M & T

Maya and I have known each other since we were around 12 years old. I, Tyler, may or may not have already had a crush on her back then… but we’ll get into that later. I, Maya, definitely knew who Tyler was — but to me, he was just a friend (haha). Growing up, we were always around the same people, the same friends, the same spaces. Being around each other felt natural, effortless — just something we never had to think about. We didn’t know it then, but our childhood friendship was quietly building the foundation for everything that would come later. ⸻ July 16, 2016 We were at our friend Prisca’s (one of our bridesmaids) graduation party. From our friend group, it ended up being the two of us who showed up early. What we expected to be a regular summer night turned into something different. We spent almost the entire evening talking one-on-one. The conversation flowed so easily that we kept talking later that night for hours. That was the first time we really opened up to each other — sharing our lives, our experiences, and who we were behind the scenes. From that night on, something shifted. We were still “just friends,” but it no longer felt like the same kind of friendship. ⸻ The “Just Friends” Era Nothing started… yet. Years went by, and we continued being “just friends.” But if you had been around us long enough, you know — it never truly looked like just friends. We were the kind of friends who fell asleep on the phone together without even realizing the call was still going. The kind of friends who surprised each other at graduation with favorite flowers and big hugs. Somehow, we always ended up coordinating outfits without planning it, showing up for each other in every big moment, supporting each other when life got heavy, and making sure we shared at least one dance at every party. In other words, we were doing all the completely normal, totally platonic, absolutely nothing-to-see-here things that “just friends” do… right? ⸻ December 3, 2022 We were at an event together, and that night we had the conversation — the kind that changes everything. I finally said the words I had kept inside for years: “I want to be with you.” In true Maya fashion, she didn’t make it too easy. She put the ball back in my court and basically said, “Show me you mean it.” Challenge accepted. ⸻ May 20, 2023 “WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?” ⸻ The Proposal October 3, 2025 I chose home. I proposed at the house where so much of our story had unfolded without us even knowing it. The place filled with years of memories — studying together, late-night talks, family moments, laughter, all the small things that built our relationship piece by piece. It was the one place where everything felt safe, familiar, and full-circle. That day, the house felt different. It felt like the exact right place to start forever. I Maya, when I walked in and saw everything — the setup, the thought, the intention — I knew. In that moment, we both knew: this wasn’t just a proposal. This was the beginning of the rest of our story.