We first met while attending Penn during an off-campus party that was extremely loud. It would be a few days later that a game of spades would prove to be more favorable for us to get to know each other. At first, we were just friends who could count on each other at the last minute. But soon long phone calls proved themselves to be more. On February 13th, 2014, after weeks of privately dating, Ernest thought it might be time to ask "what are we?" given that Valentine's Day was the next day. Barry confidently replied back "I guess we go together." A Facebook official post that broke the internet was made a few moments later, and they've never looked back.

December 24th holds a special place in Ernest's life. It was the same day he came out to his family in 2012, and around the same time he and Barry's relationship got closer in 2013. In 2019, after five years of dating, Barry wanted to make this day extra special. Unknown to Ernest, Barry had informed several of his close friends prior that he was planning to propose to him. With Ernest's family in on the surprise, the couple took a surprise detour on their way to a dinner reservation on Christmas Eve. The location was at the Gerald D. Hines Waterpark in Ernest's hometown of Houston, Texas. At night, with the golden lights glowing as the 64 ft tall waterfall flowed, Barry asked Ernest to marry him before his family with a gold engagement ring accompanied with seven diamond studs that iconically symbolized the 7th anniversary of his coming out and what would be the seventh anniversary of the year they would be together when married. Ernest immediately said "yes" and the rest is history.