TBT: When Tucker Asked Me to Prom

Monday was a pretty special anniversary around here. I was out of town and Tucker has work at 5AM so we didn't do anything to celebrate, but there were several times throughout the day that I smiled to myself at the memories.

Italicized portions are the parts I didn't know at the time but learned later.
Sunday, March 14, 2010.
It had already been a fantastic day. Early that afternoon, I'd found out that after years of hard work and spending my babysitting money on voice lessons, I'd beat every other high school vocalist in the state of Arizona and got first chair in the All-State choir. I was texting Tucker as I found out, and he nonchalantly asked if the concert would be the same day as Prom like the year before. I joked that if it was, I'd start a petition to change the day of Prom, and he responded "Ok, good, cuz that would really stink." My minds starts to wonder, but I quickly stop myself, remembering Tucker did not actually plan on going to Prom. We also established the fact that he was leaving early the next morning on family trip to Utah for Spring Break and would be gone all week.
*                *                *
A dear friend that I grew up with (we'll just call him "friend") texts Maddy trying to find out if I'd been asked to Prom yet. Maddy tells him she didn't think I'd been asked. He then asks if she's told Tucker, which she had not. Thinking he was trying to find out for Tucker, she then randomly texts Tucker that I had not yet been asked to Prom.
*                 *                 *
Friend also texts Markie to find out if I'd been asked. She happened to get the text during the one hour of time on her trip when her phone actually had service. She also confirmed that I'd not yet been asked.
*                 *                 *
Markie texts Tucker.
M: You're asking Karli to Prom, right? T: Why M: Well, if you are you'd better do it soon, cuz [Friend] wants to ask her. T: I don't know if I can. I'm leaving in the morning... M: Well then someone else is going to ask her.
*                 *                 *
Around 4PM, Tucker calls and texts my mom. He expresses concern that someone else might ask me so he's calling to "stake his claim" and asks permission to ask me to prom. Mom eagerly grants her approval.
*                 *                 *
Tucker texts Friend to let him know that he's asking me to Prom.
*                 *                 *
10 minutes after Tucker called my mom, the doorbell rings. I'm summoned upstairs. A poster on the front lawn with hurried handwriting reads, "A question for you, the answer I must know. To Prom with me? We'll stop the show. To make this 'we', 2 there must be. I have already found you; now you find me. My name be hid among the flags..." There were a bunch of papers taped to skewers with the poster. 5 of them were poked in the grass, but the rest were left on the doormat. A little rushed, no? I picked through the flags until I found Friend's name. I was trying really hard to be happy and excited. We'd been friends for years, and I'd have a fun time with him. But I'd really hoped my Senior Prom would be with someone else, and underneath, I was disappointed.
*                 *                 *
I text Joe, Tucker's text from earlier still floating in my mind... K: This is ridiculous, but do you know if Tucker really was planning on asking me to Prom? J: Last time I talked to him, he wasn't planning on going.
K: Ok, well [Friend] just asked me, but something Tucker said made me wonder... J: Well, if you think he might ask you, then maybe wait to answer [Friend]...
*                 *                 *
Tucker texts me. T: You're not going anywhere for Spring Break, are you? K: No... why? (Because we'd already been over this) T: That's what I thought K: I'm here all week. T: K. I'm gone all week. (Duh.) K: Why? T: Just making sure.
*                 *                 *
I'm confused. My family leaves to go visiting. Ashley Tucker is at Tucker's house for Sunday dinner and helps out with "stuff."
*                 *                 *
8:00PM - I leave for a Junior Staff camp meeting at the church building.
*                 *                 *
Something is happening at my empty house.
*                 *                 *
As I'm pulling into the garage, I notice a shiny, wrapped present with a big red bow behind a bush in the front yard. Oh brother. I walk in, and my whole family has these silly grins on their faces. I grab a flashlight and go collect 10 presents, all with a big red ribbon. The last one, the biggest, was on the roof... Each box was marked with a number, and I took them inside and began opening them in order.
1.

What in the world? Who has these embarrassing pictures of me???

 2.

As least they have a sense of humor...

3.

wait a minute...... Also, that is a hideous picture. Ewe.

4.

Are those rats on skewers?!

5.

Wait a second....Angelo...?!

6.

But you said you weren't going to Prom!!!!!

7.

Awwww! Look at baby Tucker!!!

8.

Well, I certainly think so....

9.

Well, if you're going to pull the sentimental card....

10.

And I really can't argue with his logic on this one....

*                 *                 *
The bottom of the last box was also covered in red Starbursts - my favorite kind. Needless to say, the next morning, I apologetically took an extra large Coldstone over to Friend's house and told him thank you, but I couldn't go to Prom with him. Tucker had my heart, and a week later, we were snuggled up in the back of the airplane on our way to San Francisco with choir.

I'm forever grateful to my mother-in-law for convincing Tucker that he really did need to ask me, to Friend for creating the competition necessary to make Tucker realize that he really did want to ask me, and to Tucker for getting up the guts to ask me in a really cheesy, beautifully romantic, silly way.
And the rest, as they say, is history.