For the Win

Background:

I went to college two years early. I graduated high school early and I had taken AP classes. So by the time my best childhood friend was in college I was already finished with one degree and working on my second. I had went to an all girl school in Washington and never had a boyfriend.

Fast Forward to August 2008 and my friend got inducted into Vanderbilt's Frat system. I was excited for him. He was talking about his roommate was also in the same frat house. I heard so much about his roommate. I didn't get that pleasure since Edwin had grew up with me and my cousin Carolina who was in Sorority and also my roommate. Edwin raved about his roommate except his roommate got hot easily and had a fan going all the time. They seemed to do everything together. Edwin's Myspace was filled with pictures of the guy. I swear Edwin had a man crush on his roommate who was older. 

Sometimes I would get upset at something and drive to Nashville and meet Edwin to talk about my parent trouble. Unbelievable that my mother in Washington could cause me issues in Alabama, I mean really. I met his roommate and he was polite, and cute. Really cute but it's my best friend's roommate and sometimes are just better left alone.

Some of Edwin's friends were on the Vanderbilt baseball team and his roommate was a baseball manager. I decided that I would go up there for Spring Break instead of heading to the beach. I got know the roommate who would douse himself in water while it was so hot. The roommate hated that I taunted him that Alabama brought their 14 winning game streak to halt and it was because I was there. I kept stealing his cap and I still remember it smelling like sweat, Old Spice and wood. These boys ate P.F. Changs like it was nobody's business. Every meal they had consisted of something from P.F. Changs. Breakfast? Well eggs with honey chicken of course.

I liked Edwin's roommate too. I could handle Edwin having another friend in his life if it was this guy. The guy gave me a hoodie when one of their frat brothers threw up on my clothes. I still have that hoodie come to think of it. But that's beside the point.

There is reason I am telling you all this? Well because something brought to my attention last night. But before that wrote let's back up two months ago.

It's November 4th and I have just been dumped. I am in Disney World for Carolina's birthday and quite honestly I felt like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I cried through the night, but as the hours went on. I realized it was for the best. God gave me an opportunity to grow and I was going to take it. I quickly called Disney about the trip coming in December and told them to take the names off of the list that I would call back with either new names or just delete the spaces all together. 

A couple days later while I'm still in Disney World I got a text from my friend in Tuscaloosa, Genevieve. She said she hated to ask me this but that her cousin was wanting to go to Disney World with his daughter but didn't want to just have a room with him and her by themselves. She asked if I minded. At first I was like "what the heck I don't know your cousin." Then she said the magic words... "You know him, he is Edwin's friend from Vandy." The cute manager of the baseball team and Edwin's roommate, Vincent Mallone.

So he wrote me on November 9th telling me how much he appreciated it. We started talking. He was really funny to talk just like I remembered. We talked about what we had been up to since college, well sort of, we are both still in college. We started playing Scrabble online and talking into the wee hours. I spent the weekend with Odette going to Fayette for shopping. That night I found an arrow on my car with a note attached "Most relationships are hit and misses but I can show you a real bull eyes. - Vinny." The most impressive thing was the arrows that I use when I bow hunt with my dad.

And then Gene played match maker (well not just Genevieve but more on that later.) She invited me for Thanksgiving week since my brothers were going to be at her house. There he stood in all of his glory. He hugged me and grinned at me and called me slugger. The Old Spice and wood smell was still there. And then this tiny blonde bundle attached herself to my leg. I knew he had an adopted daughter. 

We set up for date the Friday after Thanksgiving. We didn't really do Black Friday shopping except for a little bit. We got up and went to Lifeway, Michael's, and Academy. We went to IHOP to eat and split a hot chocolate with Rain. We went to the movies and God decided that was it. Vince and I have been inseparable every since. He asked me to be his girlfriend the Sunday after that. December 1st, 2013 right after Alabama blew it to Auburn.

We have went to Disney World together, went to Nashville to see the Rockettes, have went to Vin's hometown in North Carolina, and went to London in the short span of two months. God prepared me for the man who was the boy who managed the team and the tiny blonde bundle called Rain. 

