Fate has a funny way of working its magic, and it was during high school in 2004 that our paths first crossed. Our initial exchange was brief—a shared smile and a subtle nod of acknowledgment. Little did we know that this fleeting moment would be the spark that set our story in motion. High school, however, has its own timeline, and as graduation approached, we found ourselves on separate paths. Fast forward to 2017—a simple 'hi' set things back into motion. The familiarity of shared experiences flooded back, as if no time had passed at all. Our conversations picked up where we had left off and a weekend date in Raleigh, North Carolina brought us to where we are now.