Gavin and Zoe have been dating for 4 years. God introduced them. Gavin was a new boy at a new school, and he said “God… …I’m pretty lonely and I’m not very good at this making- friends thing. Can you please show me some nice people, or even just one person, to be my friend?”
Gavin was walking down the hall as he said that under his breath, and as soon as he was done, he turned a corner and there was a group of people laughing and talking. One of the people in the group was Gavin’s locker neighbour, and she said “Hey! Come sit with us.”
Gavin shrugged awkwardly and sat down. He got to know all of those people, and one of them was Zoe.
Gavin remembered seeing Zoe in the halls on one of his first days.
He was going up some stairs, and she was going down. She told Gavin not to use the one door, because it is really heavy. Gavin misunderstood and used the door. Zoe thought he was odd (and strong ( or maybe just a not very good listener :p )).
Around this same time, all Zoe’s girlfriends had boyfriends, and kept telling Zoe she should too! But Zoe thought that having a boyfriend because everyone else did was a very silly reason, and besides, she didn’t like any of these boys enough to bring home for her daddy to kill! That didn’t stop her from being friendly though, and warning new kids about things like impossible heavy doors.
When she saw the silly boy who went through the door even after being warned, she said “Hey YOU! Why did you go through that door anyway? I WARNED you about it!”
Gavin squirmed awkwardly for a while, and then asked her name. Gavin really liked this girl. Even though they’d hardly met.
A couple weeks later he emailed her and asked if she wanted to go see a terrible physics defying martial art’s movie that probably wouldn’t be any good.
When Zoe emailed him back asking if it was with friends or not, he panicked and emailed back “with friends ”
Zoe said “who?”
Gavin said “uh……… Glenn? But I’m not sure if he’s coming or not”
They never actually went to the movies.
The first time that Zoe and Gavin ever went out together. Sally’s youth group was going to the corn maze as a halloween trip. She invited Zoe and Gavin to go along (she always wanted to be a matchmaker, you see?)
Talk about making a good impression! At the corn maze were men dressed in costumes, and running with chainsaws. Instead of being brave and showing off to Zoe, he grabbed the nearest arm (another girl’s) and ran screaming!
(She later remarked that she thought for a second he was going to take her arm and leave her trying to catch up with it). After the initial shock/terror, Gavin managed to pull himself together.
“Hey Zoe,” he said, “they can’t actually hurt us, if we didn’t run away it would be funny! they wouldn’t know what to do!”
“That would be funny!” says Zoe.
“Let’s do it! We won’t run away next time and we’ll see what happens” Gavin said just as the sound of a chainsaw started behind us.
Zoe glanced behind her to see where the chainsaw man was coming from, and glanced back at …Gavin? Where’d he go?
In the split second that she looked away, Gavin had run 20feet in the opposite direction.
So much for not running away, Zoe thought, as she ran to catch up…
First time Gavin met Zoe’s Dad
It was time to take Gavin home. Sure, Dad didn’t like the idea of Zoe liking a boy, but it would be fine! Afterall, he’s a perfectly reasonable man!
Nathika didn’t think so. The night Zoe’s dad was going to meet Gavin, both Nathika, Gavin, and Zoe were arriving at Zoe’s house at the same time.
“It will be totally fine!” Zoe said over and over.
“He’s just gonna KILL you!” screamed Nathika.
‘Thanks Nathika, you’re being so helpful,’ thought Zoe.
Gavin entered the house to find Zoe’s Dad sitting on the couch.
“You must be Gavin,” he said.
“uh… yes…” replied a nervous Gavin. Before he could react Zoe’s Dad pulled out a gun and SHOT GAVIN!
Gavin stood there stunned. He thought about checking his head for holes.
Eventually Gavin realized that it was with a cap gun that he had been shot. Zoe’s dad was trying to create a fear of him in Gavin, a fear that he may or may have not known Gavin already had, thanks to Nathika.
