While on campus, he met the love of his life, Ashlee Houser.  After numerous failed attempts to get her to agree to accompany him on a date, he became frustrated and was beginning to think that he would never succeed.  He decided to make one last go of it, and the week before Valentine’s Day 2003, he put aside all of his school work, including numerous reports and a Greek test, and hand crafted a 5 page Valentine’s card.  After sneaking to Ashlee’s room and placing the card on her desk, he sat back and waited for three days to hear a response.  Finally the message came…”We need to talk.”  Things weren’t looking well and Matthew began to plan how he would handle the restrictions of his first Restraining Order.

Ashlee agreed to meet him on the second floor of the campus library.  The meeting time arrived, and the two parties sat on opposite ends of the table.  There aren’t many details of that night, yet in spite of his thoughts of rejection and possible law suits,  Ashlee conceded to accompany Matthew on a date to Wendy’s.