Ashley's Version: We met at a birthday party. I was over the night before it even started. I was dancing to "Despacito" with one of my girlfriends, when James cheerfully interrupted us with, "Which one of you is Haitian?!" He joked that he knew one of us was Haitian by the way we were dancing. Right before I left, the song looped again and he put his hand out and asked, "Can I have this Haitian dance?" We chatted a bit and there were a quick series of "no ways!" as I found out that we were both Haitian Catholics, lived three blocks from each other, and moved into the neighborhood around the same time! We connected on social media and one day I got a DM lol. We messaged for hours throughout the workdays and eventually met up for an impromptu evening walk. I remember warning him that I was already in sweats and a head scarf, but feeling comfortable enough not to care lol. That was the first of many hour(s)-long evening walks where we connected on the deepest levels. He's my person! James' Version: The best things happen when we step out of our comfort zones. I was invited out to a party and as usual, I had better things to do. The day arrived and I'm looking at this invite and decided to step out of the zone I've built for myself. I went shopping for an outfit and arrived early enough to leave the party early enough to grab some Chinese food, then head back home. I had my night planned to watch Netflix and enjoy a plate of Duck Lo Mein and Chicken Wings. I never thought that through all this planning to do nothing, I would wind up meeting this beautiful soul who would forever change my everything. There I was, sitting in this VIP section of another loud NYC club and this woman is just smiling the night away and laughing as if there was no one around her. She was clearly in her own world and her smile lit up the room for me. I'd miss her, even if we never met.