Olivia's Version: If you ask Colby and I how we met, I would guess you would get two very different versions—his short and sweet, and mine with all the details (I swear this is my best attempt at a shortened version). But the truth is, our story is made up of a series of small, perfectly timed moments that somehow led us to each other. It all started at Manalapan REC camp. After surviving a chaotic summer managing 6th graders in 2014, I swore I’d never go back—I had dreams of a 2015 summer filled with acting gigs and maybe a music conservatory program… until my dad insisted I get a job. Reluctantly, I returned and requested a switch to a younger grade, not realizing that one small decision would change everything. At camp orientation in 2015, I spotted a cute brown-haired, brown-eyed boy sitting nearby in my group - Colby. Not long after, on the very first day of camp, my mom pointed out that the boy directing traffic was the same one who used to "look at me all the time" at our local diner. (she was right, of course - and his name was Colby.) That summer, we became part of “Team Teal,” spending our days attempting to control a group of energetic 2nd grade campers. One of our favorite ongoing jokes was to tell one another to “go color in your coloring book,” a running joke inspired by our 2nd grade group. Our campers even got in on the joke and would write notes about us being in love (photo evidence below) One night, without telling anyone, we both showed up to a group “Team Teal” dinner with coloring books to give each other as part of our ongoing summer joke— I couldn't stop laughing at the fact we both thought to do this. The next day, Colby asked me on our first date to Cheesecake Factory, followed by ice cream at Jersey Freeze, where he patiently let me take over the car speakers to blast Taylor Swift’s 1989 album for the entire car ride. At this point it was the end of the summer, but even as he headed off to college in Philadelphia, we couldn’t stay apart—Facetiming every night until he asked me to be his girlfriend on August 26, 2015. Saying yes to being his girlfriend was the 2nd easiest decision I have made - the 1st was saying yes to a forever life together. Colby's Version: I met Olivia at Manalapan Rec Camp—we were both counselors for the teal group, a bunch of second graders. We actually got introduced through a mutual friend, Tom, who was in our group and connected us during orientation. Going into that summer before college, I wasn’t really thinking about getting into a serious relationship. But the second I met Olivia, something just clicked. We were constantly laughing and the days flew by when we were together —it felt easy and natural. I was drawn to her right away. We spent our days teasing each other, and even got the kids involved in our little prank battles. One of our go-to jokes was telling each other, “go color in your coloring book,” basically telling the other person they were being as mature as the campers. It became our thing. Eventually we had our first hangout outside of camp—a group dinner with the other counselors. I rode over with our lead counselor, Krystyn, and another counselor, and on the way, I decided to lean into the joke. I had stopped at CVS earlier that day and bought Olivia a coloring book and a fresh pack of crayons. We pulled up to her house, already laughing and waiting for her reaction. She got in the car, and just as we were about to reveal what I had gotten her, she opened her bag—and pulled out a brand new coloring book and crayons for me. That was the moment it really hit me. We were completely in sync, thinking the same way without even trying. I didn’t have the words for it at the time, but I knew whatever this was… it was something special.