Charles and I go way back - all the way to our preteen years. We first crossed paths at Family Christian Center, and let me tell you, I wasn't exactly swooning at the sight of him back then. In fact, I thought he was just another guy trying to chat up every girl in the place. But it turns out, fate had a different plan for us. You see, Charles happened to be with my cousin when he spotted me across the building on the balcony. He didn’t waste any time and asked my cousin, "Who is that?" and my cousin told him, "That's my cousin, Amyla." So, Charles took it upon himself to come over and introduce himself, boldly asking for my number right in front of my mother. Naturally, being the good girl that I was, I declined his request. Charles might tell you I just wasn't interested, but hey, a girl's got to play it safe, right? Time went by, and we went our separate ways, living our own lives. But then, as teenagers, we unexpectedly found ourselves at a club for teens where we both weren't exactly supposed to be. And what do you know? Charles spotted me again and asked me to dance with him. I obliged and danced with him for a few minutes before leaving him to dance on my own on the stage. Little did I know, that was the evening he finally managed to get my number. He used to message me all the time, but I'll admit, I didn't always respond. I guess you could say I left him on "read" more times than I can remember. Eventually, he gave up on me.

It wasn't until 2018, when I entered the car business and learned that Charles had been in the same industry for a few years, that he decided to reach out again. We connected over our shared career, but the timing just wasn't right for us... yet. Then one day, I stumbled upon a picture of Charles on Facebook and let me tell you, the glow-up was real! He looked amazing in that picture next to a BMW, clearly excelling in his career. I decided to message him, but when he didn't respond fast enough, I messaged him again, saying never mind. Of course, that’s when he finally responded, letting me know he was busy at work. After that, we started talking on the phone all the time. I'll be honest; there were times when I'd tell Charles I'd call him back but would end up calling him back a week later or so. Talk about keeping the guy on his toes! Then, there was that time when I went to his workplace to look for a BMW, and one of his co-workers mentioned having to call a "mean girl" and struggled to pronounce my name. Charles instantly knew who the co-worker was talking about and called me from the BMW store, teasing me about looking at a BMW. That moment brought us closer than ever.

All through 2019, Charles would visit me at work and I would do the same, talk to me on the phone, and take me out to lunch. He was an amazing friend, always there for me. I’d talk to him about my relationships, and he’d listen, offering his support. When I got a new boyfriend, he’d teasingly say, "I should have known you wouldn’t be on the market for long." And when I parted ways with a boyfriend, he was the first person I called to share the news with. I finally decided to ask Charles out on a date or let's just say I said "When are you taking me out on a date?" especially after seeing all the traveling he was doing, but then I ended up standing him up. Understandably, he wasn't too happy about that and gave me quite the attitude. I had to apologize to him, and after all the back and forth and uncertainty, we realized our time had come. We both invited each other to our respective company parties, and I made the decision to skip mine to attend his. The evening turned out to be so much fun. We played video games, and we laughed and drank the night away. At the end of the night, as we were saying our goodbyes, Charles looked me in the eyes and kissed me so beautifully and gently, saying "it was long overdue". In that moment, I felt love surge through my body like never before, and I knew he was the one for me. He had held on as a friend, becoming the best friend I could ever ask for. He transitioned from being just a friend to a partner, and that’s when we both realized that we were meant to be together. Now, we're on the path to getting married, and our story has been nothing short of remarkable. We were destined to be in each other's lives, and we've found our life partner and soulmate in each other.

From that point on, our bond only grew stronger, and on New Year's of 2020, as the clock struck 12 am, he asked me to be his girlfriend. Since then, we've been inseparable and are now getting married. Our love story proves that sometimes, the right person has been there all along, waiting for the perfect moment. We call it fate.