The Campbells

The Slow Burn

Michelle and Alex met in high school when they were 15, but they didn’t really become good friends until their junior year when they were both in Mrs. Martin’s AP American History class. (Alex was in the course due to a scheduling mishap; Michelle was there, because she’s a nerd.)

At times, it seemed like Alex was interested in a little more than friendship – it has been argued that Michelle thought about it, too – but the two never dated in high school. Their interests didn’t quite line up – Michelle loves rules and Alex…loved them a little less. (Michelle also had a boyfriend who was not Alex.)

In May 2007, Michelle and Alex each graduated and went on to pursue new adventures.

Over the next decade, one of them learned the magic that is Adobe InDesign and the other learned to fly. During those years, both occasionally Facebook-creeped (crept?) on the other. However, they were never both single at the same time. And, although both actually lived in Shreveport for an extended period during this decade, their stints missed overlapping by mere months.

A Book and A Note

Michelle wrote her first book, and the floor was always lava, in May 2014. Alex learned of this book about a year later when he found her website. He purchased a copy, but didn’t send her a message. When Michelle received notification of the purchase from an Alexandre Campbell in Moon, Pennsylvania, she thought it might be the same Alex she’d known almost ten years earlier. But what was he doing in Pennsylvania? Michelle did a little friendly stalkng of her own and found Alexandre on LinkedIn. And y’all, this guy was a pilot. She put the book in the mail and with it, a personal note that said something like, “I’m not sure if you’re the Alex I knew in high school, but if you are, it looks like life is going well for you! You’re a pilot?! That’s amazing. Congratulations.” You know, real profound stuff.The note would turn out to mean more to Alex than she could have known.

The First Date

Over the next two years, the two would talk a handful of times via The Facebook. Alex even tried to get Michelle to go to dinner with him once when he had an overnight in Baltimore. But the stars weren’t aligned, and Mchelle was out of town on a business trip of her own. It would take another relationship ending, a long-overdue snapchat friend request acceptance, and some well-played, pilot-inspired snapchats of Baltimore from 30,000 ft to finally nail down that first date for May 8, 2017. Michelle didn’t totally realize it was a date-date, so she wore her glasses, the longest skirt she owned, and didn’t even try with the makeup. Alex thought she looked beautiful anyway. In fact, the date was perfect. Alex even pulled Michelle out of the way of oncoming traffic (something he’s done at least three times now–Michelle is not good at crossing streets).

The Almost Season

Soon after their first date, the couple found themselve planning on forever. After just six months of long-distance, Alex moved to Baltimore in late Oct. 2017. Timing, however, was still not quite right. Both needed some time to figure themselves out a bit, and unfortunately, it needed to be apart from each other. They went their separate ways once more. (Picture the montage one hour into any romantic comedy or drama that has ever existed. That part, was this part.) In their year apart–known simply as 2018–Michelle learned to rock climb and to jump out of her comfort zone and to go to the movies by herself. Alex moved back to Pittsburgh (one of the most underrated cities in America) and bought a house and became a freaking airline Captain. At times, it was a lonely year, but ultimately, both would be grateful for it.

Happily Ever After