7:45 PM. I went to Buffalo Wild Wings and got her favorite meal. After that I went to the nearest flower store near her home and got one of the biggest bouquets of flowers. I had on the cologne she loved and the shirt she got me for my birthday. I was sure this was going to work. Now it was time to wait for her to get home. I sat in front of the steps of her building.

8:15 PM.

It usually doesn't take her this long to get home. I was getting nervous. Maybe she wasn't coming home. Maybe she stayed late at work today? What if I had thought it was the wrong shift or she switched shifts? My mind was running full speed at this time. My anxiety was on a thousand.

I was staring into space this whole time. When I came to my senses, I realized I was watching a car pull up across the street. I saw a lot of cars pull up while I was waiting for her, but for some reason this happened in slow motion. After parking and staying there for a little while, someone came out the car from the driver's side. I think I knew this dude. He looked awfully familiar. But I wasn't quite sure where I knew him from. He walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for someone else. He laughed to them about something as they came out. I definitely knew the person that got out.

My heart stopped. I don't think there was a single thought in my head at this time. It's funny how I'll never forget this.

It was her.