There was a time I was in a habit of ordering takeout whenever sadness or exhaustion got to me. Good food seemed to always cheer me up—getting that "your food is on the way!" notification was about the biggest highlight of such a day. On what seemed to be a routine day, I placed an order right before climbing on the bus home from campus. I got about halfway through my journey when I felt a buzz from my phone. Excitedly, I took it out of my pocket to see what was going on: it was the notification that my food was on the way. Except, this time, I suddenly felt disappointment. I realized that I was actually hoping Heidi texted me instead. I didn't care about the food anymore; I just wanted to be with Heidi.

It so happens that my name is a good description of me-- whether it's due to my short stature or my quiet personality, I'm good at hiding. This characteristic became a good source of entertainment for me when Dion and I first started dating. When he would go to the bathroom, I would decide that this was the perfect occasion to rope him into a game of hide and seek. Between his unmade bed, closet full of clothes, and variety of doors, his small apartment was full of wonderful hiding spots. My favorite part was hearing the door to the bathroom open, and, without any second elapsing, the words "Heidi, where are you?" It would fill my heart with joy when I would realize that absence was immediately sensed-- it was as if he didn't want to waste any of our time spent together without me near him. And, guess what? I felt the same way. Perhaps that is why I allowed myself to laugh so easily when he was looking for me: to facilitate his pursuit.