Despite navigating through different schools and eventually different universities, their connection remained unwavering, with Matthew advancing on to pursue football and academics at Northwestern, and Maya pursuing engineering at Stanford.

Being two thousand miles apart seemed to only bring the two closer together. From late night phone calls to football game cheering, to Final Exam care packages, Maya and Matthew found in each other a confidant, a supporter, and a guiding light. Their love, platonic at this point in time, was rooted in a deep sense of companionship bolstered by their faith in God.

A turning point came during a vacation in Cabo, where Maya and Matthew, away from the hustle of their everyday lives, found themselves alone in a hot tub, under the stars. The setting was simple, devoid of the dramatic trappings of a typical love story, yet it was here, amidst conversations about life and personal challenges, that the depth of their connection was realized.