"Gelo"

Kiana Dacanay // 9C // cn: 10 

Gelo is a smart person. He helps other people in need and has a soft heart. We were both young when I first saw him. I tripped and he caught me in his arms. He smiled at me and that was it. I was a goner. He had those eyes that twinkle and I fell for him... hard. We instantly became the best of friends. He eats with me every lunch time and we talk about lots of things. One day, I told him about this guy I had a crush on but that was only because I tried to get a reaction out of him. I planned on telling him at the end of our sophomore year.  He just smiled at me and said "It's about time!" I was so heartbroken. 

The next year, I left to go to America and after two years, I went back. I went to Starbucks in ATC and I saw him. Him in a white party shirt, peach shorts and boat shoes. I wasn't ready because I just wore some jeans I randomly got and a blue shirt. I openly stared at him but he never noticed me and that was when I saw a skimpy girl clinging to his arms. She was in short shorts and a spaghetti strap that showed her belly button. She had really thick make up which I didn't like. I noticed that Gelo had an annoyed expression and was looking like he didn't want to be seen with the girl. The girl just scowled at him, which made her uglier, and left while swaying her hips. Gelo looked around and his eyes landed on me and suddenly, his whole face lit up and he walked to my seat in a flash and had me wrapped around his arms. I was still in shock that I didn't see him let go of me and I didn't realize that he'd said my name three times. I smiled at him, for real, because I missed him after all these years. I told him about everything he missed while I was in U.S. I told him about the first kiss I had with a guy named Sloan. It was a dare and it really meant nothing but I saw his face fall a little. It was a barely noticeable action but in that split second, I saw it. It gave me hope that maybe he actually liked me. I tried the reaction game again and told him about this guy that asked me to prom and he became my boyfriend and that was when I saw it. Jelousy dancing in his eyes and I stopped talking. I asked him, "Did you ever have a girlfriend since I left?" I crossed my fingers from under the table. "No," he said "I've been waiting for this girl that left me two years ago."

Three years of dating and it was our third year anniversary. He brought me to a fancy restaurant and we sat down. We talked and ate and had so much fun. At the end of the night, we were walking along this sidewalk and I saw him kneel down. He said, " After three years of dating, two years of not having your presence beside me and a year of friendship, I would like to ask you, will you marry me?" I screamed. Really loud and said, "Yes!"

May 13, 2023. The day of our wedding. We were both 22 years old so it is obviously okay for us to be married. We never had sexual intercourse before and he never got married when I left. We were both baptized by the Catholic Church and he isn't a priest nor am I a nun. He isn't related to me in any way and has never killed anyone. More importantly, he didn't force me into this marriage and so we were allowed to get married. We got married in St. James and it was a really great experience that I will remember.

He finally told me that the day he caught me was his love at first sight. The years of friendship we had was torturous for all he wanted was for him to hold my hand anytime he wanted. When I told him about the crush I had, he told me that it killed him trying to hide the hurt behind the smile he gave me. He didn't like seeing me with someone other than him even though it was just as friends. The skimpy girl with him was the girl that followed him everywhere right after high school because she was obsessed with him but after three months, she finally left him alone. Our relationship may not be perfect, we may have fights and we may shout at each other, but that's the way we want it to be because why else are you even married?