What starts with “Hello” can end with “I do”.

Tap Tap Tap….

Tap Tap Tap….Just like every other day, I made my way to LinkedIn.

My palm was sweating as I moved the mouse to hover over her profile. This has become a habit. I can’t help but be drawn to her. I knew she would be notified of my presence, so I waited a moment to strategize.

I find myself coming back just to gaze at her profile picture. She is elegant in beauty and splendid in her positioning. If this wasn’t enough to draw me in, the details within her profile sealed the deal. It was like an archive of achievements…a collection of accolades.

I enjoyed reading her content and she has a way of expressing herself that feels like it is written just for you. She reveals just enough personal details to attract but leaves the rest a mystery which leaves you craving more.

When I first saw her, I was more than attracted. I was inspired. Her perspectives and storytelling were educational and enjoyable. She is everything I look for; everything I want.

Hunched over with my head in my hands, I debated how to approach her. My mind churning with questions.

“How can I get her to see me? What will single me out from her crowd of followers?”

I shifted in my seat and gathered the courage to act. “Slow and consistent…you can do this,” I said under my breath. So I took the first step of engagement, I clicked the bell icon so I never miss a single post. I will make sure to be among the first to engage her posts. I want her attention, so I will show her that she has mine.

I spent weeks liking and commenting on her posts. I intentionally endorsed her skills, thinking “Maybe she will express her gratitude to me through direct message, It is worth a shot.” I carefully thought out every word…every keystroke.

My knee started to bounce with nerves as my mind took over. “Is she not receiving notifications? Is she seeing the effort I am putting into drawing her attention?” I used every opportunity to compliment her mind and celebrate her achievements.

SIGH…”It’s not enough…”

The most I received was a casual “thanks” in the comments.

I prepared myself to move on with my day. The moment I rose from my seat, a familiar sound rang from my speakers. Immediately, I thrust myself back into position. I almost hesitated before entering my messages. “Finally!” I exclaimed. A message sat waiting for me. A simple “hello”, but it was everything in one word for me.

“Hmmm”, I said aloud. I wrung my hands in excitement as I debated on how to reply. I laughed at myself as I struggled to hold back all the practiced dialog I had played over and over in my mind.

“What is wrong with me?…I can’t mess this up. I can’t say all that…but…what if this is my only chance?…uggggghhh!”

The debate going on..this battle of choice was too much. Before I could lose my nerve or my courage, my hands touched the keys and hit send. “Hi.”

I looked at the screen and immediately slammed my forehead to the desk in embarrassment. “Hi? That’s all you got?”. I held my breath as I waited for her reply.

Another notification rang out…”Ahhh! Yes!”, I shouted. The message read, “Do you have anything for me? I see you are always checking up on my profile.”

My face grew hot and flushed. She did notice. I began mumbling to myself, “I can’t tell her my intentions. She might run off. I gotta think fast.” I remembered a scholarship opportunity that a friend had sent to me that she would be eligible for.

I explained the details and the relocation requirements involved. I knew this was risky. If she was interested, she might travel to Canada and the distance would remain between us. However, it sparked the conversation I so desperately wanted.

We spent the afternoon talking about it. It was going so well we migrated the conversation to WhatsApp. I sat on the phone and enjoyed her company while she completed the application. I took a moment of silence to thank God for my friend who sent me this opportunity and prayed that she would be selected to study abroad.

The day she received the mail stating her acceptance, I was overwhelmed with joy. She was so happy and appreciative of the thought, effort, and kindness I had shown to her.

This moment..is where our real story begins.

We became the best of friends. I was always there for her while she attended classes abroad and we would video call every weekend and catch up on the events of the week. The conversations grew longer and the video calls, more frequent.

The day finally arrived when she completed the program. We spent hours discussing her return and planning to meet. The hours waiting were like water boiling. I couldn’t sit still, so I paced the room…only stopping to glance at the clock. I ran through all of our moments and conversations in my head as I listened to the Tick Tick Tick of the passing time.

This was my shot. I didn’t want to waste any time. Many eyes would be on her now. We know everything about each other and our dreams and aspirations are aligned. Nervously, I recited my speech into the mirror.

My phone chimed with a message that she was close. With a deep breath, I put my phone in my pocket and looked down at what had replaced it in my hands. I rubbed my thumb over the black velvet box. Amazed at how something so small could mean so much.

Knock Knock Knock…

My eyes opened wide as I said, “This is it. Deep breaths”. I went to the door and opened it. My gaze fell on her face, at last. A smile lit up her face as she recreated our first words, “Hello”. I hugged her and chuckled as I replied with, ”Hi.”

Our embrace lasted for minutes but felt like years. The world around us faded away. When she turned away to grab her things, I hit the ground on one knee. She turned and found me knelt with a box and a question burning in my eyes.

For once, we didn’t need to say anything. Her eyes welled up with tears and she threw herself into my arms. I couldn’t help but notice, she still hadn’t answered.

So, I whispered.. ”Do you know what I am asking?’. With perfect timing, she placed the ring on her finger and whispered back, “I do”