Andrew and Natalya’s story began at a party during Natalya’s freshman year at East Carolina. True to form, Andrew remained completely oblivious to her crush for months—until, after a football game, Natalya finally made the first move. Not long after, the world shut down. When COVID hit, Andrew moved in with the Hall family to finish his senior year remotely, and their relationship truly began to take shape. After graduating, Andrew relocated to Virginia, and the two spent the next three years navigating long distance—logging countless miles along I-95 for weekend visits and any chance to be together. Once Natalya graduated, she made the move to Virginia as well, closing the distance at last. Today, they live together in Reston with their dog, Mishka, and are excited to continue writing their story as they begin this next chapter of life side by side.