Our love story is far from ordinary. It all started with a swipe of a finger and a bit of determination. Zachary and I met in an unconventional way—through a dating app. What began as a simple, almost playful interaction turned into something neither of us could have ever imagined: forever.

Our first date was incredibly laid-back. We found ourselves in the city, grabbing some Varsity, and just talking about life, our dreams, and what we wanted for the future. We ended up sitting in a parking garage, staring out at the city lights, feeling like the world around us didn’t matter anymore. Zachary was in awe of the city lights—something so new and exciting to him, not realizing that this would soon become a part of his everyday life with me.

We spent hours bouncing conversations back and forth, laughing and sharing our thoughts. It was during this time that he introduced me to his unique taste in music, and before we knew it, we had somehow found ourselves in a drawing competition—despite neither of us being able to draw. We laughed at our terrible sketches, but in that moment, it didn’t matter. What mattered was the connection we were building.

As the night came to a close, and it was time for him to drop me off, I couldn’t help but think, “This is too good to be true.” Little did I know, it was the first night of the rest of my life.

Since then, my love for Zachary has only grown deeper. He’s hardworking, determined, and, above all, the most loyal and caring person you will ever meet. No matter what struggles we face, we face them together—hand in hand.