It started with the fire alarm. We-my teammates and I-were combing the building, searching for something important. Only some dumb-ass joker pulled the fire alarm. I won’t waste your time by recounting what I did for the next five hours-although I will say it was here where I met my person.

After a while-several months-I’d finally found what we were sent for. My person had it. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do; but I eventually asked for it.

I was told no.

So, I begged for it-even told my person that I’d thought about stealing it, and had decided against it. For them.

I was told no again.

I won’t recount what I told them next; it was for their ears alone. But, suffice to say, I was denied again. Only this time, my person had placed something else in my hands.

Pulling that trigger, Counselor, was the single, hardest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t-can’t-blame anyone for what happened. The choices made that day, made us into the ones each other loved. It’s just that simple.