Tyrek and Cherise had been following each other on Instagram for awhile, casually liking posts and stories but neither had taken the leap to start a conversation. One day Tyrek came across a picture Cherise had posted from her trip in Colorado. Something about that picture caught his eye. Deciding to break the ice, Tyrek sent her a face heart eye emoji, keeping it simple. To his delight, Cherise replied, and what began as a lighthearted chat about the picture turned into a deeper conversation. They discovered shared interests, laughed at each others jokes and before long, Tyrek worked up the courage to ask her out. Their first date was set for a couple days after New Year's Day. Tyrek made reservations at Nan Thai in Buckhead, determined to bring his A-game. Over spicy curries and shared laughs, the two talked about everything from travel dreams to future goals. As much as the two wanted the evening to continue, Tyrek had to work immediately after their date and reluctantly had to cut things short after just an hour. Despite the night being cut short, the time they spent together left an impression neither person could deny. Both of them knew this was just the beginning of their story.