Finding Love At Sixteen (16)

The funny truth is, love always finds you when you least expect it. But what in the world does a sixteen year old know about love? Well, let me tell you my love story.

There is no secret to finding love but to be yourself. The first question people tend to ask is "How did you guys meet?", because truth be told, it's always fascinating how and why two people fell for each other.

For me, it was quite embarrassing. Embarrassingly cute.

Love At First Tit

Before you start reading my embarrassing story, here's a fun fact :

The picture above is the exact day I met the love of my life. That's exactly what I was wearing.

Okay, now back to the story.

My mom and I attended a Charity boat ride on the Caribbean Queen at Port Royal Street on February 7, 2010. It was a charity event so I expected to see, you know, a lot of old people. It was also a rainy and cold night and your girl had on a halter, floral maxi dress. Okay, maybe I was expecting to meet my little future bae there. You got me.

I was so lonely and bored. These weren't my type of music and it definitely wasn't my type of crowd.

I started to get hungry. I made my way to the buffet where I got some pastries. I had to go up a flight of stairs back to where my mom was. Walking up the stairs, I heard a voice saying, " beg you piece nuh." Y'all ever seen a black woman blush? What the hell did I know at sixteen years old?

I pretended not to hear, but my tits quickly answered. While making my way up the stairs and ignoring this man (handsome boy) trying to holler at me, I stepped on my dress and my tits jumped out to say hello. I was sixteen and freaking embarrassed. I hurriedly put those bad boys in and hastily made my way to my mom. Nice way to get a boy's attention, right?

Okay, maybe I won't see him again. No biggie.

The music playing started to get to my head. I stepped out on the deck for a quick minute. i heard the same voice saying, "do you want a jacket?" It was freezing cold and i was hugging myself while admiring the view. I didn't even realize he was out there (okay, maybe I did).

"Haven't you seen enough?" I thought to myself. I answered him this time and quickly disappeared.

The Charity ride was over. It was time to go home. The most memorable moment of this boat ride was that I showed a complete stranger my tits. Something juicy to share with my friends Monday morning, right?

Walking out, a random woman stopped me to compliment my dress and how it looked good on me. The Jamaican in me thought this woman is bloody funny, until she handed me something in my hand. I bet y'all can't guess what it was? When I opened my hand, it was a piece of paper with a name and phone number. She proceeded to say, while pointing in the direction of this man (handsome boy), who had been making every effort to get my attention and said, "My friend likes you."

"Is this Love At First Tit?" I thought to myself.

The Phone Call to Love

"Hello, is this Nicholas?"

I got home later that evening and of course, I called the number. Sixteen year old me, called the number! We ended up having a short, bizarre chat. "Do I have a boyfriend now? Okay, maybe I was pushing it. It's not even 24 hours yet." We started to chat daily, before school, during school, after school. Vip texting, Digicel Free Nights, hello, I have a whole boyfriend now. Okay, maybe not.

I was one of those fortunate beings who didn't take the bus to and from school. So we only chatted on the phone. We talked on the phone for six months before we got the chance to see each other again. Six whole months, and another three months after that, no pressure. I like this boy.

I would tell him to meet up and I never showed. I did this for six months straight. Of course I liked him, but I also liked not getting my butt whooped by my mother. I would practice daily to say, "Mommy, I'm going downstairs" but always chickened out. We thought it was time to come up with a plan. A plan that screams, "Hey Ma, meet my friend, who is my boyfriend but to you, he's my friend." Got it? Wait for that story.

The Burger of Love and First Kiss - A funny Story

He never asked me to be his girlfriend. I don't know how we ended up here. Okay, I know. It all started with the famous cheese burger from Burger King.

"I was finally gonna see him again." I was so excited. Sixteen year old me getting excited over a boy. "Is this love, sis?"

I had just returned from summer vacation and needed to get my hair done for school. My mom would drop me at the hairdresser and pick me up after I am through. Of course, I was not gonna let the opportunity slide to see my "boyfriend" again. We arranged and made it happen.

