N’maya’s Version: It all began at Coral Reef Senior High, where fate orchestrated our first meeting. You were introduced to me through a mutual friend, but honestly, I wasn’t interested. But life has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it? Fast forward to the summer before junior year, and everything shifted. I walked into my physics class for the first time and there you were. Sitting across the room, as if we were inevitable. From that moment on, things began to change between us. We started with hours and hours of conversations, a friendship rooted in shared classes, laughter, and time spent getting to know one another. What I hadn’t anticipated was how quickly that friendship would blossom into something much deeper. What started as a true friendship turned to finding comfort in each other's presence. I slowly realized that you weren’t just a distraction from my studies—you were the person I had been waiting for without even knowing it. We went on to attend Florida A&M together, stepping into new chapters of our lives as young adults. Those years brought their fair share of challenges and triumphs, but we always had each other. And now, ten years later, after all the adventures, lessons, and milestones we’ve shared, we’re about to step into the most important chapter yet. As we prepare for our wedding, celebrating the anniversary of our first date, I’m filled with gratitude for all we’ve experienced together and excitement for the future we’ll continue to build. --- Delbert’s Version: I’ll never forget the first time I saw you at Coral Reef. You were with your friends by the vending machine, and I couldn’t help but ask your friend who you were. You were beautiful—so confident, so focused. I remember thinking, *I need to talk to her*. And from that moment, I was determined to make it happen. At first, I could tell you didn’t really pay me any attention. But there was just something about you that made me want to break through that wall you had built around yourself. I’ll admit it: I was persistent. I was relentless. Every chance I got, I found ways to be near you, to start small conversations, even if it was just to ask about something random. At first, you were polite, but it was clear you weren’t interested. I didn’t let that stop me. In fact, I kind of enjoyed the challenge. I knew there was something more beneath that serious exterior. By the time we were in physics class together, I knew this was my chance. You called me over the summer to say “hello” and I could feel the change between us. You were no longer just the girl I noticed from across the room. You were someone I wanted to understand, someone I wanted to be around. Our conversations became longer, more comfortable. I could see the walls start to come down, little by little, and I was there, every step of the way. Looking back, I realize how patient I had to be. You weren’t (and still aren’t) one to jump into things easily, and I respected that. But deep down, I knew what we had was special. I wasn’t about to give up on the possibility of us. I saw something in you—something that I wanted to be part of. Slowly but surely, I wore you down, but I like to think it was because we were meant to be. Then, as we both went off to FAMU, we found new ways to grow together, face challenges, and support one another. I watched you flourish into someone even more incredible than I could’ve imagined. The quiet moments, the tough times, the victories—it all built this foundation of trust and love that we have today. We’ve been through so much, and here we are, about to get married on our 10-year anniversary. I can’t believe how far we’ve come, but then again, I’ve always believed in us.