From Kemi: It all began in 2008 in High school, where fate brought us together. I was a boarding student, and he was a day student. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew there was something special—love at first sight. He sat in front of me in class. I would ask him the most irrelevant questions to get his attention. I’d find silly excuses to distract him, like asking him to pick up my pen. Slowly, I realized I had caught his eye. He started sharing his meals and helping me with assignments; he was always kind and thoughtful. At 14 years old, he mustered the courage to ask me to be his girlfriend. He was my first boyfriend, and I couldn’t have been more excited! From then on, we would work on school assignments together. We spent our days in class together, and he always made me feel special. Even when we broke up, we stayed close friends. I sat behind him for the rest of his high school years, cherishing every moment of our bond. At the end of SS2, as he boarded the school bus home, he approached me with something that would stay with me forever. He told me he was returning to Canada but promised, “I will marry you someday.” I laughed, thinking it was just a passing comment, but then he kissed me and left. That summer, he added me on Facebook, and for years, he never forgot to wish me a happy birthday, even when I was no longer active on the platform. Our chats became scattered, and every now and then, we would reconnect, but the moment never felt right. Fast-forward to 2020, during the pandemic, and our stars finally aligned again. We were both single, and the timing felt perfect. He was in Canada preparing to move to the United States for residency, and I was in Dallas, Texas, planning a move closer to his new state. It felt like destiny had brought us full circle. This time, we decided to give our relationship another shot. We talked for hours every day—sometimes 8 to 10 hours—rebuilding the connection we had never truly lost. And now, here we are, celebrating our love and beginning our forever together. I’m marrying my first love, high school sweetheart, and the man who has always been my heart’s home. From Zu: Yep, what she said.