Danielle and Marcus met at Outwood Grange High School back in 2009 after their friend groups merged into one large one that would often hang out during breaks & lunch. By the end of high school and their first year of sixth form they had become a lot closer. Marcus finding enjoyment in annoying and winding up Danielle whenever they were in the sixth form library and they would often hang out in Outwood Park after classes were over the day.

They ended up briefly drifting away and coming into contact again over the years that followed when they had both left sixth form after our first year of A Levels so they could pursue different paths. They would always check in on each other however it wouldn’t be for a few years later they would properly reconnect again.

This is where our true love story really begins.

Marcus reached out to Danielle after a lapse in her mental health had sent her spiralling. He was there for her emotionally, to take her mind off the darker thoughts and lifted her spirits and her confidence. Even going so far as to take her on a belated Valentines date. That’s when Danielle knew she’d developed feelings for him, when she wished on her bus journey home that day that she had kissed him goodbye. A month or so later Danielle got her wish when at a house party for her 20th birthday they snuck a kiss or two, away from friends.

Sadly they would drift apart once again, after Danielle got a job working around West Yorkshire that kept her away from home from 7am - 11pm and unable to stay in touch with Marcus. They would eventually be in relationships with other people by the time they spoke again. Because of something known as Right Person, Wrong Time.

2020 was a world wind of a year for most people and it was no different for the two lovebirds.

After deciding to give online dating a try in late 2019 and a bunch of failed conversations later, sat in her grandmas bedroom during the first lockdown, Danielle was ready to give up until one fateful day Marcus messaged her out of the blue asking if she wanted to go for coffee sometime once the ban was lifted. She agreed, though her gut told her it was actually a date she was just excited to see her friend again after 5 years. The next morning while doing the usual morning scroll through tinder who appears but Marcus so she swiped and before long “it’s a match” flashed across the screen. Her gut feeling was right and they began talking everyday.

A couple of weeks later as the announcement of lockdown easing, and after the first “I love you”s had been said they began arranging for their first date. Danielle made a cute little set up in her home with candle light and a nice meal.

They were there for each other through thick and thin and living together came naturally. The rest is history.

They had talked a lot in the few years together about marriage and starting a family of their own. Danielle knew all the way back in 2021 that she wanted to propose to Marcus but would end up waiting until 2023 to finally do it. She’d planned it out, set an ideal date and bought the necessary items to do it… things don’t always work out the way you plan them though and unknowingly as Danielle sat looking a bouquets of flowers, knowing that hidden away safely were the rings, in a D20 dice holder in Marcus’s favourite colour, Marcus had seen her screen and queried it.

Knowing if she didn’t strike now the surprise could have been ruined, when they headed to bed Danielle snuck the dice holder turned temporary ring box into the room with them and proposed that evening.