Welcome to Our Forever and A Day!

The best kind of love is the kind you weren't looking for. It is the kind that hides in unsuspecting best friends, and when found, captivates, brightens and heals. I found that in him. To this very moment, I cannot believe he was always right beside me and that I wasted so many years without him. The year 2018 was a bad year for me. I somehow had lost sight of who I was or who I even wanted to be. We were friends- but not very close. I was tasked in that year with taking one of his closest friends at the time to the airport. A group of us went along with them to the airport, and on the way back, the topic of "Dating" came up. All of us in the car had been on at least one date before, but he said he had never had the chance of going on a date. After a few cheeky comments and laughing at him, I jokingly said to him that I would take him out on a date. I had forgotten the whole conversation until a couple days later when he sent me a message reminding me of my "promise". It goes without saying that I don't run any jokes with him anymore. Not wanting to look bad at the time, I begrudgingly agreed, completely expecting it to be the lamest hang out ever. I had no idea I was walking right into a trap. He seemed harmless, but apparently, he is as charming as he is harmless. We went out for the first time in June 2019, and it was probably the most shocking date ever. I love to laugh, but this was a whole new level even for me. Unsurprisingly, he was a gentleman; surprisingly, what intended to be a two-hour date and home, turned out to be a 3am dash to get home before our parents murdered us. We have spoken every day since, but as friends-only closer. It wasn't until later that year when I was going through some personal struggles, that things made a scarier turn. I had been hiding behind fake smiles and "I-am-ok's" until one day when I had to take him home. I had dropped him off and was just sitting in his driveway for a bit on my phone, when a message came in saying how he knew I was not ok. He then came back down and stayed talking with me for hours until I felt better. Knowing he could see me, and that he actually cared, just deepened our bonds and scared me more each day; but we have been growing together since. Fun fact about me is, I don't do love or love stories or relationships. He must have asked me a hundred times to be his partner in crime, and each time I found some silly reason or another to say no. I was so scared of the commitment, I must have pushed him away and discouraged him so many times. He was clearly made for me, because he never gave up, he kept at it. It wasn't until April 2020 that I decided I was being silly, and that it would really hurt if I were to let this guy fall out of my hands. We had a lot of enemies, a lot of reasons to give up and a lot of reasons it would have been easier to pursue someone else. We also had crazy adventures, a deep understanding and connection, and a love of a rare kind. The love we had and have, was and is undeniable and almost crazy. When it got to his birthday that year, I wrote him a love letter asking him to be my boyfriend, and we have been inseparable since.

How We Met I’ve known Vontae all my life — mostly because she shares a birthday with one of my dearest aunts, Aunty Sadie. It’s funny, I always tease her that while she has always existed for me, I only started existing for her in Grade 9 — the year we officially became friends. To her, I was just another guy. But to me, I had the privilege of getting to know this incredibly smart girl with a beautiful mind. It all started when I got her number to share ideas for choir practice. Back then, Digicel had this promotion where if you sent five texts, you’d get 100 free for the day. One day, I worked up the courage to text her outside of anything choir-related. I had a free period at school and wasn’t doing anything in particular, so I sent a simple, "Hi, how are you?" I wasn’t expecting a quick response — but to my surprise, she replied within the hour, saying she was okay and asking how I was. That one exchange opened the door to something unexpected. I replied that I was just at school with some free time, and instead of the conversation ending there (as it often does), it continued. I discovered that she was not only intelligent but an excellent conversationalist. She asked about me, school, and life — all the simple things, but they felt so refreshing coming from her. A conversation that I thought would last 20 minutes went on for over an hour and a half. Eventually, I got the Digicel warning: "You have five free messages remaining." I had to end the conversation, but I was already looking forward to picking it back up the next day. This cycle went on for a while, with me becoming more intrigued by her each day — even though we only spoke through text because I was too shy to talk in person at church. Eventually, we moved our conversations to WhatsApp. That felt like such a relief — no more 105-message limit. Even though I was nervous about saying the wrong thing or not sounding smart enough, I still made an effort to reach out regularly. By then, I had started developing feelings for her — feelings I only confided in my friends Ronjay and Useni. Our conversations just had this spark — a connection I couldn’t explain. She became one of my biggest supporters while I studied for CXC, especially in the Sciences. But while I was an open book, she was more like the back cover — a mystery. She shared little bits here and there, and while she wasn’t obligated to open up, I still wanted to be there for her just like she was for me. Three years passed. Slowly, she started sharing more, and I listened as best as I could, always hoping to earn a deeper piece of her story. Every small piece she shared felt like a treasure. I was happy just learning more about who she was.

