Despite the enormous difference in their High School Graduation dates (5 years), Caroline and Derrick wound up coming to Brigham Young University at about the same time. Caroline came almost immediately after graduation, for Fall semester 1996, and Derrick- after 2 years as a missionary and some junior college- came a semester later, for Winter, 1997. Even at that stage they were very like-minded; neither of them wanted to mess with trying to get off-campus housing right away, so both elected to live in the on-campus apartments (Heritage Halls). Unfortunately, they were assigned to apartments rather distant from each other, so they didn't meet for a while (although Caroline walked by Derrick's window every day on the way to and from class).
Everybody Needs Good Neighbors
All of that changed with the new school year (Fall, 1997). Derrick decided to stay in the same apartment, but Caroline decided to move- into the building next to Derrick's. Although they were now practically next-door neighbors, it still took quite a while for Derrick and Caroline to get together. The first weekend of the new school year, they both went to a get-to-know-everyone party. In fact, Derrick went to the party with two tickets to a musical in southern Utah, hoping to find a suitable date. Unfortunately, Derrick got to the party late, and when they moved out of the kitchen, Caroline volunteered to stay behind and help clean up. This meant that they didn't get a chance to meet and talk; they hardly saw each other that night. While Caroline claims to remember Derrick, he has only a vague recollection of her. He wound up taking no one to the musical.
A Long Wait
After a couple of months of living next to each other, not to mention going to the same meetings and activities for Church, still nothing had happened. Then, at the end of November, came their big chance to hit it off. Their two apartments, along with one other, were grouped together for a 'progressive dinner'- one course at each apartment. Afterwards, Derrick and his roomates all compared notes on the girls they had spent the evening with. Although Derrick felt that Caroline was the most attractive, he still didn't ask her out (of course, she could always have called him up...)
Getting to Know You
Since it was obvious that this was not getting together, higher powers intervened. In January (now 1998), their two apartments were assigned together for a weekly activity (Monday night Family Home Evening). Unfortunately, by this time, Caroline had herself a boyfriend (who later tried to marry her). So although they saw each other every Monday night for two months, still nothing happened. That is, until Caroline and her roomates, after inviting a group of boys down from Ogden for a formal dance, needed somewhere to put them up for the night. Derrick's apartment 'volunteered' to take care of that, but the manager of the complex (Mike) found out and got rather upset at Caroline and her roommates for having unregistered guests in Derrick's apartment. Watching Caroline yell at Mike, Derrick fell in love. (By this time, Caroline had dumped the boyfriend that wanted to get married, and Derrick had broken up with his girlfriend). Starting that night, Derrick found daily excuses to stop by Caroline's apartment. After a little initial confusion ("I can't deny that I'm strongly attracted to you, but I think we should just be friends") they finally 'got together' about a month later during a group trip to Las Vegas.
An Engaging Summer
After the end of the school year, Caroline went home to Texas for the summer. Derrick followed in hot pursuit (although his car was somewhat slower than the plane she took), and they somehow managed to maintain their seen-each-other-every-day streak through the first two weeks of the summer. Then he returned to Utah (after a brief stopover to visit his Family in Alabama). However, after a scant 6 days in Provo, Derrick left in the middle of the night (well, about 1 a.m.) on a frantic drive down to Texas. Various problems ensued (hi boss, you probably noticed I'm not at work this morning; I'm actually crossing the state line into Colorado right now...), but after a grueling all-night marathon -parts of which may or may not have occurred over 100 miles an hour- he got to Caroline's house. Unfortunately, since he didn't tell anyone (including Caroline) that he was coming, she was gone shopping when he showed up. So Derrick took a nap on the sofa and waited. It was- of course- somewhat of a suprise when she came home. Not too put out, Caroline suggested that they go to the mall. At the mall, she suggested they go to some jewelry stores.... Naturally, Derrick went along with it, and they were officially engaged by the end of the night.
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