It was the summer of 2017 in Eau Claire, just after summer break. Maalik was outside with friends when Val and her friends arrived thanks to mutual connections. Maalik noticed Val and shortly after arriving, he motioned for her to come sit by him. She did, they started talking, and just like that, a great connection sparked. Their first official date was a trip to an apple orchard. They started spending more and more time together, and just a few short weeks later, Maalik asked Val to be his girlfriend. He pulled her aside while they were hanging out with a group of friends to ask her, and after she said yes, he played “Take a Look at My Girlfriend” by Gym Class Heroes on the speaker for everyone to hear. The rest was history! The photo below is from the night we started dating. 🥰