, I was a little jealous, despite the fact that I HAD a boyfriend, at the time. Well, it just so happened that my car broke the day before we were supposed to meet to work on the assignment, so Justin came to pick me up (in his parents' car, the same car we drive now). He showed up at the same time as my friend Ryan, who was coming to look at my car, for me. J introduced himself to my friend, they shook hands, and they got down under my car to check it out. "Man," I thought, "This guy is super nice." After they told me my car sucks and the clutch was dead, we headed off to work. We went to a local coffee shop to meet Luke. As we were working through our assignment, the conversation turned to social lives. He inquired how my relationship with so-and-so was? My response... bllllleleeeaaahhh, I don't want to talk about it. Umm.. what kind of response is that? Up until that moment, I don't think that I had really realized that I was unhappy.
We continued to work and then we decided to take a break and get a hot chocolate. I had just enough to get a hot choc, but Justin said that he would pay. I insisted that I could buy it myself, but he said "No, ELizabeth, I want to buy it fo ryou." Those words stuck in my brain... which is now thinking..."This guy is nice, sincere, smart, funny.. what the heck? Why can't I have a guy like him?"
Luke showed up for a little bit, then ran off to meet Marlene (now his wife). ;) big grin!
Anyhow, we finished the assignment and shortly after, I broke off my relationship. After doing so, I got home and e-mailed Justin some bizarre e-mail (all of my early e-mails to him were bizarre...) about having just become single. He called very shortly after, to check if I was okay. Yes. I definitely was.
A few days later, I had a dinner for my bball team. When I got home, I called J. At this point, there were a lot of e-mail exchanges and phone calls. I was interested in going to see Erin Brockovitch, but "I wondered who I could convince to go with me, seeing that it was the late show?" Justin fell into my trap (haha, yeah right). He agreed to go with me, so I drove to his place. (It's funny to think that I drove past the houses where I live, right now)
I met his family and Kristin said "Oh, you're the Liz that he said he had to call when he solved the chemistry problem"
"Yes, I am and Yes, I love you for saying that he talked about me."
At this point, I totally have a crush on Justin but HE HAS NO CLUE!!! So, we went to the movie, enjoyed ourselves and returned to my car at his house. We talked outside, under the streetlight, for a looong time. I really wanted to kiss him, but didn't.
We kept talking: phone and e-mails. Another night, we arranged to go to a party together (not a date) and then to the bar (soo romantic, I know). The party was fun. I met some of his friends. When we went to the bar it was very awkward. All my team was there and my crew, but I was with a guy they didn't know... (not introduced yet, but they knew about this guy I had been crushing on). Then, my ex walked in. Well, Justin picked up on my attitude right away and so we decided to leave. We went for a drive (again, in our car, hehe). We drove up Rose Hill and decided to park and get out to sit on a wooden gate. We sat and talked for a while. Then....
J: Can I ask you something?
E:(heart punding) Yes, what?
J: Well, I seem to be getting some signals.
E: (well, duh!!!!! like flashing lights saying, I like you, ask me out?!!!) what kind of signals? (I'm so coy, aren't I?)
J: Well, signals that, maybe, you might, kind of, like me.
E: Oh. Well, yeah. (smooth, Elizabeth, smoooooth!)
J: Well, you do?
E: Yeah
J: Well, do you want to be my girlfriend? (so sweet, isn't he?)
E: Well, do you want me to be? (what the heck kind of response is that? Am I an idiot?)
J: Yeah
E:Okay

And... That. was. it. We were boyfriend/girlfriend. A few weeks later, we knew that we would be together forever and that there was no other person that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives. I'd like to point out, right now, that I did much better than Justin in the classes that we took together. I think that he might have been a little distracted trying to study with me, from that point on. Ha! That, and he started a full-time job, as well as school...

We said we would date for two years before getting engaged. Pretty much every second, after our two year anniversary, I thought that he was going to pop the question. We were (finally) engaged on December 24th, 2002 (at Christmas Eve service in front of everyone, and yes, I had no idea that it was coming, and yes the church and hall were booked and the deposit paid) and married on August 16, 2003. It was a fantastic day! Every day since.. pretty much fantastic, too.
(and blogger won't let me post pictures, sorry)
*edited to add* I just read the story to Justin and he said that I remembered it all wrong and that it wasn't until the next day, when we went for a hike and I tucked my pants into my socks because I'm scared of ticks, that we decided to be boyfriend/girlfriend because his siblings wanted to know "what" I "was". Obviously, a little soft in the memory. Oh well. I'm all mush when it comes to Justin, anyhow... g'night (now 10:48pm, I'm going to bed)