It all started at a freshman orientation party, an event designed to bring a campus full of strangers together in a haze of excitement, music, and the promise of new beginnings. Eric and Jolene were two of many who attended, both navigating the uncertain waters of their first year of college. They didn’t expect to meet each other that night, let alone form a connection that would span years and change the course of their lives. Their interaction was typical for two freshmen thrown into the mix of a bustling college scene an exchange of names, a few laughs, and the comfort of knowing that they were navigating the same uncertain terrain. As the night went on, a deeper conversation unfolded. They discovered they lived just a few blocks apart and realized that they shared mutual friends, even though they’d never met before. The feeling of familiarity was almost uncanny. What started as a simple chat evolved into something more. They began seeing each other more frequently, meeting up between classes, studying together, and sharing their hopes and dreams about college life. Their bond grew through the small things: late-night talks in dorm rooms, long walks around campus, and the kind of laughter that only happens when you're just starting to discover who you are in the world. By the end of freshman year, Eric and Jo were inseparable, and what began as a friendship had blossomed into a relationship. Their shared experiences during that first year strengthened their connection. But by the time the year ended, they realized that their paths were diverging. Both were eager to explore different aspects of college life, and despite their strong feelings for one another, they made the difficult decision to part ways. Though their relationship ended, the bond they shared didn't. Throughout the rest of college, Eric and Jo remained close friends. They stayed in touch, supporting each other through new relationships, academic struggles, and the experiences of young adulthood. Even though their lives took them in different directions, the friendship they built during freshman year was a constant in both their lives, a reminder of simpler times and a connection that felt effortless. After graduation, however, life took them in different directions. The years that followed were filled with changes—new friends, new jobs, new relationships. They lost touch as they each focused on their own journeys into adulthood. But the bond they had shared never truly faded. Then, nearly a decade later, a simple "HBD" from Eric to Jo on her birthday sparked the beginning of something unexpected. They reconnected through Instagram, sharing memories, catching up on the years they’d lost touch. What began as a casual birthday message quickly turned into an ongoing conversation, filled with updates on their lives, jokes about the old days, and reflections on how much they had grown. As the pandemic hit, Eric and Jo found themselves spending more time talking to each other. What was initially a reconnection based on nostalgia began to evolve into something deeper. The calls grew longer, the texts more frequent. It felt like no time had passed at all. Despite the years and the changes, they fell into a rhythm that felt as natural as it had during those late-night conversations in their freshman dorm rooms. By the time the world began to slowly emerge from the pandemic, Eric and Jo realized that their bond had shifted. What had started as a deep friendship was now more. They’d grown into different people, but the chemistry they once shared was still there, stronger than ever. A simple “HBD” had transformed into a rekindling of a relationship that was truly destined to be. Through the twists and turns of life, Eric and Jo had come to understand that the friendship they shared had always been the foundation of something deeper. In each other, they found not just echoes of their past, but a shared future, built on the strength of their enduring connection.