Oarsman staff members Julia Escobar and Carmen Perez went around campus asking couples if they would like to share their love stories. “Humans of Venice High” is a series of photographs and personal histories revealing the hidden emotions of their subjects.

Anias Camarillo (12th grade)

What was your first impression of Mariana?
“My first impression of her was… to be honest, when I first saw her, she looked like a pretty mean person, so I was like should I talk to her? Should I make the first move? And then I started getting to know her and she ended up being really nice and smart.”

How long have you guys been together?
“We’ve been together for five months now.”

How did you guys first meet each other?
“We met this summer during summer school.”

How do you feel when you’re around her?
“I don’t know. It’s this feeling I can’t describe, but I’m just filled with joy when I’m around her.”

What is something you love about her?
“Her personality. She is funny and knows how to take a joke, sometimes. I think that is very important to me because I like to joke around a lot. And she is smart. There are too many to list right now.”

Can you recall your happiest moment with her?
“One of the happiest moments I have with her was probably during the football season. Me being on the field and turning around and seeing her on sidelines cheering for me, doing her dances. Also, just spending time with her on the weekend, just us bonding at her house with her little niece Jenesis.”

Where do you see yourself with her in the future?
“I see us living happily in our own house with a beautiful family. Successful.”

Do you think your relationship will be affected by graduating?
“No. I hope not.”

What is something you remind her about when she is feeling down?
“I remind her about how amazing she is. And that she shouldn’t let the little things affect her and ruin her mood. Just being there for her, I always want her to know that she can count on me to be there for her because I’m always here to support her and help her and make sure she’s good.”

Julie Aguilar & Andy Velasco (11th grade)

How did you meet?
“Last year, in English class, I kinda noticed she was always late to class, every day she was late, that’s how we first met,” Andy said.
“We also had mutual friends. We started talking; we became really close friends and then we just started dating,” Julie said.
“She kinda made the first move really, she came up to me at the library asking me stuff,” Andy said.

What do you like the most about each other?
“I feel so comfortable when I am around her. I can be myself and I don’t have to act like something that I am not. I can say something dumb and she won’t be mean or mad about it,” Andy said.
“What I like about him is that he is always making me laugh. I can be mad or sad and he always finds the way to make me smile and to make me feel happy,” Julie said.

What makes your relationship special?
“I feel our relationship is different because most couples start off as talking and we started off as really good friends. We really knew each other before we started dating,” Julie said.
“We have a really good connection. We both know each other’s families really well. We are both allowed to spend time with each other, other couples sometimes can’t do that or only on the weekends. Sometimes I go to her house on the weekdays after school to do homework or just chill out, sometimes she comes to my place and we go out to eat on the weekends all the time,” Andy said.
“We are really close, me and his dad are always hanging out. I go to the mall with his mom. We go on road trips together. I think that is very unique,” Julie said.

How long have you been together?
“A year in May,” said Andy.

How do you see your relationship in the future?
“We just like to live in the moment. Sometimes we talk about the future, but near future like in a year to the places we want to go or just planning trips and also classes that we want to take together to help us both get ahead in school. That’s what we think about when we think in the ‘future.’ Not too far away and just enjoy the moment,” said Julie.