The year was 2012 - the Hunger Games series was wildly popular, the world was supposed to end, and we were starting our second year of high school Spanish. Charles took immediate interest, going as far as to read the Hunger Games series to strike up a conversation with her. However, his efforts did not pay off, as he was promptly rejected. As fate would have it, Charles’ patience would pay off; we remained friends and began dating shortly after graduating college! Though we lived in different counties, we packed our weekends full of adventures - from hiking Mt. Wilson to surfing in San Elijo to hunting down the best cinnamon rolls in the city. One of our favorites was a road trip through the Northern California coast, where we roamed amongst the redwoods and the wild northern coast. After 5.5 years together, Charles figured Jessica definitely wouldn't say no like she did in high school. On 09.14.24, Charles proposed at one of our favorite beaches surrounded by friends and good vibes. Now, we can’t wait to celebrate among the redwoods that inspired our road trip back in 2021!