With the big move fastly approaching (5 days in counting), I find myself reflecting on all the changes in my life that have blindsided me in the past 2 years. I have also encounted a vast amount of questions about my relationship with Kory. People are curious about the guy that is dragging me to Oregon and want to know about our relationship. One of the many questions are: "How did you two meet?" Well, I was blindsided with a romance with Kory. Now I do not go on to tell people the whole story I am about to share with you, I usually just mention that we met through a mutual friend and move on but there is so much more to that...
I met Kory over 3 years ago when I came over to his house to hang with a friend, who just so happened to be Kory's roommate. It went something like this-
"Amber, this is my roommate Kory, Kory this is Amber". Pretty basic introduction.
Now, when I was a little girl and I thought of meeting the love of my life I pictured my heart beating out of my chest like in the cartoons, time turning into slow motion as the song "Take My Breath Away" echoed through the room, this was not the case with Kory. I can safely say it was NOT love at first sight, and I am sure Kory can agree. But wait...what was wrong with him then? Why didn't we jump into eachothers arms and promise to 'never let go' like Jack and Rose on the Titanic?
It is pretty simple why none of the hollywood crap above happened- because Kory was dating someone else, well not only dating but living with her. That alone exempts any attraction or thoughts of being with him. Was I upset at this? Nope, I didn't care...like I said, I just met the guy and really didn't give it much thought. When I would come to the house I would see him, we didn't have much exchange and just went about our own business.
A few months later, I found myself in an odd position, while spending the summer home in Kalispell, I found out I might be homeless when school started that fall. The mutual friend offered me a room at the home they were currently residing in and I happily obliged, especially since the shcool was in walking distance of the house. So in late August 2007, I moved into the house with the mutual friend, Kory, and Kory's girlfriend. Yup, you heard it here first, Kory and I lived together before we even dated. Not only that, I lived with one of Kory's girlfriends, now aren't we just one happy family?
As roommates, Kory and I had the same relationship as mentioned before when we first encounted eachother, we may have shared some small chit chat but never spent anytime together. We just shared the same living space. No big deal.
With another semester under my belt I returned to Kalispell for winter break. During that time, I stayed in touch with mutual friend who informed me over the phone that Kory's girlfriend had moved out after a spat of some sort. Did I jump up, put on hot leather pants, and make my move on Kory? Nope. I didn't really care, as long as my rent didn't go up.
When I returned in Janurary to start the new semester, mutual friend asked me if I would spend time with Kory since we usually excluded him from our hang out time and Kory was now by himself. So I started to hang out with him at home. I would usually sit there and glance at the TV show he was watching or we would play a board game, sometimes we surfed the internet looking at females body parts and rated them. Yes, another odd dynamic, we looked at nude pictures together before we ever dated.
Eventually Kory started to open up and vice versa. I found out he was funny, sometimes silly and smart. Did I think he was dull and ditsy before? No, I just didn't get to know him until then. He also started to appear more attractive to me, not that I thought he didn't look good before but I never let myself feel attraction to him when he had a girlfriend. One day, while watching TV, I complained to him that no one texted me anymore and acted dramatic that my electronic social life was ending. Shortly there after my phone vibrated. A number not recognized by my phone lit up and the message read "hi". It was Kory. After that we developed a friendship via text. We still talked in person but even sitting next to eachother we would text secrets and have deep conversations. Soon my heart started to flutter when I recieved a message from him and I was developing feelings. People started noticing, in particular, mutual friend.
One day, via text message, Kory told me he wanted to kiss me. I was shocked but estatic. And minutes later I found myself at the bottom of the staircase in his arms sharing a long kiss. Then that kiss turned into many secret kisses, stolen before bed, after class, in the kitchen when we were alone and for a while, no one knew of our secret romance. And then, like all love stories-
THE CRAP HIT THE FAN.
Mutual friend found out that Kory and I were kissing, because he walked in on it. Then, being the head tennant told Kory he had to move out. Why? Because it turns out mutual friend liked me as more than a friend, a feeling that was not mutual. Kory disclosed our relationship to exgirlfriend who did not appreciate him moving on so soon and lead to more havoc. In that 24 hour period, no one was a winner. Kory and I hurt people we cared about, but was wanting be with him wrong? I regretted that my actions hurt one of my friends, but I didn't regret my actions. After that, we took time apart and then talked when we had a moment alone, we decided we wanted to try dating exclusively and Kory moved out, just in time for our first date later that weekend. Where things awkward at the house with mutual friend? Yes. Was seeing exgirlfriend out and about causing me to feel a twinge of guilt for hurting a nice person's feelings? Absolutely. But time heals all wounds, and I know in the end she found someone she could love and I found mine.
Kory and I faced a lot together when we started dating, sometimes I am surprised we got through it. Now, over two years later and still in love, we are starting a life together in a new place. The tough stuff isn't over yet but I've got my stinky and my puppy with me to get me through.
I love you Kory.
