In the fall of 2005 I started my junior/senior year of college. I was getting over a series of bad relationships and was looking forward to enjoying college life and doing typical college things: partying, all night Halo tournaments, partying, procrastinating all course work, and oh, more partying. My sister went to the same small private college as I did so eventually we started to hang out with the same groups of people. One particular group became the regular Saturday night party group at the same off-campus apartment. Our friend Dy went to school with us, but most of the people that came to the parties were friends of hers from high school. Jimmy happened to be one of those friends. I don't remember the first time I met him, and I don't remember any specific times we talked or interacted. To me he was just another acquaintance who had a tendency of walking home without telling anyone he was leaving when he got bored of being there. He was attending a local community college so he was at many of the weekend parties. After a year my sister Alison and I officially became part of the gang and I considered Jimmy to be a friend. Not a close one, but a friend.
Part of the gang on a typical weekend... Jimmy's not even in this picture.
The summer went by and I didn't see many friends from college since I was getting ready for my student teaching semester that was coming up in the fall. Two of our friends purchased a condo over the summer and the gang would get together every once in a while, so Jimmy and I would see each other there. When school started I had so much to handle that I rarely got out. If I did take a night to see everyone I'd bring along papers to grade so I wasn't socializing much. About 2 months into the semester I started to be able to handle the work load and go out more often.
The first weekend of October, 2006 I got a call from my friend Luis. Jimmy's 21st birthday was coming up that weekend and wanted to know if I could come out with Anthony, Jimmy, and him to bars in the city. Most of Jimmy's other friends were still under 21 and I was the only girl her knew who wasn't underage. I guess they thought it'd be weird to go out with a bunch of guys to drink and dance. I went out with them and drank and danced and had a great time with the guys. As we stood outside at the end of the night waiting for a cab back to Anthony's apartment Jimmy couldn't stand without assistance any longer and hugged/leaned on me for balance. That hugging turned into him "resting" his hands on my butt. Anthony thought I would slap him but to his surprise I let Jimmy be. This was the moment I learned the Jimmy was attracted to me.
October is also the month of my birthday, so when my roommate Megan from the WDW College Program came to visit from Detroit, I decided to take her out with the gang to the same Chicago bars we'd been to for Jimmy's birthday. The same fun ensued, but late into the night Megan and her friend decided to head back to their hotel room. She said I should stay out with the guys and meet up with her later the next day. After a few more hours out we all went back to Anthony's apartment to sleep before I had to get back to Megan and they were tailgating a Bears game. The mix of a great night and all the liquid courage I enjoyed that night lead to our first kiss on the floor of Anthony's apartment in the city.
Jimmy and I the night of our first kiss.
Over the next few weeks Jimmy and I continued to go out to the city with friends for birthdays. We'd dance mainly with each other, and towards the end of the night would usually be holding hands, to the surprise of our friends who had no idea either of us had feelings for one another. We'd chat online regularly, and eventually Jimmy asked me on a date. We went to a movie and then out for drinks. I remember thinking after we said good night that Jimmy was different from any guy I had ever dated. He wanted to call me and see me. He didn't care what people thought about us. He just cared about me. We became an official couple when Jimmy called me his girlfriend to a friend of ours. I remember looking at him thinking, "I didn't even realize we were seriously dating." But I went with it and never looked back.
Over the past almost 3 years we've done a lot. Vacations together and apart, graduations, meeting each other's families, holidays, and all that other fun stuff that goes along with being in a relationship.
New Years 2007
St. Patrick's Day 2007
Summer 2007
New Years 2008
Walt Disney World 2008
Walt Disney World 2008
Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in Chicago 2008
January 2009
Dominican Republic July 2009
I think it's a little odd how much the beginning of our relationship revolved around going out to the city. Neither Jimmy nor I like to go clubbing, and we rarely will make a trip to the city together these days. It probably had to do with everyone turning 21 that year, but if we hadn't had those nights in Chicago, we may not be together today.
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