Jake and I both grew up in good ol’ Calvert County, Maryland—just about ten minutes down the road from each other, unknowingly living parallel lives. Our very first interaction was in Mr. Supanik’s ninth grade social studies class. Jake’s first impression of me? “Scary.” (Rude, but fair.) I was deep in my emo girl era, rocking questionable fashion choices and a generous collection of ear piercings. He also remembers thinking it was wild that my mom was pregnant with her fifth daughter—something I apparently announced to anyone within earshot.

All through high school, we drifted in different circles. Jake was the honors kid who played in the band and ran track; I never once stepped foot in a band room and was usually somewhere playing travel softball. Our worlds briefly collided during a junior year talent show (which feels fake, but okay), but otherwise, we didn’t interact much.

After graduation, we crossed paths here and there thanks to our mutual friend, Taylor—who also went to Temple with Jake. Our hangouts were always fun but solidly platonic... until one particular night in 2022. I was visiting Taylor in Philly, and as usual, we met up with Jake at the bar. We ended up getting into a surprisingly deep conversation about our therapy jobs—discussing philosophies, approaches, and all that nerdy, heartfelt stuff that somehow made total sense over a round of drinks. That was the moment I realized just how alike we were—and how incredible Jake really is. I think I always knew it, but suddenly everything just clicked.

Naturally, I did what any girl with a newfound crush would do: I immediately told Taylor. A few weeks and some subtle Cupid-level scheming later, she helped orchestrate our first “date” at Barcade in Fishtown. From there, we navigated long-distance between Philly and Baltimore, but it didn’t take long to realize that being in the same city (and eventually the same apartment) was the dream.

Fast forward to March 2024: Jake was weirdly insistent on going hiking in the pouring rain, and I couldn’t figure out why. We trekked up Goat Hill Overlook in Lambertville, NJ—soaking wet, cold, and muddy. I remember thinking, “This view better be worth it.” Spoiler: it absolutely was. At the top, Jake got down on one knee and pulled out his great-grandmother’s ring. I instantly burst into tears. It was a total Notebook meets Pam & Jim moment—straight out of the kind of love story I never saw coming, but now couldn’t imagine any other way.

Sometimes I wonder why we never got together in high school, but the truth is, we needed time to grow, to learn, and to live our own stories before we were ready to be in each other’s. We've shared a hometown, a high school, and now we get to share a future :)