It was a cold October Saturday, and neither of us knew our lives were about to change. Hailey had decided to go out with her cousin Angela to celebrate Angela’s recent 21st birthday, while Scott was reluctantly convinced to join his friends for a night out at Bedrocks in Shorewood.

Scott hadn’t planned on going out at all. He’d told his friend—home from the Marines with a buddy visiting from Texas—that he was staying in. But his friend wouldn’t take no for an answer. “I’m already at your house,” he texted. “Get in the car.” With that, Scott joined the group, not knowing that decision would lead to meeting the love of his life.

Hailey, meanwhile, had been playing ping pong with her friends at Bedrocks. Her skills weren’t quite what they used to be, and as she missed shot after shot, her eyes wandered to the pool tables nearby. That’s when she noticed Scott—more specifically, Scott bent over the table taking a shot. “Nice butt,” she thought, and she couldn’t stop sneaking glances.

Hailey told a friend he was cute but was too nervous to ask if he was single. What if he wasn’t? She kept stealing glances in his direction, hoping he might notice her too. What she didn’t realize was that Scott had noticed her. He’d caught her bright energy over by the ping pong tables and took a few subtle glances her way.

When a mutual friend finally introduced them, everything clicked. The first thing Scott noticed was Hailey’s beautiful smile, and Hailey felt an instant connection. She couldn’t stop smiling around him, and the conversation flowed effortlessly.

The night didn’t end there. With their group of friends, they headed to Scooters, another bar nearby. After settling at a table with drinks, Hailey asked Scott a question that would set the tone for the rest of the evening: “Do you know how to dance?” Before he could answer, she grabbed his arm and pulled him to the dance floor.

Caught up in the moment, Scott laughed and confessed, “I don’t know how to dance, but I’ll try my best to impress you.” And that’s exactly what he did. They danced for a few songs, laughing and moving like they’d known each other forever.

As the night came to a close, the bar began shutting down, but Hailey wasn’t about to let the moment end. On their way out, she turned to Scott and confidently demanded, “Take my number.” Scott didn’t hesitate for a second, grateful that she made the first move.

That night, everything began. A chance encounter, a little courage, and some spontaneous dancing turned into the start of a love story neither of us could have imagined. Looking back, we both know it was meant to be—ping pong, pool, dancing, and all.