... in 3rd grade. At the ripe age of 8, Kris and Cassidy first met in what was called the “Enrichment” program. They went to two different elementary schools on the west side of Columbus, but this program was for the gifted and talented students of their school district (which Cassidy unequivocally deserved, Kris likely cheated on his standardized testing). So, the district has them bused to another school a couple times each month throughout 3rd and 4th grade.


Kris started to form a crush on Cassidy immediately, and they became friends. Even though it seemed one-sided, Cassidy has since admitted that when she noticed Kris wasn’t going to be in her classes at Galloway Ridge Intermediate School for 5th and 6th grade, she was deflated. Kris ran his finger down the list as well, looking for her name only to be met with the same disappointment. They had to resort to waving in the halls and Myspace until being reunited at Norton Middle School.

... happened. Finally having classes together again after two long years, they were separately and congruently growing into more social, confident, and active young teenagers. They started flirting more, but it didn’t go much farther than that in 7th grade. After getting their first cell phones (which, yes, they were flip phones), they ran into each other at the movies and exchanged phone numbers.


They decided that a summer texting relationship made sense for some reason, so they made it official. That is, until Kris told her he loved her after a week or two, finding himself single just as quickly as their texting-ship began. They stayed connected despite the breakup, and got even closer during 8th grade through mutual classes and being on the track & field team together.

... when they got their schedules for their first year of high school. They texted each other to see what classes they shared. Lunch. That was it. But that was all they needed, because after a lot of texting and some late night phone conversations, they decided to try it again.


On 1/1/11, they had their first ever date at a movie theater. The movie was called The Tourist, but it wasn’t important. Kris eventually mustered the courage to reach for her hand to hold, despite his hand being covered in sweat. After the movie, they shared their first kiss and were in love. Once the excitement wore off a couple of months later, Cassidy decided they were too different to make things work, running in different social circles, so they moved on again.

... hope. Going into sophomore year, he continued to become more mature and let go of the “rocker boy” act. At the same time, she was becoming more mature and let go of her “prep girl” act. They stayed close, but it wasn’t until a week straight of phone calls that went so late the sun would rise before they hung up that they realized they were supposed to be together.


The problem was, there was someone else. Cassidy still had a boyfriend. After Mr. Unlucky got dumped, Kris and Cassidy could finally be together without worrying about class schedules, being cool, or free Verizon calls after 9 PM. On April 22, 2012, they started over again.

... would follow. It was all so simple until it wasn’t. Life changes quickly as a teenager, and before they knew it (and after receiving homecoming and prom king and queen, just saying), 2 years together navigating the rest of high school came and went.


For two years, they hung out in Cassidy’s room, listening to the same 15-song playlist of soft-rock songs on repeat, and looking into each other’s eyes for hours. TV, video games, movies, board games, none of it mattered. Then, they had to make a decision...

College is by far the most difficult, most terrifying and most humbling experience for anyone. It was no different for Kris and Cassidy. They decided to brave it together at The Ohio State University.

So many changes were happening. Identity shifts, mental health changes, and so much more rocked their relationship constantly throughout college. What seemed so clear and so beautiful became so confusing and at times painful. It wasn't until after college that the storm started to calm and they were able to put the pieces back together again.

... and a miscommunication tried to interfere with Kris’ plans to propose to Cassidy on June 9th, 2022. He planned it all out, getting a sound permit from NYC to have both a violinist and cellist perform the song he wrote for her on piano over 11 years prior. He paid the vendor extra to transcribe an original song, and told them exactly the time and place inside of Central Park to meet, which happened to commonly be used as a wedding venue. It almost all fell apart, with a wedding (that didn’t have a permit, obviously) happening at the gazebo where he planned to propose, the videographer’s phone being run over by a taxi (leaving him without directions to said gazebo) and having to secretly text with the musicians all adding to the stress.


As Kris quietly pushed Cassidy in the direction he needed at the exact time it was planned, he asked her if she wanted to listen to the violin and cello music near a gazebo to rest their legs. She agreed, and as they started playing the song he wrote, called “Rose”, it took her 15 long seconds to digest what she was hearing and why. When she looked at Kris and saw he was already crying, it hit her. He got down on one knee, admitting that he had been planning this all out since he was 16 years old. He asked her to marry him, and she said yes.

... started way faster than they expected. They have been navigating adulthood together, setting goals and dreams, pursuing careers, living with parents, surviving a pandemic, buying a home, and adopting their fat cat, Choji, (based on a fat tv show character).


But after decades of change, and the most transformative years of their lives, they are excited to spend the rest of their days together, continuously re-finding the teenagers who wanted nothing more than to lie in bed and search through each other’s eyes. They will be declaring this desire in front of those they love on May 4th, 2024.


They were destined to chase each other, and will continue to do so. Forever.