How I Met the Love of My Life

What did your life revolve around when you were twenty years old? Mine? I pretty much only cared about getting drunk and having fun. So, it would only make sense that Mike and I met at a friend's party.
It was the middle of July 2003. My best friend, Tianna, invited me to her boyfriend, Tommy's, house for a small party after their weekly softball game. I had just gotten back from my very first trip to Hawaii with my mom & brother, and had the corn rows to prove it. So, I was tan & excited to meet a new boy. I didn't particularly care which boy, just so long as he was cute & sweet and a great kisser. That's who I was at 20, completely shallow.
Anyway, I walk up to Tommy's apartment and there is a group of my friends smoking on the front patio. We all say high in the usual just-out-of-teenage way. There's hugging, laughing and of course, flirting. Someone asked me how Hawaii was, and that started me on one of my infamous rants about how much I loved it.
That's when this guy in a hat, who I hadn't noticed until that moment, turned to me and said, "You just got back from Hawaii?" All of the sarcastic remarks that came to my mouth, fell at the sight of his eyes. Man, he's got great eyes.
So, instead of saying something like, "Are you new?" I just kind of stuttered, "Uh, yeah?".
"Cool!" He said, all non-challant, "I'm from Oahu." At which point he grinned. Oh man! I was gone. I honestly had no idea what I was in for. I just thought he'd be great to make out with. So, in the time it took us to have a cigarette and casually discuss the island of Mauai with the rest of our friends, I decided that this guy was off limts to the rest of the party.
When I finally went inside, I imediately told Tianna that I wanted him. Yes, that's how we viewed guys back then, like they were Christmas presents. And I knew Tianna would always help me get the perfect present.
For the rest of the night, I simply focused on showing him my best flirting skills. But, man, he's a thick one. At one point, Tianna even sent the two of us on a beer run together just to give us some alone time. Did I mention that she was a master at getting me whatever I wanted? Well, it finally took me pretending not to know how to play Texas Holdem' for him to get the hint. Don't get me wrong, he was flirting the whole night, but he was holding back. I finally put it on full force. I was leaning in close and whispering in his ear to help me play my hand. And suddenly, it clicked. By the time we finished the hand, I was practically sitting on his lap and he had invited Tianna and me to a party as his house in San Jose the following weekend.
Since twenty year olds can't afford to live in the nicest places, Mike walked Tiana and me to my car. I still get a kick out of how he tried to kiss me as I got in. I had stood there for almost a full minute waiting and as I turned to get in, he leaned in and kissed my neck. Tianna and I giggled about it the whole way back to my house.

Of course we went to his party the following weekend, but that's a whole different story...