Clarissa and Zachary

After grade school, Zachary and I went to different high schools. We saw each other during church, but didn’t have any contact besides that. In college I decided to sign up for AOL Instant Messenger and started instant messaging Zachary. He guessed who I was on the first try, and we continued messaging throughout college. Halfway through the summer after my senior year, Zachary and I started hanging out even more. One time we went to the Osseo outdoor movie, another time to Olive Garden, and to the 2008 Opus company picnic. He started paying whenever we got together, and I started getting suspicious…

One Sunday during church we decided to go to a movie and get drinks (so Chelsea and Ben couldn’t come). On August 14, 2009, we went to the Cladaugh for beers and then to the AMC to watch “The Dark Knight.” I had an idea that Zachary liked me, but wasn’t sure. Earlier that night I had decided to “check” and see if he liked me. While we were watching the movie, I leaned on the armrest of the theater seat to see if he would stay where he was or if he would move away. We sat with our shoulders together, whispering different thoughts throughout the movie. At the end of the movie, we stayed to watch the credits. There was a point in time when we were looking at each other and neither of us were talking… Then I looked away, and we decided to leave.

I drove Zachary home that night and when we stopped in his driveway.  He asked, “did I miss an opportunity in the theater?” I hadn’t quite heard what he said so I asked “what?” He quickly said, “nevermind” and opened the door to leave. What he said registered, and I said “wait!” We spent a little time talking and decided that it was worth chancing our friendship and start dating. Right before Zachary got out of the car, he kissed me on the cheek, and I drove home smiling.