In the early 2000s, two children lived just a stone’s throw apart, though their paths never seemed to cross. Joey and Syd both attended Pole Green Elementary School, but the threads of their lives had yet to weave together. Perhaps it was because Joey was a year older, or perhaps the universe was simply waiting for the right moment. In the magical years of childhood and the early whispers of tweenhood, they both found themselves drawn to a small forest that stood between their homes—an enchanted place that seemed to belong to no one yet to everyone. Syd would spend hours in her backyard, laughing with friends or sneaking fishing poles from the garage. She would cast them with hope, watching them soar into the woods, wondering what secrets they might bring back when she reeled them in. Meanwhile, Joey, with his sense of adventure, would ride his bike through the wooded paths or build secret forts, their walls made of wild imagination and the whispers of the trees. It was no coincidence that both children found such joy in that quiet, shared space, as if the forest itself had a way of bringing peace to anyone who wandered through its dappled light. Though they had yet to meet, the forest knew them well, and in its stillness, it quietly held the dreams of two young souls—each finding their own kind of magic in the same, unspoken world.

Though a redistricting law sent Syd to another school, the threads of fate still wove their paths close. They both found themselves at Virginia Center Commons Mall and the Mechanicsville Pool, places where time seemed to slow. Perhaps, on a summer afternoon, they passed each other in the bustling food court, unaware, or crossed paths as they dove into the deep end of the pool, each lost in their own world. In those fleeting moments, the universe whispered, "Not yet, but soon."

As they stepped into the world of middle school, a new kind of magic began to unfold for Syd and Joey. The stage, with its hidden corners and the soft glow of spotlight, beckoned to them. Syd, with her love of music, found herself drawn to the choir and the rhythm of dance. Meanwhile, Joey—ever the mischief-maker—had an unquenchable thirst for any instrument that caught his eye and any comedic character he could bring to life. Together, they discovered a place where imagination and expression flowed freely, as if the stage itself whispered to them, calling them to create, to transform, and to become part of a story bigger than themselves.

In their senior year, as they each took the stage at rival high schools, something almost magical seemed to stir in the air. Syd and Joey both earned lead roles in their school productions, their names whispered with excitement in the theater rooms and echoing through the halls of competition. And yet, despite the pull of the stage, their paths still never crossed. Did Joey watch from the shadows as she collected her awards during the Festival of Choirs, hosted by his own school, unaware of the connection that lingered just beyond reach? Or did she, too, pass him by in the band room, his fingers dancing across an instrument while hers moved to the rhythm of a different kind of song? In those fleeting moments, the universe seemed to hold its breath, waiting for their paths to finally intertwine. But not yet.

As Joey’s band played for his high school team, did he ever catch sight of Syd, front and center, leading her dances on the sidelines, her energy syncing with the rhythm of the music? And when the halftime show began, was she moving to the beat of his drums, completely unaware that her steps mirrored the very sound he was creating? Maybe their worlds were closer than they knew, each lost in their own performance, yet somehow drawn to the same moment.

After navigating the twists and turns of growing up and relationships, they were finally ready for each other. It was January of 2019 when their paths crossed on Tinder. Syd would tell you he wasn’t her usual type, but there was something about him she couldn’t ignore. Joey, on the other hand, would say he saw nothing but perfection in her. Syd messaged him first, intrigued by his polite, gentlemanly nature. But she had canceled their plans three times before. Joey, not one to give up easily, made one last attempt: he told her he really wanted a chance to meet, and if she wasn’t interested, he’d respect her decision and leave it at that. The next day, she invited him over. On January 12th, 2019, when she opened the door to find Joey standing there, her first words were, "Wow, you're tall."

The moment their eyes met for the first time, it was as if a lightbulb flickered to life in both of their hearts. It was that quiet, knowing feeling—the unspoken thought of, Oh, there you are. I've been waiting for you. A sense of recognition, as though they had somehow always known each other, and yet this was the moment the universe had been patiently waiting for. In that instant, everything felt right, as though their souls had been intertwined for lifetimes. Forever together had never felt like a question—it was simply the way things were always meant to be.