We are getting married

Temi - It all began with a casual scroll through WhatsApp. I was just going about my day when a new status update from Zoe's cousin (Tobi) who is also a family friend caught my eye. The photo was of Zoe laughing with the caption "Happy Birthday Cozo" and there was just something captivating about her smile, the kind that seemed to light up the entire room. Without thinking, I found myself messaging Tobi, "Who's that damsel on your status?" Tobi replied almost immediately, "Oh, that's my cousin, Zoe. Why, interested? 😏" I blushed a little at the teasing but couldn't help being curious. "Just wondering," I typed back, trying to sound casual. But before I could send the message, Tobi was already one step ahead. "Want me to introduce you?" I hesitated for a moment. What were the chances? But then figured, why not? "Sure, why not?" I replied. Tobi later texted and she told me Zoe wasn't interested in being friends with me or even getting to know me and also mentioned that she wasn't in that head space. I was like, 'OK, No problem 😒🥲' Zoe - It was a typical Friday night, and I was lounging on the couch, scrolling through social media while half-watching a movie. My phone buzzed with a message from my cousin, Tobi. I opened it, expecting a funny meme or another birthday message as it was my birthday, but instead, I was met with bunch of Temi's pictures and a question, "Hey! so this guy, he's my childhood friend and his name is Temitope. He's really sweet, and I think you two would hit it off. Want me to introduce you?" I stared at my screen, taken aback 🫤. It wasn't the first time Tobi had tried to play matchmaker, but I wasn't in the mood for it this time. Life was busy, I had school, clinicals, work and just enough on my plate without adding the complications of dating. "Thanks Cozo, but I’m not really interested right now," I replied, hoping to put an end to the conversation quickly. Tobi being her persistent self, didn’t let it go so easily. I refused and told her I’m just not in the right place for it." After a few more texts, she finally backed down and told me to let her know if I changed my mind. The next few days passed in a blur of work and school, but every now and then, I found myself thinking about Tobi’s offer. I wondered what Temitope was like, why Tobi thought we'd get along so well. Still, I pushed the thoughts aside, convincing myself that I made the right decision. But one evening, about two weeks later, I was scrolling mindlessly through my phone. While flipping through my photos and there he was—Tope, smiling warmly at the camera, and there was something about him that made me pause. Maybe it was the easy confidence in his stance or the genuine warmth in his eyes. I said to myself, 'He's fine sha'.😜🤗. Before I knew it, I was considering Tobi’s offer again.

Zoe - Later that night, I decided to reach out to Tobi. I told her to give Temi my number. At this point, she made me wait for 2 days 😏. She said my shakara was too much. So I asked her to give me his number instead. She eventually did after making do what seemed like begging 🙄🤦‍♀️. I stared at his number for a long moment before finally mustering the courage to send a message. "Hello fine man, How are you doing? Just so you know, Tobi is your enemy". I said that to mask the fact that I had refused to let him have my number when he initially asked and Tobi making me wait for 2 days before she eventually sent me his number. Within minutes, a reply came through. "Hi gorgeous. His friendly, laid-back tone immediately put me at ease, and soon, the conversation was flowing naturally. I found myself laughing at his jokes and surprised by how comfortable it all felt. Temi - I was on top of the world when she texted me. I could barely concentrate at work. What started as a simple exchange of pleasantries quickly turned into a deep conversation. The conversation flowed so naturally, it felt like we'd known each other for years. I asked for a call later that day and was so intrigued by her voice and how funny she was. I said to her that day, "Na me go marry you 😉" She hissed and brushed it off As days turned into weeks, those chats and calls became the highlight of my day. Every time my phone buzzed, my heart skipped a beat, hoping it was Zoe. I shared stories, dreams, and even my fears. It was amazing how someone you'd never met in person could make you feel so connected. Soon after, we hit it off and we started dating.

Zoe - After months of chatting, texting, and calling, the day finally came when we both decided it was time to meet in person. We were supposed to meet up in Zanzibar but I later cancelled as I had other engagements. We rescheduled our meet up for couple weeks later in Nigeria, but this time around, it was for our family introduction ceremony as he already asked me to be his wife since I didn't allow him do it in person and his parents had already gone over to meet mine. Temi- When I first met her, it was like meeting an old friend, and any nerves I had melted away the moment we locked eyes 😍. The conversation was just as effortless in person, if not more so. We spent hours talking, laughing, and getting to know each other in a way that only a face-to-face encounter could allow.

From that day on, our relationship has grown stronger with each passing moment. It wasn't just the shared interests or the easy conversations; it was the deep connection that had been building since that first message. Every moment together felt like a piece of a puzzle falling into place. Zoe - Months later, we went on our first vacation to Zanzibar . It was a beautiful moment for us and as we stood hand in hand, watching the sunset, we realized just how lucky we were. What started as a simple question from my cousin had turned into the love of my life ❤️. Temi - And every time I looked back at those old WhatsApp messages, I can't help but smile at the twist of fate that brought us together. It was more than just a love story—it was a glimpse of destiny.