Chase and I both grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, just 16 miles apart, but we didn’t meet until we attended Bishop England High School. From the moment I met him, I was struck by his kindness. It didn’t take long to realize it was genuine—whether he was volunteering or helping others, it was just who he was at his core. I admired him from afar, but we ran in different circles and only occasionally crossed paths after high school. Years later, I got a surprise text from Chase. He suggested we catch up over drinks, and I couldn’t believe it—my high school crush was finally reaching out! That night, we stayed at the bar until last call, laughing and reminiscing. It felt like the start of something truly special. In 2022, Chase took me to Folly Beach for what would become our last first date. We biked to the Morris Island Lighthouse, had a picnic with all my favorite snacks, and toasted with champagne. It was the most romantic day of my life—until two years later, when he proposed in that exact same spot. While looking through old yearbooks, we stumbled upon a photo of us at Bishop England, standing at the front doors and unknowingly staring into each other’s eyes. Our paths had always been intertwined, and in that moment, I knew what I’d felt all along: we were meant to be.

Looking back on certain moments, it seems inevitable that I’d end up with Erin. But in reality, it feels unbelievable that I’m with someone as incredible as her. Our love hasn’t felt like work; it’s been effortless, like an endless vacation. From our high school days to the college run-ins, there was always this thrilling sense of anticipation as if we knew: “I think that’s supposed to be my person”. It’s like Clemson scoring the winning touchdown even though they are up by 30 or waiting for your favorite scene of a movie you’ve seen a thousand times. That’s how I feel every day since meeting Erin and asking her to be part of my life. Stories like the night we first reconnected, when I was charmingly smooth but ended up with a full-blown allergic reaction to her best friend's cat, or how we discovered that the front page of our senior yearbook featured a photo of us gazing at each other by the front doors, almost as if foreshadowing our future together, only add to the sense that our story is one for the history books. When life seems to make sense, you don’t throw in nonsense. You just enjoy it and thank God you found it. Our story is just starting, and there isn’t much more to say than this: Erin, I'm all yours, and you’re all mine.