Vilina and Nitesh first met in 2012 at a mutual friend’s house — the kind of gathering where snacks are plenty, and names are forgotten five minutes in. A quick hello between two teenagers turned into an evening walk filled with breezy conversation and casual teasing. Was this the spark of a new friendship destined to bloom into love? Absolutely not. As Nitesh strolled home, one thought echoed in his head: “She’s... kind of annoying, isn’t she?” (He’ll have you know he’s much wiser now. Vilina saw to that.) Years passed. Life moved on — until fate, with its impeccable comedic timing, brought them together again. It was Nitesh’s birthday. Vilina, always thoughtful, wished him a cheerful “Very Happy Birthday!” To which Nitesh replied with supreme confidence: “I’m good, how about you?” What neither of them knew then was that this brief exchange would be replayed — and lovingly roasted — countless times over the next ten years. Soon, their circles began to overlap more frequently. Table tennis games, waterpark outings, movie nights — suddenly, they were spending more time together than ever before. During one such waterpark trip, Vilina, lulled by the motion of the car and maybe the sound of Nitesh’s voice (he insists), promptly fell asleep on his shoulder… and drooled. A lot. In hindsight, that may have been the most accurate preview of their future. Their WhatsApp chats evolved — from borrowing art supplies to all-night conversations about everything from life’s big questions to “what type of cookie are you based on your personality?” Feelings began to shift. Nitesh, ever the overthinker, kept himself grounded with comforting lies like: She’s just this friendly with everyone. She’s out of your league. She probably doesn’t even like guys who lose badly at table tennis. Meanwhile, Vilina had quietly launched Operation Win Him Over — crafting clever excuses to hang out one-on-one, turning every group event into a mission with romantic undertones. Subtle? Barely. Effective? Very. Then came Halloween, 2015. The group was planning to attend a party on October 29th, and the question dominating every chat for weeks was: “What are you going as?” Vilina was set: Zombie Bride. Nitesh? Completely undecided. Until inspiration — and nerves — struck. After much internal pep talk (and possibly a mirror monologue), he asked if he could go as her groom… and if she’d be willing to do his makeup. Vilina said yes. And though she was technically agreeing to apply fake blood and turn him into a ghastly groom, it somehow felt like she was saying yes to a lot more than that. That Halloween night, amid cobwebs and plastic fangs, something unexpected happened: romance. It wasn’t loud or cinematic. It was just easy, warm, and undeniable. They laughed, stuck to each other like Velcro, and by the end of the night, it was clear — the scary part of Halloween was over. The heart part had begun. From there, things moved quickly — in the best way. They shared adventures, road trips, endless cups of coffee, and thousands of inside jokes. They supported each other through the weird and winding phases of adulthood. And yes, they still teased each other mercilessly. Then came long distance — their biggest challenge. But while the miles tested their patience, they never touched their connection. If anything, the distance only confirmed what they both already suspected: this was it. This was home. And finally, in December 2023 — nearly a full decade after that now-legendary halloween party — Nitesh got down on one knee. This time, he didn’t ask if he could be her Halloween groom. He asked if she’d be his forever bride. Vilina’s yes came easily, naturally — because in her heart, it was never really a question. It was always going to be them.