How We Met - Ali's side of the story

I could break this up into a bunch of little segments and post them periodically over the next week - but I would probably forget.  So here you go, the whole thing.

names you might need to know

Barima - Stephen's roommate, my old friend, EE groupie

Kelly - my roommate and bestie

Grant - Kelly's fiance (bf at the time)

Bryan - Stephen's bestie

Olive - Bryan's fiance (gf at the time)

Moi - EE groupie

Raul - EE groupie

Remi - bestie

Rinna - bestie

My Story:

By the end of last summer, I had determined that fall semester would be one with no boys - just school.
Well, school was definitely on the forefront of my mind.
So much so that when Stephen actually asked me out on a date, I was a little taken aback.

Stephen and I are in the same major, met in class, and had the same group of friends we take classes/study with. Stephen and Barima's football tickets always happened to be in the same section as Kelly and I, so we always said hi and sometimes sat with each other.  Once Kelly, Grant and Barima ditched Stephen and I at a football game.  I didn't think anything of it.  We hung out nearly a dozen times at game nights, dessert parties, and practically every day in the lab.  But it never crossed my mind that I would date Stephen.  We were just friends. 

Our first date was on the night of the Alabama/LSU game.  When Stephen picked me up, he told me we were going to get dinner at Iggy's.  He explained it was a sports grill place, but assured me he wouldn't get distracted by the huge TV's playing sports.  I told him not to worry, because I wanted to check in on the Bama/LSU game to make sure the tide was getting stomped.   I think that made him really excited.   

He's told me since that the first thing he told his roommates when they asked how it went was, "She likes football." 

After dinner, we met up with Bryan & Olive for three-legged mini-golf.  Sounds ridiculous, but so fun.  We then carved a pumpkin and ate pumpkin seeds.  End of date. 

The following week, Stephen hardly talked to me and I started to wonder if he was avoiding me. 
That weekend was stake conference.  Kelly, Grant, Stephen and I went to the Saturday session then out to eat.  It was fun, but I was still unsure of his intentions.

The third weekend was Stephen's birthday.  Barima had the idea to throw Stephen a surprise party.  At my apartment.  And I was going to be the distraction.  Moi was playing in the battle of the bands, so I suggested we go to the concert, get sushi, then go to the football game.  About 10 minutes after arriving at the football game, I receive a text from Raul, "Everyone's here!  Come now!"  Great. Now I have to come up with some excuse to leave the football game.  What did I do? I complained.  I believe the conversation went something like this:

"Stephen I'm cold"
"But we just got you a peacoat and gloves"
"I know but my toes are frozen.  Can we go watch the game at my apartment?"
"But we just got here."
"I know, but I really can't feel my feet.  If we watch it at my apartment we can sit on my super comfy couches and drink hot chocolate"
blank stare.
"Please? I'm sorry.  Next time I promise I will be more prepared."
"Fine."

So we went home.  When I unlocked the front door, the lights were off, as they usually are.  As soon as Stephen walked in the door, "Surprise!"
Cue music.
Cue balloons.
Cue laughter and friends and cake.

The next night Rinna and Remi decided to take matters into their own hands.
"Lets have a movie night! Maybe in the dark setting with no one paying attention he will be less nervous to hold your hand!"

Oh. My.

But I let them do it.  None of the other invitees showed so Remi, Rinna, Stephen, and I watched Bed-knobs and Broomsticks.  Halfway through R&R say, "We have home teachers coming over in a few minutes so we have to run.  Let us know how the movie ends!"  And out the door they went.  They don't have the same home teachers.  They don't even live in the same apartment.

20 minutes after R&R left, neither of us had moved.  We were still sitting in that same stiff, shoulders barely touching, hands in lap position. 

And then.
To my complete astonishment.
Stephen did the stretch.
You know that move when a guy stretches his arms and yawns in order to put his arm around the girl next to him.
Yeah, Stephen did that move.

Lets just say I was on cloud nine the rest of the movie.
And to top it off, Slow-Moving Stephen kissed me goodnight too :)

Within a few days, we were official.

So that was more of a, "How We Started Dating" instead of a, "How We Met".... but the whole meeting part was boring.  We met in class. And life was strictly school until that one evening when Stephen called me up for a date.