Our Story
Our story can be mapped out by all the places we have visited together; we’ve laughed, cried and made countless memories along the way. - Rishi
A few summers ago, our mutual friend Shali invited us both to her bachelorette trip in Mallorca. When Shali mentioned Shreeya, I couldn’t help but do a little social media stalking and even messaged her—though she left me on read. When we finally met in Mallorca, I felt nervous talking to her. For those who know her, her personality is banter mixed with ruthless honesty, and I was instantly charmed. When I finally met her in Mallorca, I found myself nervous to talk to her. I quickly learnt her big hair, sunglasses that hid her emotions, and an oversized handbag spilling with stuff quickly were her trademarks. I thought I would play it cool and act nonchalant, but I ended up confessing my feelings on our first night, jokingly declaring, “I’m going to marry you one day.” She rolled her eyes and made a disgusted face, but here we are.
I returned to Toronto from Europe losing two phones and two pairs of sunglasses, but I gained Shreeya! After knowing her for just five days, I told my parents about her. They were shocked but not surprised, as they were used to my spontaneous decisions. Shreeya came to Toronto for Shali’s wedding that summer and stayed with my family. I admired her effort to get to know them and our bond deepened during a trip to Montreal and Quebec City, which have now become our favourite cities to visit. The second she landed back in London, I surprised her with a screenshot of my tickets to come see her.
After four months of long distance, I was boarding my flight to London, buzzing with
excitement and nerves about meeting Shreeya’s family for the first time. As the plane
landed, my heart raced, but of course, she was late... When we finally saw each other, it
was an overwhelming emotional moment—I was with my person again. Experiencing her home and
the city she grew up in through her eyes was a treasure.
The next day, I met her parents and our connection felt instant as we talked for hours; it
was comforting, like I had known them forever. The following day, I met her siblings and
partners, who embraced my Canadian accent and bad jokes. By the time I left England, I had
gained two new parents and four new siblings.
We continued long distance for months, with frequent trips to London to see Shreeya. My visits reassured her parents of my serious intentions, though I worried my novelty was wearing off. We decided to take a last-minute trip to Paris together, though Shreeya’s chaotic energy and forgetfulness meant we barely made our flights or trains, turning every journey into an adventure itself. We fell in love all over again—crashing on e-bikes, strolling through Luxembourg Gardens, late-night visits to the Eiffel Tower, eating ice cream in Montmartre, and shopping at Galeries Lafayette. In those moments, time felt like it stood still, wrapping us in our own little world that I never wanted to escape.
In July of 2023, we finally made the decision to end long distance. Shreeya decided to build a new life in Toronto, leaving her family, friends, career and London behind. It was the grandest gesture someone has ever done for me, and I admire her bravery to this day. After about a year of long distance we made it to the end goal, where I now never have to say goodbye to her for more than a couple of hours. Our journey to get to this point doesn’t feel real and life feels easier with her around. Our days now consist of walks to the park with our dog, Ludo, hosting our friends on Friday nights, weekends in Muskoka, cooking dinner together with one of her reality TV shows in the background (they’re surprisingly good!) and fighting about whose turn it is to do the dishwasher.