What happens when you look past a bad first impression? Marrying your best friend & finding #LoveInTheBOI. Meet Ellis and Jackie, and this is their love story
How did you two meet?
We met in college at an on campus, food services position in Indiana (at the other BSU). Oh lord, first impressions were definitely NOT a thing. This boy came in singing at the top of his lungs. All I could think was, “I can’t work with this guy for two hours...” 🤦🏻♀️
But there’s more…
Haha Well, when I got into school I wasn’t much of a social butterfly around people I didn’t really know. I kind of made up my mind that I was never going to date someone in a fraternity because all you hear about frat guys and NEVER date someone younger than me. “All” guys are less mature when they’re younger. Well, that mostly worked with all the guys I dated prior.
Then, one day I was working a shift at the atrium and I was waiting for the new person to come in. I had seen his name on the sheet for my shift, but had NO idea who he was. At this point I had worked there for a couple years and really didn’t have the patience for newbies. When it was time for him to come in he came in singing at the top of his lungs who knows what’s wrong.
All I remember thinking was, oh my goodness why?! At this time I actually had a boyfriend so I wasn’t even thinking about guys in that way. So, time goes by, we just really ever saw each other at work. Sometimes a couple of my other girlfriends and I would ask him if he wanted to go to the bars and what not… Which he couldn’t because he was only 19.
Eventually my boyfriend at the time and I broke up. I was giving Ellis advice on girls at work and he would do the same for me and ask all kinds of questions. About eight months later, after realizing that this frat boy wasn’t like the stories and I could be ‘me’ around him, I finally gave him my number. It took him two weeks to text me!! Come to find out, like this year, he had actually messaged me a couple months prior asking if I wanted to go to coffee. I kind of blew him off… By kind of I mean I actually really did blow him off. I basically told him that I had homework and I’d have to let him know! Eventually it was time for Christmas Break, so we both went our own ways, in which I thought very little of. When we got back we had to have a training session for our job and he actually saved me a seat. I kind of gave my girlfriends what the heck look and sat behind him instead! Months later, four to be exact, after working together, we both finally realized we want to hang out and get to know each other.
He invited me over to have popcorn and watch a movie… But that’s totally not what happened. He called me as I was on my way to his house and let me know that his fraternity was having a party at his house for a big and little sis. At the time, I had NO clue what it was. Essentially, one of his frat brothers gets completely wasted and “gains a little sister”. when I finally got there I had to carry this brother up the stairs to the house because he couldn’t walk anymore. That was just the start to this crazy night! I get in there and Ellis kind of pulls me to the side and says by the way, there is a girl that may have an issue with you being here. I was a little caught off guard because I didn’t know about any other girls. Come to find out this girl and he had texted off and on, but she never really committed to seeing him. So he just kinda let it go. I was pretty uncomfortable at the party already, but now there was this random girl.
Towards the middle of the party he comes up to me and says just so you know, the girl is here, and she wants to go outside and talk. If you want you can go into my room and hang out there until I get back. This… Is when you are supposed to run! In the back of my head I thought all I have to do is leave and then I never have to see him again. But I didn’t. I went to his room found a WARM Keystone tall boy...(ew!) and chugged it to take the edge off. While I waited a few of his frat brothers came in and introduce themselves and made me feel welcomed until Ellis came back. Turns out, the girl was pretty upset that he was there with me and yelled at him for 45 minutes! Ellis came back into his room with the saddest most defeated face. He walked in and apologized. And when you thought it was over, it wasn’t! The girls “big sis” came in as continued yelling at him. SMH! Finally, when it was over, he close the door so I donis bed and looked at me in the eyes. He asked me, “so will you be my girlfriend?” 😳
I told him that we should probably let everything simmer down for a bit… Proceeded to do “chubby bunny” which essentially is squishing my face and asking the bus driver to open the door. I got a chuckle out of them and then we ended up staying together that night out of pure wanting to be around each other. The next day we finally decided that we would date and made it official. However I never did say yes!
Not until he asked me to marry him about a year and a half later…
Describe Your First Date.
Oh dear… Technically we didn’t have a first date right away and we can’t agree on what our first date actually was! Let’s be honest, it’s been a minute. We hung out with friends and at work most of the time. He thinks our first date was one night where we played one on one basketball, but he was late. The gym ended up closing 10 minutes after he finally got there! Afterwards, we ended up talking until 4:30 in the morning. In fact, I was 2 1/2 hours late to my job the next day because I slept through my alarms!
Now, I would say that our first date actually occurred when I came out to Idaho to spend a month with him and his family. We were on our way to Cortolane and stopped at a Mexican restaurant. Worst. Food. Ever! Now that didn’t matter though… We had a blast in the car jamming out to music and talking on our way! We ended up camping and then making the drive back the next day. Fast forward about two years and we would be doing the same thing at Lake Cascade, only this time he asked me to spend the rest of our lives’ adventures together.
What are you favorite local things to do & places to go?
We LOVE riding from Ann Morrison into downtown (no matter the weather), checking out Brew Pubs, and hitting the hill for some skiing, boarding, hiking, or mountain biking!
What is one word of advice you have to those who are still in search of love?
Persevere.
Thanks to kickboxing, I’ve personally met Jackie and Ellis. Jackie is kicking butt (literally) in class, and sometimes I see Ellis join her. Head over to @jackie_pintar & follow her.
Thank you Jackie & Ellis for sharing your #LoveInTheBOI story!