"How We Met" Contest by @byn

While all my friends were starting to plan on settling down and starting a family, I was there clueless about what to do with my life. I was 23, college dropout, with my own computer rentals shop, and a girlfriend of 4 years who was then living with me.

A friend, a regular at my shop suddenly steered away from computer games and I noticed him doing confusing stuff with MS Excel. My curiosity got me asking him and learned he was applying for a Technical Support post at a newly opened offshore call center for Hewlett-Packard. For some reason, I found myself at that office the very next day.

Who knew I'd be hired? I had no experience, no idea of what I was putting myself into. I started working after about two weeks. Enjoyed the company of new friends and meeting people. It was fun earning so much. I got a salary package almost thrice the amount an average local earner gets. I was spending money here and there, got drunk, dated other women while my girlfriend patiently sits at home. You can only imagine just how many times I got home with a huge fight waiting for me.

I became part of Agent Support Group for Hewlett-Packard, meaning, I get to assist people who are taking customer calls for technical issues. There had been a group of agents who had been under my assistance. After a while, they get to be on their own teams and I get another batch to assist.

Last week of October 2007, I got introduced to this next class of agents. They looked regular, but they all seemed nice. One of them was Jonah. I thought she was cool and relaxed. She's not the type who'd be at the washroom every 5 minutes to check her appearance. She hangs around with boys more than girls. She sings in a band, fun to be with, crazy at times but really nice. We got along well, she's someone I can tell everything and not be judged. She felt like a long lost friend. She had someone from her class who I thought was pretty, she even set up a date for us.

One of the team lunches we had were I asked her to join. This, I specifically remember, I already have feelings for her.

Fast forward to half a year, many batches of agents, countless girls I dated, I started looking at her differently. She suddenly looked pretty. Like all the things she does felt sweet. I wanted to see her everyday, just to hang out. She was already in a relationship with someone then. And I was still with mine, going on 5 years.

I asked her during one of our team lunches to join us. She did and started opening up about her relationship. I felt bad for her and wanted to be the guy for her. She stopped seeing that guy. And we started hanging out again, in groups, I must add.

One day, I just can no longer hold it in. I held her hand. She got surprised. I know I didn't have to say anything. Days after, we talked about it. I promised her to fix my situation with my girlfriend and that it's her I want to be with. It was only then when I learned that my girlfriend has been sending her rude messages because she felt something was going on. That was even before I started to have feelings for Jonah. Indeed, girl's gut feels are always right.

I ended my 5 year relationship to be with her. She's like magic. That's the same way I described her to the counselor we spoke with prior to our wedding. I had numerous relationships that ended because I always had my eyes on other girls. I was a chick magnet. But with her, when we became us, it was just her and no one else.

We got married in December of 2009 and are now proud parents of two. We've had our shares of ups and downs just like most couples do. I know we're meant to be, because we've gone through so much that could have torn us apart, yet we came out stronger.

I hope this isn't too late an entry for @byn's How We Met contest.

Thanks for reading!

Love,
John (and Jonah)