It all started on New Year’s Eve, at a house party my friend and I threw at my brother’s place. That night, I teamed up with Ian for a game of beer pong — but let’s just say his skills didn’t quite live up to the hype. I ended up trading him out (sorry, Ian), and we went our separate ways… for a few days.

Then Ian mysteriously started showing up at my brother’s house, claiming he was there to “hang out” with a mutual friend (shoutout to Mike Kardos). Coincidentally, that friend was never around — but Ian always was. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t just there for the friendship.

One night, I invited Ian out with me, and he really made an impression. When a guy at the bar tried chatting me up, Ian stepped in and convinced him I wasn’t interested — only to come back and tell me, “He left because he’s not into you.” (Romantic, right?)

But somewhere between the sarcasm, the surprise visits, and the unexpected connection, something real began. And the rest, as they say, is history.