Our love story began in the most unexpected of places – at a Bar Mitzvah while we were both in High School. Picture this: awkward teenagers, questionable fashion choices, and the musical tones of "Hava Nagila" and “Soulja Boy” playing in the background. Emily was there as a cousin of the Bar Mitzvah boy and Ryan was invited as a friend of the Bar Mitzvah boys’ older brother Ryan Elkins (aka Emily’s cousin). Emily was busy perfecting her Electric Slide when she locked eyes with Ryan from across the dance floor, who was trying to act cool and not too interested. For a brief moment, time stood still. The attraction was instant and mutual, but alas, the timing was all wrong. Emily was in a relationship, and Ryan was getting ready to go off to college. Ryan, ever the gentleman (and definitely not wanting to cause a scene at a religious celebration), settled for a friendly nod and smile. As the evening progressed, they found themselves gravitating towards each other, eventually sneaking sips of wine at their table. However, their covert underage wine tasting didn't go unnoticed for long. One of the ever- vigilant adults caught them red-handed mid-sip. They spent the rest of the evening stealing glances and suppressing giggles, both acutely aware of the spark between them - and now with the added thrill of being partners in crime. As the night wound down, they parted ways with a bittersweet "what if" hanging in the air. Life, as it often does, had other plans for our star-crossed almost-lovers. Ryan jetted off to San Diego for college, while Emily eventually found her way to USC, their paths diverging faster than you can say "Fight On!". Fast forward several years, and fate decided it was finally time for these two to have their moment. It was Halloween weekend, the first one after Ryan graduated college. Ryan headed up to San Francisco to celebrate with friends including Elkins (aka Emily’s cousin) who invited Ryan to that Bar Mitzvah all those years ago. Meanwhile, Emily just happened to be in town for the USC/Cal football game, ready to cheer her Trojans to victory. That Saturday night, Ryan and his friends went out on the town dressed as "classy zombies" (because nothing screams sophistication like a zombie in a suit), and Emily trying to escape her usual angelic persona, dressed as a devil. Later that night they found themselves at the same bar (minus the mitzvah) in the Marina. Their eyes met across the crowded room, and suddenly it was like that first meeting all over again. Ryan, summoning all his zombie courage, made his way over to Emily. What followed was a night filled with laughter, reminiscing, and maybe one too many shots. They talked about their college experiences, their post-grad adventures, and of course, that fateful first meeting where it all began. Who knew that a Bar Mitzvah, a football game, and a Halloween bar crawl would be the ingredients for their love story? But here they were, proof that timing is everything and that sometimes, life's most beautiful moments are worth waiting for.