It all started in 2018 in the halls of school, where Bailee and Dalton met through mutual friends. They quickly became close — the kind of friends who shared inside jokes, swapped playlists, and spent way too much time pretending there was nothing more going on (even though everyone else knew better). For two years, they swore they were “just friends.” Spoiler alert: they weren’t fooling anyone. Once they finally admitted what the rest of the world already knew, Bailee and Dalton became inseparable — even though they were divided by one very serious rivalry. Bailee bleeds Duke blue, while Dalton proudly cheers for UNC. Despite his best efforts, Bailee has held strong (and has the receipts from every basketball season to prove it). Over the years, their relationship has been filled with taking the long way home just to talk a little longer, late-night Taco Bell runs, and far too many Disney movie marathons. They’ve spent countless hours watching college basketball, cheering at football games, and at volleyball matches — with Bailee coaching and Dalton proudly claiming the title of her number-one (and definitely loudest) fan. Now, eight years after that first “we’re just friends” claim, they’ve built a life full of laughter, love, and a few furry teammates — their dog, Finn, and cat, Poppy. It’s been a long game (pun intended), but as Taylor Swift would say, this love is golden.