How We Met: A Spanish Class Novela

On the first day of junior year, I walked into Mrs. Gonzalez's fifth-period Spanish class hype as hell. This was my last class of the day so that meant I could go home early. I was a bit of a nerd and had taken a bunch of honors and college prep courses so by the time I was a junior I was only two classes away from graduation. This could have easily been my senior year.

Although I had the option of graduating early, I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to leave my friends behind, start college or think about adulting. All I wanted to do was spend my senior year with friends. Be able to go to prom, go on a senior trip and live it out the way I watched it on 90210 or Dawson's Creek minus the sophisticated language. Lol

I don't regret the decision I made because that was the day we met…

The Awkward-Ness Of It All

As I stood at the door, scanning the room for an open desk I see Devin, a friend of mine talking to a really cute boy. He was tall, his skin was like mocha, and he had an impressive mustache. Whoever Devin was talking to I wanted to meet, he was totally my type.

I approached Devin's desk ready to say hi when Mr. tall, dark, and handsome, says "Hey how was your summer"? My confusion must have been written on my face because he casually reminds me that we met the previous year. I say Ooooo you're Ron, TYSON'S friend…

SUPER awkward since Tyson was my ex-boyfriend.

You can say we violated the "Bro code" but it wasn't as scandalous as it sounds. Keep in mind we were 16, Tyson moved to another state, and the definition of a boyfriend for me at the time was someone I could talk to on the phone or hang out with at school. Mami wasn't trying to hear anything about a BOYFRIEND taking me on dates.

Once we got past the awkwardness of meeting each other for the second time, we quickly became friends. We eventually exchanged phone numbers for a school project Mrs. Gonzalez made us partners on.

Working on that project is where I'd say our love started to grow. Our conversations went past school work and we were always laughing. We found out we both love food, video games, and Soca music. We allowed each other to be ourselves. Our conversations on the phone would last for hours at a time. Like $400 dollars worth!

Now that's a story for another time but let's just say we thought his minutes were free after 9 pm!

Mrs. Gonzalez also noticed that we liked each other A LOT because she started scolding us in class. Ron thought he was a comedian and would always crack jokes that would make me laugh. Mrs. Gonzalez would always call ME out for laughing and being a distraction. But what else are you supposed to do when someone says something funny? She would often say do I have to separate you two?

Where Are They Now?

Fast forward 20 years later Ron and I are still together and happily married for the last 6 years. He's my spirit partner and we just get each other. Friends and family often joke around and call us "goals" and cute but we didn't get to be what others compliment without putting in work. We are the furthest from perfect but we made a commitment to face all challenges together good, bad, and ugly.

As I wrote this I wondered two things:

1. Would things have played out the same if I'd chosen to graduate early? Not because I didn't think we would make it but sometimes we forget that decisions we make no matter how small they may seem can change everything.

2. If Mrs. Gonzalez knew we would get married one day?

Either way, I love the way we met and everything we built along the way!

If you enjoyed this story then check out my other articles @deliapg