ZACK & MELANIE

LOVE STORY

WRITEN BY MELANIE 

Our story begins in 2003 when Melanie, a new freshman at IUP, was hired to work at the Co-op Bookstore.  Zack had been working at the Co-op Store on and off since he had graduated high school.  Zack and Melanie developed a good working relationship quickly after Melanie began working at the store.  A friendship outside of work didn’t start right away because Zack was in a relationship with another girl at the time.  Over the next year, Zack and Melanie would talk and joke around with each other at work. 

One morning in September 2004, Melanie could tell that there was something wrong with Zack. Melanie approached Zack when she saw him and asked him what was wrong. Initially, Zack had told Melanie that nothing was wrong.  Melanie knew that Zack wasn’t telling her the truth but she didn’t feel it was her place to pry.  Later in the morning, Zack pulled Melanie back to the receiving department at the Co-op Store to let her know that he and his girlfriend had broken up.  Melanie was stunned and did not know what to say to Zack.  Zack shot Melanie down when she offered him a hug to console him.  At this point in the conversation, Melanie told Zack to let her know if he needed anything.  The conversation ended between Zack and Melanie at this time.  Later in the day, Melanie and Zack were conversing again. Melanie offered Zack her phone number and told him if he needed someone to talk to she was available. 

A couple of days later, Melanie was walking to her car after class when she saw she had a voicemail on her phone.  Melanie was surprised to hear that Zack was the one who had left her the voicemail.  Zack had invited Melanie to go with him and a couple of other people to get his tattoo on Friday evening.  Melanie accepted. As it turned out, Zack’s appointment was never recorded and he rescheduled for the next day.  Instead of getting a tattoo done Zack, Melanie, and a mutual friend went and rented the two worst movies in the galaxy. 

The following day, Melanie met Zack uptown so Zack could get his tattoo.  During the course of Zack getting his tattoo, he fell asleep on the table, probably because he had such boring company (Zack won’t admit to this and says that he just likes how it feels to get a tattoo).  After Zack finished getting his tattoo, Zack and Melanie walked back to his parent’s house.  Melanie found out on this lovely jaunt back that this tattoo was going to be a secret from Zack’s parents.  Melanie was horrified that Zack’s parents would be mad at her for being an accomplice.  Zack mistook how indecisive Melanie can be for disinterest and dropped her off early at her house. 

As the months progressed, Zack and Melanie grew to be inseparable and spent all their free time together.  Zack and Melanie refused to admit they were more than just friends, even though everyone around them knew different.  However, by the end of December, Zack and Melanie finally acknowledged that they were indeed dating.

Over the course of the next few years, Zack and Melanie continued to build the foundation of their relationship.  Zack and Melanie discussed when it would be a good time to get engaged.  They decided that they needed to both complete college and have good jobs before getting engaged.   On December 4, 2008 Zack proposed to Melanie while putting up the Christmas tree.  Zack had Melanie looking through his Christmas tree ornaments knowing eventually she would find a little blue box.  Zack pulled the box out of the bag and handed it to Melanie.   Melanie was not expecting to find a ring even though she knew Zack had a ring for a couple of months.  Melanie was left speechless.  This told Zack that Melanie had accepted his ring.

A couple of weeks later, Zack and Melanie went up to Grace Church to pick a wedding date.   They knew they wanted a summer wedding but did not have a specific date in mind.  They picked today, July 24, 2010 strictly because it was available on the church schedule.