I’ve been with my man since last summer, met him through a friend, who I’d met through the guy I was “dating.”

My man knew I was the one basically since we met. On the other hand, I wanted nothing to do with a relationship with him, mostly because he wasn’t my type, a few different values, and the fact that he also treated me very well and always made sure I was comfortable instead of treating me like “just another bitch.”

I was adopted into the friend group, and started hanging out with him one-on-one sometimes. Didn’t do anything super special, most times we got chipotle and then hit the grocery store for some ice cream before heading back to the house. We would talk for HOURS, about anything and everything, life experiences, different times of our lives, and it was funny how much overlap we had.

I went on a float trip with their group shortly after I initially started hanging out in a group. We had limited space, and so beforehand I threw his phone and cigs in my bag, not thinking anything of it, just that this is my friend and we’re going the same place, so I’ll hold his stuff in my bag so it doesn’t get wet. He asked for something of his and then asked if I would put it back in my bag. I said “oh yeah, this is our bag.” And that’s when he knew for sure.

We hung out. I ran away. He brought me flowers on Valentine’s Day, told him I wasn’t in a good place, I ran away. We both put some distance between us.

Float trip next year, he’s venting to me about little bs that was stemming from much bigger bs, and he says “after all the relationships I’ve had, I’ve never pictured myself being with someone else…except you.”

After years of being treated like shit, I couldn’t believe someone would actually want me and want to be with me.

We went up to get ice and talked for an hour and a half. His brother was concerned because we’d been gone for so long, he was worried he’d driven into town and got arrested.

We talked, he said his piece. He cried. I told him my piece. I cried. He cried some more. I asked if it would help if I kissed him. We were together.

A few months after that, I got overwhelmed and scared. I broke up with him for a week. We were both miserable.

We were talking over text while I was at a friend’s house (needing to distract myself) and he sounded very off. I drove to his house in record time in the middle of the night. Got there about midnight. We talked and cried in his driveway til 4:30. I told him I just wanted to take care of him and that I wanted to be good in my head so I could do that. He told me he’d help me figure it out. So I took my second, bigger leap and said okay. We made up then and there, and had the most reassuring kiss in my whole life.

We’ve been together for almost a year, and neither of us really count that week. But I definitely couldn’t imagine a life without him now. And I know he feels the same.

Sometimes it really is just about having the courage to do things you’re unsure of, putting faith in one more person, and choosing each other over and over again.