"We met. We fell in love. I proposed."- This was all Lorenzo said he planned to say (So, if his story isn't quite the TMI you were looking for, I hope my story is able to help).
Our paths first crossed while attending UCF for undergraduate degrees. Our respective Greek organizations came together to throw a pool party for the summer session in 2012 and as the heads of the event, the two of us worked closely to make sure it was a success.
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I must have made somewhat of a lasting impression in those early days. All is know is even after my jokes (that only I seemed to find funny) and my amazing rendition of Emma Stone singing Pocket Full of Sunshine in Easy A, he was not driven away. Nope... Lorenzo kept texting me even after the event was done. Eventually, he asked me out on what he insisted was not a date...I don't care how much he denies it to this day, you guys...it was definitely a date! Anyways, it was the best "not a date" I had ever had. But...it wasn't our time just yet. He stayed in contact over the years, occasionally sending friendly texts to see how I was doing.. but I was a TERRIBLE texter those days and didn't always respond.
It wasn't until Fall 2015, that my endless Facebook scrolling would lead me to one of his posts. I noticed that he had just returned from a trip to Los Angeles, and as fate would have it, I had an upcoming trip to LA (Look at God). So, I decided to reach out and asked if he had any suggestions of things I should do. He gave me a list and suggested we get together when I got back to talk about our trips. I jokingly replied, "I would say it's a date, but I know you are sensitive about that word." He laughed and said, "it's a date", and I have been his pocket full of sunshine ever since.
Just short of 2 years full of travels/trials/laughs/I love yous later, Lorenzo proposed March 17, 2018 on Malibu Beach. Now, we are getting married and starting our lives together in the very same place that resulted in our first "Lorenzo approved" date. I cannot wait to spend forever with my best friend!
Since Keisha is covering the UCF backstory, I’ll spare you the repeat and fast forward to the first time I realized I really liked her… like REALLY, really liked her. Let’s journey back to NYE 2015:
For some weird reason I was set on going out of town for New Years in 2015. I had no solid plans for a location or with anyone in particular, but I just knew I wanted to take a trip. Around late Nov/early Dec, I tossed Keisha the idea of going to New Orleans for NYE and to my surprise she said yes. I was both excited and apprehensive about the trip – Excited because I had never been to NOLA and back then my parents were less likely to shut me down if I’m traveling with someone vs traveling alone… But, on the other hand, sheesh! We had only been getting to know each other for a couple of months, and now we were going to be spending every waking hour together? But it was already out there so all I could do was hope for the best…or at least for it not to be super awkward.
For those who haven’t been, New Orleans is one of the most fun cities in the country – the food, the culture, the music, the people. All of this was the backdrop for Keisha and I’s biggest date yet. On that trip, I realized that I could spend every waking moment with her and feel just as happy and excited and alive if we were driving ATV’s on dirt roads in FL, or giving in to gluttony as we feast on chargrilled oysters on a bar stool in Acme Oyster House, or just taking Sir Duke Wellington III on a long walk in the park. You remember a lot of special moments in the beginnings of a relationship, and that trip was the most special to me. That was the trip that planted the seed for Keisha to not only become my girlfriend, but also my best-friend.
I know some of you are saying (enter name – “Ren”, “Zo”, “Lorenzo”, “bruh”, *“Poolooh”), what the heck does that story have to do with anything? You didn’t even say an “I love you” in that story. And, this is true. Because I didn’t love her at this point (at least I didn’t know it yet). That was just a key moment at the beginning of our really weird and special relationship that comes equip with a bit of our own language (one courtesy of NOLA). But more importantly, it is an anecdote showing one of the many reasons why I can honestly say that I’m marrying my best friend.. Someone that I prayed for, but never truly knew could have existed.. My Soulmate, My Forever Plus One, My Sure Thing, and soon to be My Wife.
Oh, and shout out to the random Uber driver that tried to throw me under the bus on the way back to the airport…while I was getting you a tip from the ATM! Like who does that, man?!
*Yes, that’s a real nickname. Thanks Mom and Dad <3
**If you want to know about the NYE 2015 NOLA Uber driver story, ask Keisha. She’s better at telling it than me. Just know I was upset that I tipped that man smh.