Friends The two met in the summer between 8th grade & high school. Janaya’s wild & crazy exterior found curiosity in Michael’s cool & reserved demeanor. They soon became good friends as they shared interest in each other. Their affection was very young, silly, innocent yet genuine with hopes of growing old with one another. Foes Sometimes, growing teens grow apart & that’s what happened here. They found themselves pursuing other things leading to a bitter fallout, which lasted for a couple of years. Seeing each other from time to time, Michael & Janaya were able to look past the hurt to have an occasional yet meaningful conversation. Forever While leading with each other in the youth ministry at church Michael invited Janaya to lead games with him. This was pivotal to the start of their new friendship. It was undeniable that they had great chemistry and complimented each other well. As life began to change & some of Yaya’s close family & friends moved to other states & continents, Mikey & Yaya grew increasingly closer. They found joy in their weekends spent with each other & friends. When they were away from each other they found themselves thinking & fantasizing about a future life together, neither of them knowing what the other was thinking. They continued to grow closer and would start reminiscing on their once special friendship. Recalling old memories brought old feelings back, even the hard ones. This time Mikey sincerely apologized to Yaya about the way he treated her. It was evident that his heart was regretful and he made it clear to her he would now know how to treat her right. This is the part when most stories begin the romantic pursuit but it was quite the opposite for theirs. Living a state away, shift in friend groups, focusing on school & jobs got the best of them & they began to drift. Regardless of the shift, they both unspokenly kept the other in a special place in their heart. No one made Yaya feel more comfortable & protected than Mikey did. No one made Mikey feel more safe & cared for than Yaya. Months passed of only seeing each other at church & other random social events until he caught her in an emotional week. They were at a worship night when he asked her how she was feeling. Without much probing, she began to cry & shared her heaviness. In that moment he knew how to comfort her & showed her she wasn’t alone. He prayed for her, encouraged her, & kept her company the rest of the night. She felt loved, seen, encouraged, & calmed from their interaction that night. She didn’t realize until then how much she had missed her friend. That weekend they headed to the annual youth retreat as planned. Their goal was to spend time guiding youth to make fun memories & life changing realizations about Jesus. Even though she was focused on the goals for that weekend, she enjoyed every time he found a moment to check in on her. Occasionally he would make an appearance in the chair next to her or join her in praying for a friend. The weekend was coming to an end, & even though they drove separately, he could not shake the thought of her. There weren’t words to explain or pinpoint what exactly about her or the reason she kept coming to mind but it was weighing on him like a song stuck in his head. Internal thoughts turned into convos with family & selected friends. After some convincing, he took a bold step, Mikey finally admitted he had feelings for Yaya. Within a few days the official pursuit began! It wasn’t easy or smooth. They were sure they loved each other as friends, but they weren’t as confident about loving each other romantically. A handful of dates later & they became official. It took patience, honesty, & understanding, but the end result was so good! Their love for each other is so evident to those around them. They continue to have fun together & they have never stopped being each other’s best friend through it all. That’s their history! & they can’t wait to start their future with all of you!