While at the hairdresser, I got hungry. I called my "boyfriend" to see if he could get me some Burger King and yes, I offered to pay him back. He said Yes. "He's definitely my boyfriend, okurr."

The hairdresser was a family friend, so I had to come up with an excuse to get out the salon to meet him. He called to say he finally arrived and quickly, I told her I was picking up lunch. I wore my shortest shorts and my tightest blouse. A girl couldn't be caught slipping.

"It's him." Black girls be blushing so hard knowing a damn thing aint showing but those pearly whites.

We hugged and hello, WE KISSED. I have a boyfriend y'all. 6 whole months after not seeing each other, we finally reunited. Oh, and he brought food. Definitely a keeper.

I handed him the money for the food and he refused. Definitely my boyfriend. Y'all couldn't tell me otherwise. I took the food knowing I have to get back in the salon real quick before my hairdresser came looking. He kissed me goodbye. Listen, black girls blush, okay?

Later that night while on the phone, he told me he used his lunch money to get me the Burger King, having no idea how he's gonna get home because he used All his money. Nigga, What?! DEFINITELY MY BOYFRIEND. He likes likes me. He told me he had to borrow from his friend with whom he was travelling with. Was he crazy or in love? Well, I am choosing the latter.

Passing The Mom Test

Most girls worry about their Fathers when it comes on to meeting the parents. For me, it was my Mother. My mother was the strict, no nonsense parent. No first impression goes the way you want it to, but to look back and have a laugh, means you will be okay, right?

My mom was big on education. Boyfriends better be out the picture unless boyfriends meant Math and English. I was a fifth former preparing to do my Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in the Sciences (Chemistry, Biology, Physics. Luckily for me, my "boyfriend" had already been there, done that.

He offered to pass on his past papers to me and that's when I got the perfect idea to pass the mom's test.

I would go to my mom's office every evening after school and on Saturdays after class. The Saturdays were better to see him since class finishes early. Okay, wrong ! Saturdays were better because I got to dress up. Homeboy gotta see what he is working with.

I came up with the perfect idea. Every Saturday, he would meet me at my mom's office with the past papers. So he would only brought some each Saturday. Clever right?

The first Saturday, mom was so elated. She would thank him over and over again. This continued for three consecutive Saturdays, until Mom offered him a ride home. The rest is history. And that my friends, is how you pass the mom test.

My mom probably reading this and saying to herself, "This son of a.....!"

I love you too mom but it worked.

11 Years Later

To think I'll be standing here, the same exact spot I met my fiance 11 years ago, holding our beautiful baby girl.

There is no age limit as to when you will find love. You just have to trust the timing. Some people find love as young as sixteen and as old as fifty. The honest truth about finding your forever person too early is that you don't just grow old together, but you grow up together and make memories together. It will never be perfect. Make it work. Relationships don't last because there are no problems. They last because each partner is willing to sacrifice and compromise to make things work.

It's been 11 years and God knows this relationship tries me daily, but we are a team always. We've been through hell and back but we did it together. Relationships aren't hard work, they just require consistent effort. To make a relationship work, we need to understand that no one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes and everyone deserves a second chance. Affection is always greater than perfection.

We were sixteen year old when we met each other. We didn't rush things. We weren't privileged where meeting up was concerned. Most of our first year was mainly phone communication. We didn't push it, instead we accepted what was in hope things will get better. Indeed, it did. We maintained a meaningful connection with each other via the means that were available to us and this builded a healthy relationship.

As our relationship grew, we understood that conflict was normal. We just had to learn how to deal with disagreements. We developed boundaries. We gave each other space to grow physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, all the allies. Relationships doesn't mean you forget all about yourselves and focus on your partner. No, we all need our own space to grow sometimes.

So despite what we may see in the movies and read in those books, lasting love don't just happen. it takes effort on both sides. "Relationships that work are the ones that are worked on."

11 years later, with a beautiful baby girl, standing at the same place where we first met, looking forward to marrying my first love. It exists. There's love out there for everyone.

Have you ever been in love? Do you have a first love? What's your story? Feel free to share in the comments.