Herizann and Nick's story began at Last Mile Liquidator on Friday, July 7th, 2023. Their first conversation began while she was organizing shelves, when Nick walked over to get to know the new hire and show her the ropes. He complimented her organization skills, joking that she'd end up saving his life there. She complimented his glasses - and the unexpected kindness made him blush.

At the end of the shift, Herizann mentioned she didn't have many real friends and was free that Saturday if anyone wanted to hangout. No one else spoke up, but Nick didn't hesitate.

The next day, right after 5 p.m., he arrived at her duplex to find her mom and Herizann frustrated over new WiFi that needed to be set up. With a bit of tech know-how, Nick helped fix it, earning a grateful mom's exit (and probably a bit of confusion about the sudden appearance of a boy).

Once the door closed, Herizann gave him a tour: a cozy two-bedroom duplex with a tiki-themed living room, a spacious master bedroom, and an art room overflowing with sketches, crafts, glitter, and a giant rubber band ball. She introduced him to Mushu, her bearded dragon, and showed him the half-finished basement. A creative disaster zone of newspapers, paintbrushes, and the infamous spoon used for concave and convex painting techniques.

Naturally, painting became their first "real" activity together. They made a mess, used their hands, swapped brushes, tried every tool in reach, and signed their names at the bottom of the canvas. They talked about where they were from, the paths that led them to LML, and the small pieces of themselves that people don't always share on day one.

When they finished painting, they turned on the movie Warm Bodies. They started sitting side-by-side on the couch.. but halfway through, gravity and comfort pulled them to opposite armrests. By the end, their feet were practically in each other's faces as they drifted to sleep.

Herizann later woke up, covered Nick with a blanket, and quietly went to her own bed. Nick woke up the next morning slightly embarrassed he'd stayed over -- but deep down, he knew it wasn't an accident. It was the first moment he realized he could be completely himself around her, and that this was the start of something real.

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