I was always the girl who would go to college. Everyone in my family knew I would go. So after I got into my dream school in South Carolina, everyone was surprised when I moved to California to get married instead. But what went down after my boyfriend and I said "I do" was the biggest shock of all.
We began as high school sweethearts
My ex-husband Albert and I grew up together, but we didn't really become close until one day in December when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. I was drinking an Arizona Iced Tea on the bus home from school. When the bus stopped suddenly, I smashed into the seat in front of me and spilled tea all over myself. I turned around because I heard him cracking up laughing behind me. I just remember thinking, Wow. That's a smile I could get used to seeing. He really has the most perfect smile with these beautiful white teeth.
We texted nonstop for the next 10 days. He officially asked me out in a text message on Christmas Day. He was like, "You know what would make my Christmas really great? If I could call you my girlfriend." The next few years were a whirlwind. I was a cheerleader, and even though our football team was awful, he watched me perform at every game and brought me blue Gatorade and Skittles after every halftime routine. There was some high school drama and we broke up a few times, but as my graduation loomed closer, I knew for sure that we were in it for the long haul — we did everything together, we loved each other's families, and we talked excitedly about our future. Albert made plans to join the military, and I couldn't imagine not being by his side.
Three months after I finished high school, he proposed.
"You may now kiss the bride"
On November 25, 2015, Albert and I had a courthouse wedding. I didn't have a wedding dress or a fancy reception or anything like that, but just being with Albert was enough for me. Fifteen or 20 of the most important people in our lives came to watch us exchange wedding bands and say "I do." That whole "you may now kiss the bride" thing felt like a movie. Afterwards, our parents threw us a party at a local restaurant, and we had a mini honeymoon at a hotel near the beach. It was the happiest day of my life.
Once I got married, I suddenly felt so much older. Whenever Albert and I went out to restaurants, I'd see waitresses noticing my ring and looking at my face, like they were trying to figure out my age. Nobody ever thinks I look older than 16. They'd be like, "Wow, you got married really young." And I guess I did, but nothing really changed. That first week was so blissful.
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