If you ask both of us, you'll get two different versions of our story, so we wrote this one together. Our paths crossed in May 2018 while Noelani was visiting her line sister, Nia, in New York who also happens to be my best friend. Over the course of those two days, we had the customary millennial weekend brunch with mimosas and enjoyed each other's company. Noelani expressed interest in me, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to meet anyone new. Nonetheless, I gave her my number, unsure where things would go. For the next few weeks, I was on a Euro trip and Noelani was starting a busy season at work, but we stayed in touch across the time zones. I sent her photos of my travels to France, the Netherlands, and Italy, while Noelani sent videos of her doing the wild "banana" cheer with her students. We stayed connected and, shortly after returning, I followed through on plans we made to visit Boston. The truth is, I wasn't sure what I expected from the trip, but Noelani had an entire weekend planned including brunch, a trip to the Boston Public Library, and pottery making. We still use the "Black Girl Magic" shot glasses we made on our first date! We finished the weekend by going to the bookstore, where Noelani recommended what is now my favorite book, The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo. We decided to meet up again to see a Janelle Monae concert and this time, it was my turn to plan the surprise. I knew that Noelani probably needed some self-care, so I planned a deep tissue massage and hot tub date. The self-care was so relaxing that Noelani fell asleep during the massage. The more time we spent together, the more we didn't want to be apart. I fell in love with Noelani because she is a creative, supportive, old soul. She says she fell in love with me because I am selfless, loyal, and thoughtful...but I know it was also because of my cooking! Since that summer, we have grown so much and look forward to all the laughter and lessons we will experience during our forever together.