As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air. Whether it be adoration for a certain someone, admiration for a cherished item, or deep feelings for a close friend, love shows itself in many forms. At Ayala, students share their “love” stories in anticipation for the special day.
Chloe and Corvin
For Chloe Dy (10) and Corvin Danan (11), their story began with a little matchmaking and a simple message. After a mutual friend introduced the two, Danan reached out, and the two quickly connected. It’s a simple beginning, but a sincere and memorable one all the same.
Dy describes Danan as someone who can always make her laugh, cheer her up, and support her no matter what.
“Corvin is just someone I can fully be myself around,” said Dy. “He’s always the first person I want to talk to about all my problems, regardless of the severity.”
Danan, in turn, appreciates Dy’s effort in their relationship and the way she lifts him up when he needs it most.
“My favorite things about her are the way she treats me when I’m feeling down, her beautiful hair, and really everything about her,” said Danan. “She always tries her hardest to make things work when it’s not going our way.”
One of their favorite moments together was Danan’s homecoming proposal, involving a Raising Cane’s themed poster that read, “I’ve been raising the courage to ask you to be my date to hoco.”
From that first DM to now with the moments they’ve built together, Dy and Danan’s relationship is a reminder that, sometimes, the best connections can start from something as simple as a single message. [Lia Dimapasok]
Naomi and Jeshua
Teenage love. It is a love that feels like falling, it is a love that feels like flying. When you’re with that special person, an hour feels like a second, and a second feels like an hour. The memories and the laughs are something that you’d treasure forever.
A meet cute. All the best stories have one, and when it’s one of the best memories that the couple can look back on and laugh together, that’s how you know it’s special. It’s a language only they know, and that’s how it is for Naomi Meehan (12) and her boyfriend Jeshua Hennerty (12). After a grueling night of swim and baseball practice, the two met and immediately connected.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it a meet cute because, with my swim cap and goggles on, I didn’t look the best,” Meehan said. “But it was hilarious because he grabbed one of our extra swim caps and put it on himself so we wouldn’t be the only bald ones, which in hindsight, was actually really cute.”
From the first laugh, Meehan knew there was a spark. A spark that continued on through everything. Every relationship has its ups and downs, moments where everything feels unsure and moments where the person is the best thing that has happened to you, and working through the challenges together is the key to making it last.
Trust and communication is the foundation for Meehan and Hennerty’s relationship. When times are tough, they express their feelings and work through the issue, showing maturity and a love that surpasses all challenges. This grows not only their relationship, but themselves individually.
“We can be completely ourselves around each other,” Meehan said. “Whether we’re laughing at something dumb, supporting each other through challenges, or just sitting in comfortable silence, there’s never any pressure to be anything but who we are. And to me, that’s what love should feel like.” [Stephanie Lyn]
Shrika and Bharatanatyam
For Shrika Miriyala (9), the thing she deeply loves is Bharatanatyam. This is a form of classical dance from Indian culture. At a young age she was introduced to the beautiful dance by her family and has developed limitless bonds though it. This has greatly influenced who Miryala has become as a person today as Bharatanatyam plays a crucial role in her life.
“I was introduced to Bharatanatyam when I was eight years old thanks to my dad because he found my dance teacher and introduced me to her,” Miriyala said. “She then introduced me to this beautiful dance form.”
This art form has been an output for Miryala in several different forms. It not only allows her to grow her relationships with others outside of school but a variety of other things. It gives Miriyala a way to relieve internal tenison yet express herself in another form besides words. Bharatanatyam also allows Miryala to become closer in her mind and body.
“I love the feeling of movement in my body and mind and the connection between my mind, body, and soul,” Miryala said. “It is a way for me to find myself in my body and be able to move in such a way that I release my tensions but also be able to take something in.”
Miryala continues to practice this art form today and continues to prosper. It is hard for her to imagine who she would be or what her life would be like without Bharatanatyam. [Nicholas Tovmasyan]
Aaden and Britney
It has been almost a year since Britney Le (9) and Aaden Billedo (9) started dating, and they are still happily together to this day. The two first met through mutual friends while playing video games together.
