He is almost two decades my senior, sweet, kind, and has always acted cocky. I was drawn to him, but was afraid he really did believe his own hype. One night he took me to the music studio space he and his band rented. We had the entire warehouse to ourselves… but he couldn’t get it up. Right then I saw the vulnerable side he had been hiding; the fear of inadequacy. He had often told me “I want to be there and provide for you,” but now I knew I could hold and take care of him.

—Claire

Postscript: That was three years ago. He spent the last two of them waiting for me while I was off at school. Things are rocky now that I’m back. Change is always constant and we’re trying to find something similar to what we had. I have hope, though. And patience.

5

He was driving me home after a wonderful day together. It was late at night, and we rode in silence, both of us grinning to ourselves in the dark. He pulled up in front of my house, put the car in park, turned, and gazed right into my eyes for what seemed like forever. Then we kissed goodnight and I got out of the car and went inside, feeling like my bones were made of a beautiful warm liquid.

—Stella

Postscript: He called me as soon as he got back home and said, “There’s something I need to say to you, but I don’t want to freak you out.” I said, “I think I know what it is.” And I did. We exchanged our first I love you’s that night.

6

Every guy that I have been with would leave me for asking so many questions and yelling at them. But after I yelled at him and went away, he came after me. He was the first guy to ever do that.

—Cheryl

Postscript: He was the only guy who could take my crap.

5

We were sitting on a bench at night near a river that runs through the city we lived in, describing each others’ houses. Suddenly, she stood up and gave me a pretend tour of her room. We were also high school sweethearts.

—B.S.W.

We were off and on for four years after that and then she moved. Now, she’s a lesbian and lives in Arizona.

3

I’d been trying the online dating thing for a few years. Finally, I said I would go on one last date with a guy I met online and if that didn’t work then I would quit online dating. Well, we went out to dinner and it was love at first sight! We had so much in common. We’ve been dating almost a year now and have never been in any big fights and still adore each other. He treats me like a princess!

— Jessica

Postscript: We are engaged to be married November 7th, 2009! We are so in love!! I never thought this would happen to me!!

8

I was standing outside the Baltimore Aquarium in the middle of January, on a freezing cold day. We were both shivering, so she came up to me, slipped her arms under my coat, and wrapped them around my waist. I surrounded her with my coat, and we stood there in the freezing cold, embracing each others’ warmth.

—Artem

Broke up after six months. Tried to be friends. Now she won’t even talk to me because she’s Christian and I’m an atheist.

1

I got the butterflies for the first time and they haven’t gone away eleven years later!! Even though it took a while for the engagement, it was okay because he wanted to wait for me to finish college. Which I love him sooooooo much for.

—Ken

Postscript : We are still together and engaged.

5