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PHOTO Bree Soule

The story of my first love begins when we were young. I was 6 years old playing in my Nana’s backyard with my older brother and uncle (who is only a few years older than my brother). We were playing a fighting game with sticks when a basketball rolled into her backyard. Following the basketball came two boys who looked my age. Little did I know one of them would end up being one of the most important people in my life. His name was Lucas, and boy did I have the biggest crush from the moment he walked into my life.

My uncle introduced us and I learned he was exactly my age, only a couple months older actually. I thought he was cute but wanted to play it cool so in my little 6-year-old mind, that meant continuing to play with sticks. After meeting we started hanging out one-on-one. How it happened? I have absolutely no idea. It was like once we met, we immediately clicked and just became best friends. 

I had a lot of friends in elementary school, but he was my best friend. We did almost everything together. Less than six months later, my Nana moved out and my family moved into her old house. I was his neighbor now. Being his neighbor only made our bond grow stronger because I was at his house everyday. His family became my second family and I was always loved and wanted over there— especially by him. I would come over and stay the night at his house; he even let me steal his room to sleep in. 

As the years went on, our relationship just felt more and more like bliss. We were each other’s best friends, each other’s safe spaces, protectors, motivators. One time I got jealous of him spending more time with my brother and uncle and made a 16 wishes sheet like the movie Debby Ryan starred in. One wish on the sheet included: “I wish I could have Lucas all to myself.” Unfortunately for me I dropped the sheet on the ground and didn’t notice. Then guess who picked it up? My uncle and brother. I have been permanently scarred for the rest of my life to say the least. I ran downstairs bawling and Lucas followed and comforted me. He gave me the list and just sat there near me while I cried. I told him to leave me alone like my young dramatic self, but he stayed.

I was just a kid and in love with this man, who no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake. Everyone could see it. I was asked about it by my own family so many times but always denied it. His family would always say I was going to be their future daughter or granddaughter-in-law. I found out years later that he had a crush on me too the entire time and was actually very protective of me. 

We started “dating” in the fourth grade. I was the happiest girl alive. I was dating THE Lucas Bois. I thought so highly of him even though we had known each other so well for years. But the bliss ended up crashing down once I moved away. The summer after fourth grade, my mom told me we were moving to Fenton. I found out when the moving truck was in our driveway on the last day of school. I walked to his house crying and when I got there, I said goodbye to his family, but he wasn’t home. I never got to tell him goodbye.

Although I moved, we still cared about each other a lot. We still texted sometimes and checked in on each other frequently, but it wasn’t like it used to be. We would have periods of time where we talked constantly before our different lives just drifted us apart again, and that cycle was on repeat for a few years. Up until the ninth grade.

It was New Year’s Eve 2018. I had been talking to him on and off for a couple of months prior, but that is the day that everything changed. We talked all night and then all morning the next day. And that’s how it’s stayed ever since that day. On Feb. 6, 2019, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I, of course, said yes considering I’ve been in love with the man since I was six. At this point I had known him for eight years and it was like we were never apart. We clicked and still do click so well together and I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend. 

He was my first love when we were young, and he’s my current love now. The first day we saw each other again in person is the day I got my first kiss. Who would’ve thought my childhood crush would be my first kiss years later. My friend Lauren likes to call my relationship a “stupid fairtayle relationship,” jokingly, of course. For the first year and a half of our relationship, we had to do long distance because he still lived in a different area. This was a very hard time for us and we had to figure out how to make it work considering we couldn’t drive. I was so excited when he told me he was moving to Fenton, and now we’re the happiest we’ve ever been.

Just last week we celebrated our three year anniversary and I’m so proud to be able to say he is mine. I know it’s cheesy, but I believe in fate, soulmates and love at first sight. He’s been all of that to me and so much more. We started off as childhood best friends and crushes, and we’ve become inseparable as boyfriend and girlfriend. 12 years ago I met my best friend, three years ago I got to call him mine for good. For our second Christmas together he got me a promise ring with the promise to marry me one day.

I know we’re young, but it doesn’t matter. He was my first love and my soulmate. Most people don’t get to meet their soulmates in high school, let alone when they’re six. He loves me more than anything and even though you’ve only heard my side of the story, his is just as crazy and “lovey” as mine. 

We’ve had our ups and downs in our relationship, but we’ve been able to work everything out because of how much we love and care about each other. We have what other people see as our flaws— but our relationship is perfect in my eyes and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. He’s my first love, and he promised to be my last.