Fifteen Years and We're Thirty-One

Never in my life did I think I would fall in love and still be in love with a boy at only the age of fifteen. Home is where the heart is. And they are not wrong. Love is full of hard work, dedication, and much compromise. But, it was hard to really learn when you were only a teenager.

We have seen the bad and good and the great accomplishments of each other.

I met Tyler in Spanish class in our freshman year of high school. May it add that it was our very first day of high school? After our teacher was going over introductions and what was expected of us. The next thing he did was pair us with people sitting next to each other. Once the teacher paired us and walked away to pair the next group of students, Tyler and I turned to each other and in his goofy way greeted me with his hand out, “Hi, I’m Tyler!” Being polite as I could, I took his hand and shook it, also greeting him. However, that’s not really what I thought. I actually thought, ‘Oh, God. This kid is not going to survive here.’

Tyler and I attended different school districts until high school. He attended a private, catholic school that ran all the way from Pre-K until eighth grade. I went to public schools - elementary that ran from Pre-K to fifth grade and moved to a new district from sixth grade to graduation.

Sometime after the first month, it was only later we discovered we were in RUSH, or Recent US History, for short. There have been moments our RUSH teacher would have us work on certain worksheets or projects and instructed us to work with partners. Tyler and I have remained the same partners from that point on until the school year was done.

One day, while we were working on a sheet, Tyler and I were conversing about a worksheet and trying to figure out the answer. Like in a cheesy rom-com film, Tyler and I looked each other straight in the eyes. It may have only been a slight second, but to me, it felt like an eternity. His blue eyes, bright and full of light stared into mine. I was expecting the director to say “Cut!” so Tyler and I can force away our gaze. But, we didn’t hear anyone. Once our gaze broke apart without any assistance, there was something there, something I couldn’t really explain. Sure, I had boyfriends, but with Tyler, there was something more.

Time passed and it was a typical school day. Or, at least, I thought it was. It was only a week before we graduated our freshmen year of high school. A friend, we’ll call her “Cary” approached us and said hi. She paused for a moment and looked at Tyler and said, “Oh, wait! Aren’t you the one dating Jess?” We will call her Jess. I couldn’t believe the words that came out of her mouth and went into my ears. Tyler wouldn’t have done that. He wouldn’t date a girl behind my back and not tell me… right? I turned to him and he only shook his head and responded, “Don’t ask.” And walked away.

I didn’t speak to him for the rest of the year. It was just only weeks. Weeks before the summer break. How could I possibly enjoy it now?

Cary apologized and explained that she thought I knew. It wasn’t her fault. But, why didn’t anyone tell me? Why didn’t he tell me? It was at that moment I knew that I was in love with Tyler.

The rest of the day didn’t make it any better.

I saw him again at the end of the day and I didn’t have the pride to speak to him. I was still upset. I was trying to hold my tears in. But, my grandfather was picking me up from school, so I had to clean my face. I almost succeeded until Jess came into the bathroom. She spoke, “You okay? I heard from Cary that I stole your man.” I didn’t care if I went to jail or got expelled. I wanted to hit the living shit out of her. But, I had to hold my frustration in. I could only shake my head no while secretly trembling, my thumbs tucked away, wrapped by my fingers. She responded with a too-happy tone, “Okay, I wanted to make sure. I’m going to go be with your man then.” And she left the bathroom.

I didn’t want to have anything to do with Tyler. I felt cheated, even though we weren’t dating, but he was such a good friend and a nice guy. I have never seen someone with that kind of personality like him. What was so funny to me, was how he wore blue jeans that were appropriate length, his shirts were tucked in and he had a belt wrapped around his waist and he didn’t even wear collared polo t-shirts. They were just nice. He would wait for me outside my classroom so we could walk down the halls together, he held doors for me. Looking back at those moments back in the day, I was a little giddy with him. It was there I should’ve known, but it was hard to see it. Again, I had boyfriends, but the love for them was nothing like the love I have for Tyler.

God works in numerous and strange ways, that’s for sure. God knows when the good and the bad come into a person’s life. And what was so weird about it, is that He knew Tyler and I needed each other. Tyler and I didn’t know that back in.

I didn’t have anyways to get a hold of Tyler in the summer, not even an email address. Sure, I could’ve had Jess give it to me since they were dating, but I didn’t speak to her for the rest of the summer, either. I still blamed myself for not sticking up for myself. That was my very first lesson about a ‘backstabber’. It hurt so much and she didn’t even physically touch me. But, all summer, it was only Tyler I thought of.

Sophomore year came and I made it to my first few morning classes without seeing Tyler. Actually, there was no sign of Tyler. I should’ve let it go after the first month of summer, but being the stubborn person I am, for those that know me, you know whose daughter I am, I just for the life of me, could not let it go.

