Aubrey and Alexis met in the spring of 2007 on a bus to Pennsylvania. Alexis didn't know Aubrey, but Aubrey noticed Alexis - and boy was she annoying. Somehow, the two quickly became friends as spring faded into summer, burned into fall, cooled into winter and they found themselves growing closer in the spring of 2008.

After most of their mutual friends graduated from high school, Aubrey and Alexis found themselves without anyone to spend their time with and through this loneliness a strong, beautiful friendship bloomed. They did everything together: hung out on the weekends, colored easter eggs, baked cookies, went to the movies and played board games during summer dance classes. Little did they know, love was blossoming just below the surface.

Alexis knew first and told Aubrey, who at first feared this deepening connection. The feelings were ignored and swallowed by both, and their friendship remained untouched. A mutual agreement determined whatever was between them couldn't be as important as their friendship. They had other partners and crushes, but always returned to each other. There were many stolen moments - lightning striking every time their fingers touched or their eyes met for just too long. Finally, after months of brushes with awkward moments, Alexis and Aubrey had their first kiss in early September of 2009. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

A week later, Alexis texted Aubrey and asked "So...do you want to be my girlfriend?" while she was supposed to be at majorette practice. Aubrey obliged, and Alexis returned to practice elated. They saw each other that night at a theatre rehearsal where they sat together, secretly glowing.

As time went by, the two continued to grow closer and began to make plans for the future. Things proved harder than they expected though - there was never a right moment to come out and tell the world, and so they hid their secret from everyone. Their joy, only for themselves, never to be shared with the world.

Years began to pass - Aubrey and Alexis would both attend colleges, obtain degrees, work odd jobs, grow together. It is not easy to be high school sweethearts, to fall into a puppy love and tend it like a garden, growing it into something that is long and lasting. Things weren't always perfect, but they made a promise to never go to bed angry, to always be there for each other and to never give up.

13 years and one month after their first kiss, Aubrey asked Alexis to be her wife in a museum surrounded by timeless artifacts - their love preserved in time just like the beautiful bones of the Dinosauria surrounding them.

A&A