Is This a Love Story of Times or Was it Mere Coincidence?

Song Of The Week

Oh, sweet symphony of confidence wrapped in atmospheric vulnerability! Faye Webster's "I Know You" waltzes its way into our hearts with the grace of a first crush awkwardly stealing glances across a crowded café. The moment you hit play, you're transported to a dreamy realm where the air is infused with nostalgia and the promise of something more.

The song begins with Webster's soft, enchanting vocals, akin to a gentle breeze rustling through autumn leaves. Her storytelling is as vivid as a watercolor painting, capturing the essence of knowing someone so well—both their quirks and the unspoken issues lurking beneath. The instrumentation, a blend of indie folk with a hint of jazz, creates a cozy atmosphere, like wrapping yourself in a blanket on a rainy day.

"I Know You" flirts with themes of familiarity and intimacy, teasing out every little detail that makes us human. Webster captures those fleeting moments when you see a person’s true self, masked behind the everyday façade, with lines that linger in your mind long after the track ends. It’s relatable and deeply personal, making you nod in agreement while pondering your own connections.

Red String Theory

Let me tell you a tale about fate. A tale that dives into one of the mysteries of Life that will have you second guessing. In this world bustling with billions of people, huge oceans and acres of land, can there be minor coincidences? What if, what I am about to tell you supports the notion that things do happen for a reason? Could it be divine intervention or a simple red string.

Lovers to Lovers

This story begins at my orientation - the end of July 2019. I remember this trip vividly because not only was it the first time I ever went to Sacramento, it also was when I met Dylan. We met on a Greyhound Bus of all things. Because it just so happened that our orientation was grouped together.

To add a little bit more context, Dylan and I were both put in a group chat called the “So-Cal Stingers”. This group chat is important - the maximum number of people in a group chat at the time was 25 and we were all from So-Cal. Funny enough there was one imposter actually, he definitely was not from So-Cal. I was a yapper in the group chat, so I made friends with everyone in it. Dylan not so much- he would only reply here and there.

At the bus station, I was messaging the chat that the bus was stopping in LA. He read the message and responded with ‘Same, I am waiting for my bus too’. I thought to myself “Wow what are the odds of that!’.  Nonetheless, I decided to gamble and invite him to sit with me if we happened to be on the same ride. Turns out he wasn’t kidding, and we did have the same bus! This marked the first offline interaction from the group chat that I had, and I didn’t think much of it.

School started the following month in August. It was then, I was about to put a face to all the other Instagram handles. We were like the traveling circus; we went everywhere together, ate together, did homework together. It is where I met Michael. He lived in a different building than us. But we would visit him from time to time because he wanted to point out all the cute guys on his floor. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the same taste. Until we saw a semi-tall, brown shaggy hair guy at the Dining Commons. We both exclaimed, “He is cute!”. And then from Michael, “Wait, he lives on my floor.”

Pull it Together

At face value, that story sounds almost boring. My minor coincidences don’t make sense on their own. That is because I only told half the story, John’s part, that will pull all these segments together.

Let’s rewind back to his orientation- the beginning of July 2019. John had driven from LA to Sacramento with a friend, Jayln. Their majors happen to have the same orientation, but they split into groups, and he met Brandon. Brandon, who is also from LA- was the only one out of the three to be in the group chat. So-Cal Stingers was just created, and Brandon asked John if he wanted to join. Of course, he declined the offer marking the first twist of fate. Or maybe it just had other plans in mind.

If you haven’t guessed it now, the guy- Michael and I saw at the Dining Common, he was indeed John. And yes, they were on the same floor. Michael lived at the very end of the hall while John lived just diagonal from him. Yet, I would never see him. Of course, there is a logical explanation for that, we would just miss each other. For example, he probably would be with his friends by the time I was in his building. Well, turns out Jayln-his friend, and I lived in the exact same building. I could’ve seen in my own building hell, even Michael’s but…nope. Never did.

And I bet you forgot about Dylan. Well, Dylan and I would just say hello in passing, not much else. Except, not only did I know Dylan, so did John! Turns out John and Dylan were on the same soccer team when they were seven. It wasn’t until they came to Sacramento State they reunited and became friends again. Dylan could have introduced us but…nope. Fate had other plans for us.

After a while I forgot about him. Until I was let out early from class and I needed to cross the street. Who do I see? That semi-tallest, dork, with brown shaggy hair and mismatched shoes. I figured it was about time I made my move and stood right next to him. By the time the white Walk-man came on we were deep in conversation, and we haven’t stopped since. 

Twisted Fate

In all the different ways we could’ve met, not one avenue brought us together. Fate was dancing on the brim, overflowing our threads of connection until we finally pulled the trigger. As for me, I did make the first move. I knew he was going to be the one the first time I saw him in the Dining Commons. Do I believe in love at first sight? No. Do I believe in things happening for a reason? A little. Do I believe in the red string theory? Absolutely. Something that day when I was waiting at the stoplight pushed me to take a leap. Everything- the time, the spot, the environment was exactly perfect for that moment to be just right. Funny thing was, he actually locked himself out of his room that day. 

Chances in life are few and far but when you have that gut feeling, that gnawing in the pit of your stomach. Listen to them. Trust them. Believe in them. They could lead you down a crazy path like ours or even a more twisted version. I used to think soulmates were real and in reality, they are but require more work than what people think. 

This week I leave listening to I Know You by Faye Webster- I am clever sometimes. I choose this song because it reminds of the instinct I had when I knew. I knew but, I didn't act on it immediately because it felt like I could wait. I trusted my gut and now look, four years with the guy. All because our paths were slowly, but surely intertwining themselves together until we became one.

Enjoy This Journey With Me

° 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 ₒ 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 °

Enjoy This Journey With Me ° 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 ₒ 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 °

This isn’t the end—just a bookmark in the conversation. Stories don’t really close; they unfold, shift, and find new voices. If this one stirred something in you, let it breathe. Leave a thought, challenge an idea, or carry it forward in your own way. And if you ever feel like wandering through more unfinished thoughts, you know where to find me. Let’s keep the conversation alive. ~XOXO