I used to cringe watching happy couples walk past me. I used to watch Friends dreaming about having a relationship like Monica and Chandler’s, and then telling myself that I would never have a relationship like that.

I had shut every ounce of affection out of my life. I pushed the people I cared about away. I was different. I didn’t think anyone could handle me. I convinced myself that I would just hurt them in the end. This all changed when I fell in love with Nicholas Leone.

I met my boyfriend when I was just 14 years old. We were in the same Italian class. I never would have imagined that four years later, he would be my senior prom date. I did not know at the time that this boy would eventually become my best friend; knowing everything about me –flaws included- and love me anyway.

This is not an “I’m-So-Thankful-For-My-Boyfriend-And-I-Love-Him-So-Much” article. I just owe it to Nick to show the world how wonderful and unique he is. So, through my writing, I hope I can get somewhere remotely close to explaining the love I have for this guy.

One of the things I love the most about Nick is his laid-back attitude. If you know me, you know that I am high-stressed and always preoccupied. Nick balances this out for me with his mellow predisposition. Where I am frantic; he is relaxed. He can calm me down better than anyone else in the world. It wasn’t easy at first, though. We had to learn how to co-exist. We are very different people. Through being different, we have learned a lot from each other.

In fact, I love that Nick is different from most people I know. Yes, everyone is “different” but Nick is special. Many people are afraid to be who they are. I used to be one of those people too. Nick owns who he is proudly. He isn’t afraid to like things that many people (here) may not like. For example, the best thing Nick has ever asked me is: “Why do people have such a problem with Nickleback? I like them.”

His raw honesty, especially here, is something to be admired.

Throughout high school, Nick wore New York Giants jerseys because they are his favorite team. Being both a Giants and a Mets fan in New England is just taboo; but he doesn’t stray from who he is and that makes me love him even more.

I have learned to not care as much about what others think due to Nick’s encouragement of my own quirky personality. He embraces my “nerdyness”. He doesn’t judge me for having Batman and Robin action figures next to my Joker piggy bank displayed on top of my DVD player. He does not care that I like to read Shakespeare in my spare time. He does not get annoyed as I quote every single line of any Harry Potter or Star Wars movie. I can be who I truly am with Nick. I can talk about superheroes and watch The Flash with him. I can have educated discussions with him as well, where we can agree to disagree .

I am so lucky to have a wonderful guy like Nick in my life. He is a rare breed of human; the kind of person you meet once in a lifetime.

I love him very much.