A Decade In

2003: It was December and The Erks were going to be opening for Never Heard of It at Chain Reaction. For a small band this was a big deal. Elaine, Amanda and I drove up listening to the NHOI Limited Edition album the whole way. We met up with cousins Cassie and Walkin out in Anaheim. Joey and I had been AIM chatting and talking on the phone all week and were excited to get the chance to hang out again. We all met out in the parking lot, got our wristbands and headed in. Joey introduced me to Uncle Sam for the first time and to their friend Mese.

The place was packed! We found a good spot front center to stand for the show. The Erks were up first and they killed it. Then NHOI came on and we jumped and bobbed our heads and sang at the top of our lungs. I was standing right in front of Joey. It was a fun show. They were always fun shows.

photos by Scott Kelly! 

As usual we walked out and in the cold parking lot we all decided to head over to Norms to eat. Now that I think about it Joey must have ditched Matt and the rest of the band to come out and eat with us! We got a big round booth in the back. I remember laughing and talking, Elaine spilling fettuccine alfredo all over herself and getting to sit next to Joey.

It was super late and time for us all to head home. As everyone stood around and talked some more Joey and I walked over to his green truck. For the past few months we had been online chatting and spending most late nights talking on the phone. We had hung out a few times and I was SO INTO HIM. He was the coolest, sweetest, smartest, handsomest guy I knew and I wanted to be his girlfriend so badly.

I have no idea what we were talking about but I am sure I am flirting like crazy. Joey is a super shy guy and I knew that if I wanted this to happen I was going to have to make it happen myself. I kept looking over to make sure Elaine and Amanda were okay (always the big sister) and I knew that we needed to get going soon....

so I just went for it.

It took every ounce of courage I had to grab onto the strings of his hoodie sweatshirt, pull him toward me and kiss him.

That night was 10 years ago today. A decade has passed since that first kiss made us "official". And how lucky am I that I have got to spend the last 10 years with the coolest, sweetest, smartest and most handsome man I know? And over the 10 years I have found a million other reasons to love him. It is mind blowing to think we have been together for 10 years. This night at the Erks/NHOI show feels like it just happened.

Joey, thanks for kissing me back that night. I still can't believe I somehow got YOU to fall for me, but it's the best thing I ever did. And did you make me work for it. You will always be the best thing that happened to me. You will always be my happy ending. I adore you. P.S I love you. Forever and today -Elissa