As time passed, our conversations deepened — though still mainly over the phone. One night, the topic of movies came up, and I mentioned that I had never been to the movies before. She was shocked and jokingly said, “I’ll be the first person to take you, then!” I didn’t realize she was joking. Fast forward to July 2018 — I brought up the conversation again. She chuckled and admitted she had only been joking, but since I reminded her, she decided to make it happen. The next day, a Wednesday, there was a two-for-one special at the cinema. She came by, picked me up, and off we went to my very first movie. The car ride was a little awkward at first — I didn’t know what to say. She even joked, “Let’s just get this over with.” We got our popcorn and settled into the theatre to watch Breaking In. There’s one moment I’ll never forget — when a scary scene startled her and she grabbed my arm. In my mind, that was the moment. I felt like I was in a movie myself. But to her? Just a reaction. After the movie, we took one picture and she drove me home. As I was walking into the house, I noticed something was off. She was still sitting in the driveway. Concerned, I called her. She answered and said she wasn’t feeling okay. I asked if she wanted company, and she said I could join her if I wanted. I didn’t hesitate. I got into the car and, nervously cheerful, said, “Hi, how are you?” She laughed and said, “Didn’t we just see each other?” That laugh made me feel a little more at ease. We started chatting again — about driving, school, church — just random things, but everything felt meaningful. She seemed to relax too. Eventually, I asked her what was wrong. At first, she hesitated. I gently told her, “I may not have all the answers, but I’m here to listen.” She smiled, and after a pause, she opened up. It was the first time she really shared something deeply personal with me. I listened, offered what I could, and just held the space for her. Before we knew it, it was 2:30 AM. We laughed at how much time had passed, said our goodbyes, and I asked for a hug before heading inside. Later that night, she messaged me saying thanks — that talking helped. That moment solidified something for me: I wanted to truly know her. And maybe… just maybe… one day, be her boyfriend — even her husband. After that night, our conversations in person became more natural. It was clear the feelings were growing on both sides.

As our bond deepened, we expanded our communication beyond texting. Audio and video calls became regular, especially since I was in Kingston and she was in Ocho Rios. Our evening calls even had agendas — thanks to her love for structure and planning. We had Bible studies, sing-offs, storytelling sessions, and moments of vulnerability. My roommates, Alex and Trevaun, noticed how much I lit up whenever I talked about her. They teased me relentlessly, but also encouraged me to take the next step. In August 2019, while I was in California on the Work and Travel program, she fell ill. Not being there physically crushed me. Things got even more serious when she was hospitalized for surgery. I called and checked in as often as I could, but I still felt helpless. That moment made it clearer than ever — I wanted her in my life permanently. A couple of months after I returned home, I finally asked her to be my girlfriend. She said no. I asked why, and she explained that our lives just weren’t aligned at the time. I respected her honesty and accepted it, though I was disappointed. Still, I wasn’t ready to give up. I made changes, realigned my priorities, and asked again. She still said no. So I decided to leave it alone — to let life happen. Yet, we kept talking. Our connection never faded. Then came 2020. My birthday was approaching, and as usual, she asked what I wanted. I told her nothing, but she was determined to get me something anyway. I honestly forgot all about it — until I came home that day and found a big cake and a bottle of champagne in the fridge. I was stunned. She had also written a card and insisted that no one else read it. That evening, she came by and handed me the card. I started reading, but she got flustered and quickly drove off, saying she didn’t want to watch me read it. I went inside, continued reading — and at the very end, it said: “Happy Birthday. As part of your gift… I’ll be your girlfriend.” I was stunned. Overjoyed. Emotional. After all this time, it was finally happening. The rest? Well, the rest is our story — still unfolding, still beautiful, and still built on friendship, faith, and love.