Johnny was in grade twelve when Lucy first noticed him. He was quiet, always hovering just at the edge of things—never the loudest in the room, but somehow impossible to miss. He had that kind of presence. A calm one. Kind eyes. And when he laughed—really laughed—it was the kind of sound you wanted to hear again. Lucy, on the other hand, was just starting high school. She was bold in her own way—honest to a fault, unafraid to say exactly what was on her mind. Her world revolved around the people she loved, especially her family. At the time, she and Johnny weren’t close. Just two people walking the same halls, leading separate lives. Years passed. There wasn’t a lightning bolt moment. No grand gestures or whirlwind romance. Just a slow, steady unfolding. A message here. A conversation there. Friendship crept in like sunlight through a half-closed curtain—quiet but persistent. And somehow, somewhere along the way, friendship turned into something deeper. Johnny, with his hardworking nature and soft, steady heart, made Lucy feel safe. He didn’t talk a lot, but when he did, it mattered. He was there in all the little ways—fixing things without being asked, showing up when it counted, and loving without holding back. Lucy, in turn, gave him honesty and loyalty. She challenged him, made him laugh, made him think. She reminded him what it meant to be truly known—and still loved. Together, they built a life. Not just a house, but a home. A home filled with laughter, children, late-night talks, shared struggles, and quiet victories. They didn’t pretend to be perfect, but they were perfect for each other in all the ways that matter. Johnny and Lucy found love not in some fairy tale moment, but in years of showing up. In the in-between spaces. In the ordinary. Now, as they look toward the future, their promise to each other is simple: to keep choosing each other every day. To love, to grow, and to make their life—this real, beautiful, sometimes chaotic life—something they’re both proud of. Because for Johnny and Lucy, love wasn’t something they stumbled into. It was something they built—together.