“I met him through some of my other friends,” Le said. “We just immediately clicked.”
Once the two managed to hit it off and get to know each other, their relationship started to grow from friendship to something more. Their feelings started to grow towards each other, and soon enough the two started their relationship.
“I knew he was the one immediately,” Le said. “I felt like he was the only person I could be myself around. He’s like the boy version of me and we could always understand each other.”
One year later, the two are still happily together. Their relationship is built on trust, laughter, and small, little gestures and moments that make their connection strong and healthy. Though they did not have a romantic meet cute, their bond acts as if they met in another universe.
“I am so glad that I’m with him, I wouldn’t change anything about anything between us at all,” Le said. [Estelle Ignacio]
Mark and Her Mom
Traditionally viewed as a day dedicated solely to romantic relationships, Valentine’s Day often overlooks the
significance of platonic love, family love and self-love. Mark Magno (12) explores how Valentine’s Day serves not only as a celebration of romantic love but also as an opportunity to honor family by sharing one of her favorite memories of love with her mom and why it stuck with her.
“My favorite moment is when I spend time with my mom, I feel a lot of love. Despite our rocky relationship in the past, we found our way back to each other and learned to love and accept each other for who we are. Even if our time together is spent in her office, just working on our assignments, there’s a mutual sense of love and comfort that lingers in the room. I guess the moments with my mom are when I feel a lot of love!” Magno said.
Valentine’s Day goes beyond romantic relationships. Magno’s experience celebrates familial love, providing comfort and support after hard times, despite having a hard connection in the past. Her story shows that love exists in various forms. [Valentina Rodriguez]
Cassie and Blind Boxes
Cassie Du (11), an avid collector of all things cute, often finds that romantic love isn’t essential to leading a fulfilling
life. In fact, Du finds much of her comfort in the experiences that come from being surprised and not knowing what comes next in life. Thus, her love of blossomed, a collection of Littlest Pet Shop (LPS), Smiski, Labubu, and Mofusand figurines growing proportionally to her attachment to them.
“Blind boxes are like life. You never know what comes next and that’s why I like them. That’s what makes them so special,” Du said.
Among Du’s extensive collection, her most treasured blind box experience came from getting a figurine of one of her favorite animals.
“I opened the LPS series three and I got the capybara,” Du said. “I was really excited.”
Although not your typical love story, Cassie’s attachment to blind boxes makes her unique and sets her apart from the classic romantic love – plus there are no strings attached and no heartbreak, unless you count getting that one figurine you really didn’t want to pull.8
In the end, it isn’t about the item itself, but the joy Du feels each time a blind box is bought and opened. [Elisabeth Lee]
Dan and Max
A ninth grade biology classroom is probably one of the more quaint places to find love. Dan Pham (11) and Max Tu (11) found it to be a place that will always hold memories for the two of them. That is where their relationship began, and they have been going strong since then.
As with all relationships, challenges will arise. For Pham and Tu, nothing has marred the standing of their relationship insofar that their bond would break, because they have a way of communicating and talking things out that helps them resolve any conflict.
“An agreement that we have with each other is to always communicate no matter what and to not give each other the silent treatment or to dismiss each other,” Pham said. “As for me, I always go straight up to him when he does something wrong, or when there’s a disagreement, I just straight up tell him what I want to improve.”
The main factor at play here though, in terms of keeping their relationship intact, is the enduring sanctity of love. Love is unique in how it perseveres and persists. It is amazing how someone can embody and personify love. This is about being there for someone, caring enough to give attention, affection, and whatever else.
“Love, for me, would be someone that’s always there, someone you can talk to easily. Basically like a primary best friend,” Tu said.
Years have gone by, things have changed, and time has paved its course. However, something that still stands and that is perennial in nature, love, will find Pham and Tu everywhere. It can be found in the little things: talking, listening, and just being together.
“I value that he listens to my opinion, even when he doesn’t know what to say,” Pham said. “I also value his ability to spend time with me and his patience for me, even when I mess up.” [Kaitlyn Luu]
