Chuck and I had met briefly before, but the pledges initiation night in 2019 was the start of it all. He approached me and introduced himself as the sober monitor, which was ironic considering he was holding a drink. We connected instantly. After the pregame, we all headed to a bar where our conversation continued. I ended up sneaking out while Chuck was chatting with friends, but fate (and a mutual friend) stepped in, and he got my number a few days later. From that point on we were inseparable, sharing late nights in Tuscaloosa and figuring out adulthood side by side. Looking back, it’s clear how far we’ve come, and it feels like the best is still ahead.