Sometimes, life changes in a way that feels small at first. Like the turn of a page you didn’t realize would take you into a new chapter. That’s how it began for Kim and Drew—in early November 2020, with an innocent nudge from a friend and the quiet workings of technology.

Their mutual friend, Artan, saw something on Snapchat Maps that made him look twice. Two avatars, side by side, so close it seemed like they were already together. They weren’t. But Artan, never one to wait around for life to happen, decided to give fate a little push.

Kim didn’t think much of it at first, but curiosity got the best of her. So, she did what any sane person would do: she followed Drew on Instagram. And then? Absolutely nothing. Weeks rolled by, the world kept spinning, and Drew—completely unaware of his entire future, was off to spend Thanksgiving with friends back in New Jersey.

But here’s the thing: sometimes your friends know more about your life than you do. So, with a little encouragement and just the right amount of peer pressure, Drew finally worked up the nerve to send Kim a message. It wasn’t anything grand—a message, poorly spelled, clumsy in the way first messages often are. But Kim saw it, and there was something about his raw honesty, the way he didn’t hide behind perfection, that intrigued her. Maybe it was the typos. Maybe it was the charm hidden between the lines. Either way, she was hooked.

December 3rd, 2020. The day their lives intersected in real time, not just through a screen. They met at My Neighbor Felix, a simple restaurant on the surface, but in their story, it became the place where everything changed. Mid-pandemic, the world was still fragile, and so was time. Ninety minutes. That’s all they had to decide if this was the beginning of something real or just a fleeting spark. But here’s the thing about time—it doesn’t always follow the rules. The conversation came easily, and when their ninety minutes were up, they realized something: they weren’t ready to say goodbye.

So they didn’t. They moved the conversation to Kim’s car, where the world outside seemed to fall away, and all that mattered was the hours they spent learning about each other. What they liked, what they dreamed about, what made them laugh. It was the kind of conversation that feels like you’ve known someone for years.

Two days later, they found themselves in Manitou Springs, spending an entire day together. Not planned, not forced—just two people who had barely scratched the surface of what this could be. From that moment on, they were inseparable. It wasn’t the grand, cinematic romance. It was quieter than that. Steadier. The kind that sneaks up on you and makes a home in your life before you even realize it.

And now, standing at the start of something new, they’re ready to share this adventure with everyone. Because while it may not have started with fireworks, what they found is something better: a love that’s real, raw, and full of the small, unassuming moments that matter most.