Tristen moves to North Carolina and enrolls in Newton Conover Middle School. The day Tristen tours the middle school, Vivien is faking a stomach ache (for a reason she can’t remember other than just wanting to go home). They meet just before Vivien’s mom picks her up, and she rambles on about the cute boy in the office for what probably felt like an eternity for her poor mother.

Tristen is enrolled at NCMS and is assigned classes halfway through the 7th grade semester. Oddly enough, the next Monday he is placed in Mrs. Crouches Math class, and is seated next to Vivien in the back.

The two quickly become friends, bonding over horror films and supernatural stories. Vivien makes the first move and invites Tristen over to watch movies and have dinner at her mom’s house. The night unfortunately ended and Tristen had to go home, but there were a few more dates to come.

After a few months of dating, Tristen has to move back to West Virginia. The young relationship is put on hold for a short amount of time, which slowly trickles back to friends, and then not much later into acquaintances. Their lives are separated- but not quite.

The next four years the two stay friends, they check in on major life events and birthdays. Vivien had gotten out of a relationship the previous November to find herself and Tristen had left his partner about a month before. So he reaches out to Vivien.

Tristen had reached out to Vivien a few months ago and they decide to finally meet up at an Olive Garden in Mooresville NC. Little did Vivien know this would be the start of many more dates to come, but Tristen had already planned that.

Vivien travels to West Virginia to visit Tristen’s family and him for July 4th, this is where she first meets his friends and family. This trip is FULL of sight seeing.

Tristen and Vivien have been dating for a few months now and decide it’s starting to feel more real. Tristen gets his GED, his license and insurance on a vehicle. He is preparing to move to North Carolina, closer to Vivien.

Tristen’s family invites the two on a trip to Tennessee. It is in pigeon forge that they experience so many of their favorite dates together. Ripley’s saltwater Aquarium, gem sifting, arcades, Alcatraz museum, and so so many hikes.

Tristen moves in with his aunt Maria and uncle Tim, leaving behind a life he knew and opening his world to something less comfortable. This is the point the relationship sparks, and Tristen is seeing Vivien every week.

Tristen links up a job at a construction company named Crowder, and is working a decent job Monday-Friday in Concord. 50 hours a week outside, and somehow is enjoying the labor. Vivien is still at her Optical sales job in Hickory, where she’s been for over two years. She’s going to school for optometry, so this is fitting.

Tim and Maria invite Tristen and Vivien to Oktoberfest in Virginia. We ride side by sides and eat some of the most unique kinds of food. There are many days of being outside and enjoying the sun with family.

For Tristen’s 20th birthday, his sisters invite him and Vivien to Salem, MA for a witch hunt tour. They drive through Connecticut, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware- in ONE drive. They tour the seven gables, a judges home, a graveyard where Sarah Goode is buried, John proctors hanging, and a damn good coffee shop. Two thirteen hour drives.. that Vivien drove a total of 2 hours of.

The couples first New Years celebration. Vivien is excited to finally have someone to kiss on new years, and Tristen is trying to figure out why he has to shove 12 grapes in his mouth under a table at midnight, and why he has to wear so many different colors- let alone pairs, of underwear. They watch the ball drop, and drift off to sleep around 2am, excited for the new year.

Tristen moves into his own apartment in Concord NC. Vivien visits often :)

Tristen is going on a trip with a close friend of his, Trey, and the wives and kids are invited. Helen Georgia is a Swedish folk town, it is here that the couple rides mountain coasters, goes shopping through the cute stores, enjoys all the attractions of Blue ridge- and most importantly, the hot tub.

Vivien moves in with Tristen, with so, sooo many bags. This is when Tristen realizes he is dating a woman- when it takes 11 trips to get up 3 flights of stairs- and then the rest of the day to unpack all of her things. The couple is in bed by 8:30 that night.

Tristen anxiously asks Vivien’s father, Patrick, for permission to marry his daughter. Her dad agrees and congratulates him, welcoming him into the family. Tristen has planned a trip to West Virginia to propose. He plans it out with a ring she loves, at the first place he ever took her- his special spot, his mom set up for pictures, and plans for Mexican dinner afterwards. But he couldn’t wait any longer after approval, and he proposes later that night in their living room; a private, emotional, and romantic moment for finally seal the beginning to their forever.

Vivien adopts Hampton and Gideon, both 1- year old cats. Both cats are settling in well into the apartment. Per usual, Vivien overspent on things the cats would “need”, and Tristen was excited to have buddies.