The year was 2019 and Nick, a humble consultant in Orlando, FL was sitting in his cubicle swiping through dating apps with reckless abandon when behold unto him a profile featuring the most beautiful girl he had ever seen with captions and prompts as funny and witty as his own. This profile belonged to one Jackie Dolan, an impressive operations manager for a local media firm. Coincidentally enough, Nick found Jackie's profile on each of the three main dating apps - his odds of matching were looking good. Unfortunately for Nick, Jackie was using the dating apps to farm followers for her growing instagram account. They did not match. The year was 2020, Nick was sitting in his home office, once again swiping through dating apps when he stumbled across a familiar profile. Could it be? Yes! The mysterious, ethereal, ephemeral, divine Jackie D. This time they would certainly match? No! Jackie's instagram account continued to grow. The year was 2021 and Nick was traveling home from work on the one day a week he had to go into the office. He was sitting at a red light when he decided to open Hinge. There she was, Jackie D. Nick responded to her Hinge prompt, "Tell me about.... your childhood trauma," with a bold "[redacted.]" Hook, line, sink(h)er. Nick secured a first date. The date was January, 23rd, 2021 and since they were in Orlando they went to the Most Magical Place on Earth - Mills Avenue! Jackie nervously, if not professionally, greeted Nick with a handshake. Over drinks at Grape and Grain, tapas at Santiagos, cocktails at Sunroom, and burritos at Tako Cheena, Nick and Jackie, throughout this 5+ hour first date, got to know each other. Jackie (a Taurus) asked what Nick's sign was. Nick - a veteran of the dating apps - fluently spoke at length about his placements (mostly Aquarius and Scorpio). As the date went on they learned other interesting facts about each other, like how they both graduated from UCF in 2017 with the same (useless) degree, Interdisciplinary Studies, and how they were both homeschooled for various lengths of time (can you tell?). Eventually the date ended and the two parted with an awkward hug. The following day through an exchange of text a second date was planned. In the throes of young love during the spring of 2021, Jackie accepted a new position in Atlanta. Nick was just hitting his stride at his current job, moving into a management position. Our two main character’s lives appeared to be diverging, so, being the mature adults that they were, they decided to continue seeing each other until Jackie moved to Atlanta, then they would break up. Jackie loves a plan! When the time came for Jackie to move, Nick, at the last minute under the guise of attending a friend's birthday, joined Jackie on the drive up to Atlanta. Jackie - the trooper that she is - drove from Orlando to Atlanta, moved everything into her new apartment (with the help of Nick and her good brother), and attended a birthday outing all in one day. They didn't want this time to end. But they had to stick to the plan. They were breaking up. Jackie and Nick said a tearful goodbye at the Least Magical Place on Earth, Hartsfield Jackson Airport. As Nick was walking through the sliding doors he knew there was one thing left unsaid. Jackie, about to pull away, saw Nick walking back to her car and she rolled her window down. “This is probably the wrong time for me to say this, but I love you.” “I love you too.” And Nick flew home to Orlando. The End.

Nick, depressed, alone, crushing it professionally, returned home and noticed a book on his nightstand. Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney. It was Jackie's favorite book and she had loaned it to him to read. With a gaping hole left in his life, Nick filled it by reading the book, finishing it in a day. Heartbroken and inspired by Sally's words, Nick began to ponder... was this really it? Two people who loved each other break up just because they now live exactly 443 miles away from each other? A mere 6 hours and 23 minutes of driving with no traffic. No, this can't be the end, they were just getting started... and besides, he has a book to return. Never before in his life had Nick acted so impulsively. That Friday, less than a week after breaking up with Jackie, with no more than a dozen texts exchanged between the two of them (no contact is hard), Nick slipped out of work early and started making his way up to Atlanta. Jackie, settling into the melancholia of living alone in a new city, had no idea that her week of manifesting exactly this outcome was about to pay off. Halfway through the drive up Nick realized that Jackie, a woman famous for falling asleep within minutes of sitting on the couch, should probably be warned that she is about to have a visitor in a couple hours. He pulled off at the same gas station they stopped at when they moved her up the weekend prior (shout out Magnolia Plantation with your weird, windex-blue fountain) and FaceTimed Jackie. Nick: You forgot your book. I’m bringing it back. Jackie, through tears: I knew I'd see you this weekend. Jackie’s manifesting paid off and thus began a true relationship, open to a future of possibilities without a looming expiration date. Our young couple kept up a long distance relationship for 8 months in turns exploring Atlanta and soaking up Orlando. In March of 2022, Nick moved up to Atlanta where he and Jackie moved into an apartment in Midtown. Nick and Jackie spent the next couple years living, growing, loving, and learning together. For instance, Nick learned how to make the bed exactly how Jackie likes it to be made; and Jackie learned how to properly hand wash dishes and load the dishwasher, a useful skill since Nick does the majority of the cooking. Nick is still learning how to put away shoes and hats in the places where shoes and hats belong; and Jackie is still learning how to stay awake when Nick puts on a movie he’s been wanting to watch for a very long time. The engagement jokes from Jackie started almost immediately after they first moved in together. When they took their first big vacation, a road trip down the PCH from SF to LA, Jackie pointed out any halfway-scenic location that would be a perfect spot for an engagement. Jackie found this joke both timeless and hilarious. Nick could only roll his eyes. The following year Nick knew it was time, so he procured a stunning engagement ring and formulated a proposal plan. He surprised her with a trip to New York City in early December - a true Manhattan Christmas. Nick and Jackie woke up in their hotel room on Saturday morning and walked through Midtown, went ice skating, admired the lights and displays on 5th Ave, and strolled, anxiously, through Central Park. Finally, after finding the perfect spot and working up the nerves for a public display, Nick got down on one knee and said to a hyperventilating Jackie, “Thanks for being here.” Romantic! With a small crowd forming, Nick stumbled through some other words he definitely prepared and didn’t just make up on the spot before he finally asked, “Will you marry me?” Jackie, graciously, said “Yes!” And that’s why you’re reading this now. Nick and Jackie are getting married on April 6th of 2025 in Atlanta, GA.