Even though we grew up just down the street from each other, our paths never crossed in any meaningful way. Alex went to a private school while I went to the public one, but there were quiet connections throughout our lives. His younger brother and my younger brother were friends, and Alex often picked him up from my house. We even attended the same sporting events, likely sitting on opposite ends of the bleachers, and more than likely reading our books. After all of the missed chances, it wasn’t until we matched on Bumble that we finally spoke. I didn’t recognize him at first (he retired his 2012 Bieber haircut), but it didn’t take long to realize he had been in the background of my life for years. Our first date was at Prima, where we spent hours talking. On our second date, we stayed at the restaurant until it closed, then kept talking in the car until we could barely keep our eyes open. From that night on, we were inseparable. Two wonderful years later, Alex planned a surprise trip to New York, and booked us a stay at The Plaza. He led me up to the balcony, saying we were just waiting for our dinner reservation. Then a violinist suddenly appeared and began playing “Night Changes” by One Direction, and I instantly knew what was going to happen next. He proposed, complete with a hidden photographer (yes, he planned it all himself, snaps for Alex), and it couldn't have been more perfect. New York has always held a special place in my family’s story, it’s where it all began generations ago. My great-grandparents, both immigrants, met and married in the city, and my grandparents also met, married, and started their family there. Meeting on a dating app may not sound the most traditional, but in hindsight, we were never very far from each other, it just took the right moment to finally bring us together.