It all started when we were just 13 years old—two eighth graders navigating the world of growing up. We first crossed paths in the halls of Ridgeview, but officially met on Instagram. He followed me, I followed him back. It seemed like a harmless little connection at the time, but one simple "To Be Honest" message changed everything. If you know, you know. This TBH led to DeWayne asking for my KIK, and that was the beginning of our late-night conversations, always FaceTiming after school, talking about everything and nothing. It didn’t take long for us to make it “official.” Just two weeks later, we were at the high school football game at the Ditch—Central versus Lancaster. And in the middle of the excitement of the game, amidst the crowd and the noise, he asked me to be his girlfriend. It was the start of something unforgettable, and truly was the beginning of forever.

From that moment on, we grew up together. We graduated high school side by side, each navigating our own paths. When he went off to Duke to pursue his dream of playing division 1 football, we faced the challenge of long-distance—five years of talking through a screen, long drives, and the constant support of one another. We learned how to love from afar, and grow seperately, and in doing so, built a bond stronger than we ever could have imagined.

Through all the changes in our lives, the ups and downs, the victories and challenges, we never wavered. We traveled together, celebrated milestones, and made countless memories. And then, in the spring of 2024, the moment we had been waiting for came. The day we had talked about since we were kids. On April 22nd, DeWayne got down on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him. It was a moment we will talk about for the rest of our lives. My favorite day to date.

Fast forward to today—we’ve just moved to Buffalo, NY, into our first place together, and I can’t imagine doing life with anyone else. We’ve been by each other’s side for 10 years, and now, we’re looking ahead to a lifetime of love, adventure, and new beginnings. We’re so excited to celebrate the love we’ve built, with the people we cherish most, and create even more memories together. 13 year old us would be so proud of how far we have come. Here’s to a lifetime of us! 🤍