Mary and Joey's love story began when they were just 15 years old, waiting at the same bus stop—Mary for her brother at band practice, Joey for his brother at baseball practice. A shared glance at a yearbook sparked a conversation, a crush, and something much deeper neither of them understood at the time. As often happens with teenagers and a busy life they temporarily drifted apart. Years later, heading into senior year of high school, Joey reached out with a simple Instagram DM inviting Mary to see a movie with him. That message rekindled their connection and soon they were inseparable high school sweethearts. For two and a half years, they built a relationship full of love and laughter, until life pulled them in different directions—Mary to the University of Oklahoma, and Joey to San Marcos, CA for school and baseball. Long distance took its toll and it became a hardship on the relationship so they went their separate ways. It was the kind of breakup that never really felt final. But true love has a way of finding its path home. Less than two years later, as Mary prepared for her senior year of college, fate intervened once again. She landed an internship in San Diego, not far from where Joey was living. A casual Instagram story led to a friendly reply from Joey—and slowly, the universe began to realign their hearts. What started as small talk turned into deep conversation, laughter, and undeniable chemistry. Although Mary was hesitant at first after the difficult breakup, Joey didn’t give up. When she came home for winter break, he laid it all on the line and told her she was the love of his life, and he had never stopped loving her. He eventually proved to her that she can let her guard down. Their love picked up exactly where it left off and became even stronger. Eventually when Joey decided that Texas was pulling him in that direction, they had a big decision to make. By January 2024 they were both living in Texas and by December, they were engaged to marry. Now, with hearts full and eyes on forever, Mary and Joey are ready to start the next chapter—knowing without a doubt that soulmates always find their way back to each other.