Julia and Curtis first met back in eighth grade. It wasn’t love at first sight—more like a quiet spark waiting to be fanned. Myia, their mutual friend and low-key matchmaker, saw something in the way they talked, the way they laughed a little easier around each other. She subtly nudged them together, suggesting they sit next to each other in class, organizing hangouts where they'd naturally end up talking for hours.

Over the next few years, their friendship bloomed. They became each other’s person—the one you'd text after a hard test, the one you'd share inside jokes with in the hallways. Myia was always there in the background, helping things along, but by now, Julia and Curtis didn’t need much help. They were inseparable.

They navigate the trials and tribulations of middle school together, supporting each other through academic pressures and the complexities of early teen life. Julia and Curtis a whirlwind of firsts and teenage awkwardness. It’s a time of both intense joy and inevitable conflict as they learn to navigate the complexities of a romantic partnership.

They navigated the ups and downs of high school side by side, their connection evolving as they grew. Even after their romantic relationship came to an end, the friendship they had built never wavered. If anything, it deepened. They remained each other’s confidants and support systems—celebrating each other’s wins, offering comfort through losses, and always showing up when it mattered most. Like many young love stories, theirs took a few turns they didn’t expect, but through the chaos of growing up—college applications, messy breakups, family drama—they never stopped being each other’s safe place.

As high school graduation approaches, Julia and Curtis face the decision of where to attend college. Initially, the thought of being separated is daunting, threatening their established closeness. After a half year in college Julia moves back home and Curtis takes a semester off both finding themselves in a sort of rut. They both needed space to figure things out, but somehow, their paths kept circling back.

And then, almost like it was always meant to be, they found their way back to each other.

Older, a little wiser, and more sure of what they wanted—this time, it wasn’t just a fling or a high school romance. It was real. It was home. And they both knew: whatever came next, they’d face it together.

For life.