This year Gavin is living on-campus. So I knew something was up when he said I had to go to pick him up from rez before we went out for dinner. So, as per his request, I took the bus to campus, all dressed up, to pick him up. “Let’s go for a walk!” he said.
“Go for a WALK!? But it’s 5 below and I’m wearing nylons! Can we go for a walk inside!” (I know, I know - aren’t I the romantic?). On our way we passed a whole group of his students, standing around waiting for something. They probably missed the meal in the Caf and had to get delivery. BOY am I glad I have a kitchen this year!
When we got to Gavin’s room, I was horrified. Something dreadful must have happened to Big Bird. There was trail of yellow feather leading straight to…Gavin’s ROOM! WHAT?!
“Actually - the feather’s lead away from my room. Maybe you should- uh- well- let’s find out what happened to Big Bird! Follow that trail!” Haha! You’ve gotta give him credit. He’s playing it pretty cool - we’re all dressed up, and now we’re on a Big Bird hunt because I made a joke…
Gavin following me into the Common Room at the end of the hall, we followed the feathers of romance up the stairs, and into the next hallway. As soon as we step into the hall, someone started blasting some music. Barry White actually. Now I have a thing about Barry White - and Gavin knows it. Now he’s teasing me.
“I can’t go in there Gavin! They’re playing Porno music!!!”
“You’ve gotta come in Zo. It’ll be great.” Gavin’s starting to get really excited and really nervous. I’m just nervous. REALLY nervous.
Apparently his whole house is in on it. A couple girls were in the kitchenette, and they were stationed to snap our pictures on the way in. And blast Barry. But they decorated the commonroom too! It was fantastic! They decorated the door, and the room. They’d taken the TV and couches out and set up a little table “Japanese Style” with cushions on the floor. The table was set up for two. Not a candlelight dinner, that’s against rez policy 
But there was a little starshape lamp instead. As soon as we sat down on our cushions another student came in. Papertowel over her arm and “Champagne Bottle” in hand.
“Would you and the lady like some sparkling grape juice sir?” Of course. 2 days ago in the grocery store I pointed out the same bottle. I’d said it was the perfect champagne for kids like me, who don’t like to drink Besides, alcohol in the common room is against the rules. He’d gone back after I’d left and bought it for me!
“Yes, please.” Jess pours him just a sample. Gavin looks at her with total confusion.
“To sample, sir,” of course. Gavin smells, swirls and tastes it. He approves and she pours us both a glass.
Then, another student brought us salad. Oh my Goodness! I’ve never had sundried tomato dressing, but boy oh boy is it delicious. Gavin said I could have the bottle But I’m getting distracted!
Remember the kids waiting for their delivery earlier? When we finished our salad, one of the girls came in with Chicken Primavera (or however you spell it).
“What? You were waiting for OUR food?! And I didn’t even guess!?” Ok, he got me. Usually if I see something, I notice, but this time I was oblivious. But the food was delicious! The music con’d the whole time we were eating, but only the first song was Barry White. When we finished our noodles and chicken, the ’servers’ brought us out a beautiful plate of wafer cookies. mmm-mmm, but at this point I’ve already eaten so much I think I’m going to explode.
I didn’t even notice but a reggae song came on which, little did I know, was a queue for Gavin. After this song is when the next part of his plan starts. But I’m just enjoying my cookies! When “Stand by Me” comes on, Gavin tears me away from the cookies, “But I’m still eating…” and we dance. At the end of the song, Gavin proposed.
Before I had a chance to answer, Gavin thought he heard me say no. “Did you say no?”
“No!”
“Oh…Oh? No no? or just no?”
“YES!”
“OH! GOOD!”
The girls were peeking - Gavin whispered “She said yes!”
“Go go go!” said Ashley, and 25 kids ran in the room.
“AAH! What’s going on here” I asked.
“I don’t know!”
I guess they planned that part as a surprise for both of us. And then there was a giant group hug. Ow. I don’t think they understand how much I ate! But it was all SO lovely. And now you know