(narrated by sahil) It was a frigid Christmas Day in 2022. Thankfully, I was inside my apartment in Jersey City, plotting how to approach this gorgeous girl I followed on Instagram. I thought to myself, “Say something normal for once!” And then it happened — she posted a ceiling leak at her job. So, as the cool, casual, completely hinged man that I am, I thought of the best thing I could say: “They’re working you on Christmas!? You really are a healthcare hero.” Unfortunately (or fortunately, considering she said yes), I didn’t stop there: “You deserve a cape with an ‘M’ on it.” She was so impressed with my approach that she just had to respond! “This was so amazing, we HAVE to go to this French restaurant I saw on TikTok.” Jokes aside, she was charitable enough to offer me her time and let me take her out. LouLou — the night before New Year’s Eve — was where I finally set my eyes on her in person. It was impossible to look away. I saw her outside the bar, ran out to meet her, and walked her in. I was immediately taken aback by how amazing she looked in person — and by the vanilla perfume she wore. What followed over the next four hours was the most amazing time I had ever had in my life. Her charisma, energy, humor, and beauty were captivating and alluring. We fell into conversations far removed from those of a typical first date. I knew I had found her, and I wasn’t going to let her slip away. “Hey, while we’re here, why don’t we set up the second date? Ever heard of Liberty Science Center After Dark?” The second date sealed it. We became kids again (with a bit of adult juice). We wandered the halls, explored exhibits, enjoyed the food and music, and finally, the planetarium. “You wouldn’t be interested in a Beatles light show, would you?” She was! We enjoyed the rest of the night and then parted ways — back to Old Bridge and Staten Island. That night was the end of the prologue. The memories we’ve made over these past years have been the most amazing of my life, and we cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together.