Of course, for an easy A, the next class I attended was Spanish II (and I’m a Spanish descendant). Everything seemed to be going fine as I sat down and watched to see who would be attending the class.

Tyler walked in the classroom. God must hate me, I thought to myself. I avoided talking to Tyler for a while, even though we were once again Spanish partners. It was only a few weeks until we just started to rekindle our friendship. And maybe that little flicker of love in my heart. Once we passed the frustration of everything, he told me he was no longer with Jess. The little light called hope shined again.

I wanted to test Tyler. I wanted to see if he wouldn’t lie to me. Not speaking to Jess directly, I did see her with another classmate. It was true.

I was interested to see how faithful Tyler was with me about keeping promises. I made a duet in Choir (which turned out to be a solo because the other person’s microphone was accidentally turned off) and I spoke to Tyler about it. He asked for the date and time because he wanted to be there. The last time my ex-boyfriend said that he didn’t come. Playing along and interested in what he was going to do, I told him. I also told Cary and a few other girls I was friends with that were in choir with me. They were going to keep an eye out for Tyler also and if he doesn’t show, they were going to let him have it.

I didn’t love Tyler then.

It was the night of the choir show. I and the rest of the choir members took our places before the curtain opens. Once it was showtime and the curtain revealed to us the audience, I looked all over for Tyler. I saw my parents (they have to take me because these concerts were part of a grade) with smiles on their faces. I gave a small wave, of course, but I needed to find him. No luck in finding him.

But, there he was. As promised. He was on the other side of the auditorium. My parents would normally sit around the same section, it didn’t occur to me to look at the other sections of the auditorium. He was right there and he stayed throughout the whole show.

I loved Tyler again.

Promise and hope and trust are such big factors in a relationship. Everyone seems to forget that within time. As being fifteen years old, I remember those factors.

Fast forward, it was the week of Thanksgiving. Around this time is when I learned about Tyler and his migraines caused by barometric weather pressure. I wanted Tyler to stay up to date with our assignments, so I decided to give him a call. The call to go over assignments and check in on how he was doing ended up being a discussion about video games, movies, and our family Thanksgiving traditions that lasted for two and a half hours long on the phone.

Once Tyler was ready to leave the phone due to being close to his dinner time, I ended the call by telling him, “I love you.” There was silence for a brief moment until he said, “I love you too.”

What the hell did I just say?

I wrote a letter, really telling Tyler my feelings and how I meant it, and that I wanted to be good to him. I told him not to give me an answer until the end of the day so he can decide what he wanted to do. Once the letter was written, I arrived at school and gave him the letter. I left him alone because I was too nervous and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. The ball was in his court.

2:35 pm and school was over for the day. I was at my locker, collecting my books when Tyler approached me. He felt the same way and he wanted to try to be with me. My heart flutter, and my mind was randomly playing Goodnight Sweet Possums from Ice Age: The Meltdown, specifically at the scene where Manny said he wanted to be with Ellie because he wants to, not because he had to. I felt like this was Tyler telling me that he wanted to be with me. I couldn’t contain myself anymore. That’s when I leaned forward and horribly missed Tyler’s lips by getting him in the corner.

That was fifteen years ago.

Now, we have been married for three years, we have a condo, a soon-to-be two-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi name Sherlock, and soon in the future will have our kids.

Tyler and I have seen the worst in me - I thought I might have to move with my mom to Texas for relocation for work due to General Motors' layoff. I thought I had to say goodbye to Tyler forever until I got sick with pneumonia that almost landed me in the hospital. Mom couldn’t take me away. My relationship was saved.

I have seen the worst in Tyler - he had to sacrifice time to talk or see me for school, even though he couldn’t get the GPA required for the Physical Therapy program. He had to drop out for the sake of not losing our relationship.

But, the opposite of that also happened. Tyler has seen the best in me - I am the first generation college graduate in the Administrative Professional program that allows me to work in any industry with administrative tasks. I am currently an Engineering Administrative Assistant and working on trying to get a novel out while trying to create short stories.

I have seen the best in him - he graduated with his Master’s degree in Library Sciences and as a Library Assistant, he is working with the public to help those gain basic working skills, such as hosting a computer class weekly from time to time.

Unfortunately, I have gained some enemies because I have my husband. Jealousy is our biggest enemy.

I’ve learned to fight my enemies because I have hope, trust, and promise with my husband and he has it with me. So much has happened and it’s pretty safe to say, another fifteen years are going to happen and more adventures will be on our way, and I can’t wait to see what it has in store for us.