But last night something that I had pushed from my mind was made to resurface. Vin had been talking a lot about the times I would go up to Nashville while we all were in school. So last night he is talking to Carolina while she is sitting on the porch drinking Jack straight from the bottle. And he wiped away fake tears and everything came rushing back to me.

One Friday I had drove to Nashville because I was so very mad at my mom. I didn't even call Edwin before hand. They weren't at their apartment so I tried the Frat house after getting bottles of Jack out of my trunk. They told me Edwin had gone on a date with a girl. I started drinking in my car waiting on him to get back. I remember getting out of my car and sitting on the steps drinking and crying. I guess I was insecure so bad plus the drinking it had been pushed from my mind that someone made me stop drinking.

I now remember what Vin said to me after they jogged my memory and what happened. Vin remembers every detail where I can't remember exact words...

"Want to tell me why you are on the steps drinking?"

"Jack is my only real friend."

"Jack isn't much a friend. He is going to leave you with a killer headache and empty stomach."

"Yeah well he doesn't like leave my side."

"Give me that. Jack wants to go say hi to his friend Coke."

"Oh ok." - I was starting to get tipsy.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because I want to be snob."

"And why do you want to be a snob?"

"Because they have all the really nice guys flocking for them. I am the girl that has to grab her drunk cousins away who doesn't get to drink like she wants to. But I don't want a drunken relationship or a sex relationship. I want more. So much more like that in books and movies."

"You don't have to be a snob."

"I don't think those guys exist."

"Hey listen to me. No guys in books and movies don't exist. Nobody is perfect. But there are some guys out there that have read the right books and seen the right movies that know how they should treat a woman."

"Are you one of those?"

"That's up to you."

"I'm a vulnerable mess and you haven't groped me or made any comments at me. Oh sh** you must think I look repulsive."

"Hey now I have always thought you were beautiful."

"I look like a pathetic dumb ass."

"No you still look like you."

"Thank you for talking to me." --- Here it comes.....

And then apparently we kissed because he was wiping away my tears.

"I uh probably should get you back to our apartment."

"Ok."

Apparently I fell asleep on the way to the apartment.

So in my eyes he gave my first TWO kisses. The one I remember and the one I don't remember so much. Either way he is all I need.

I love his smile. His obsession with Harry Potter amazes me. The fact that he still totally a 90s kid at heart is endearing. I mean come on even when he gets bills he still sings "We Just Got a Letter." Knowing he can two step with me at a real country bar excites me so I have a hard time controlling it. He loves London like I do. 

He understand frat and sorority lingo. He is like a little kid at Christmas and it warms my heart. He plays the guitar and piano and has an amazing voice. He can actually shoot and not just say he can, come on he has deer heads too. He doesn't mixing country with modern. Even though he prefers coffee he doesn't mind a cup of tea. He can cook unusual food. He loves fandoms just like I do. He is a fantastic listener, I never have to worry that he isn't paying me any attention. He has been raising Rain since she was barely two and he has it down to freaking to a T. He isn't a homebody too much he likes adventure. I especially enjoy the fact that he can do a lot of domestic things and prefers to do it himself. Can let himself go at Disney and big a kid again, I mean seriously what other 24 year old would go around in Mickey Ears, cotton candy in one hand and a Mickey Balloon in the other while wearing Ray Bans and pushing a stroller? A guy that isn't afraid of getting in a costume. And doesn't think with the head between his legs. It's refreshing. Loves Luke Bryan, Sheldon Cooper, Harry Potter, Sophia Petrillo, One Direction, FLGA Line, Justin Bieber, Tim McGraw, and Ke$ha. And number two of why I love this man? He loves to read books, real books. And number one? He returned to Christ about 5 years ago and lives life a Christian. 

Where it all started........

The song at the top is my dedication to my special someone, Vin. I have been looking for someone to dedicate this song for 12 years since I found the song. I love you so much.