SHAZ30A LITTLE LOVE STORYA birthdaybook writtenfrom Casablanca for the boy in London who stole my heart.WARNING: May contain excessive cuteness, long-distance feelings, embarrassing levels of affection, and one very loved 30-year-old.Happy 30th, my love.SHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY1

Chapter OneHow did we even get here?More than a year ago, two people met on the internet. No dramatic movie soundtrack. No airport reunion. No perfect first date. Just two people talking... and somehow, that little conversation became us.Thousands of kilometres apart. One very inconvenient amount of distance. And somehow, still, you became part of my everyday life. We haven't had our first hug yet. We haven't gone on our first date. We haven't taken our first picture together.And yet... you've already given memoremories, smiles, conversations and feelings than I ever expected to find through a screen.CASABLANCA → LONDONSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 2

Chapter Two30Things I LoveAboutYouSome serious.Somecute.Someslightlyembarrassing.All true.SHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 2

The Soft StuffSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 21. Your kindness 2. Your intelligence 4. Your romantic side 3. Your thoughtfulness 5. The way you make me smile ■ You notice the little things.And sometimes, it's those little things that mean the most. You make me believe romance doesn't need grand gestures. Sometimes it's simply knowing someone cares. I love the way you think, the way you see things, and how there's always something I can learn from you. You have such a kind heart, and it's one of the first things that made me fall for you. Even from the other side of the world,you somehow find a way to put a smile on my face.

The Things You DoSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 26. Your patience 7. Your caring heart 8. The way you listen 9. Your sense of humor 10. The way you make me feel Safe. Loved. Wanted. And somehow at home. I love how much you care about the people you love. Distance isn't always easy, but you make it feel worth it. You make me feel heard,andI'll always appreciate that. Because apparently making me laugh from London is one of your hidden talents.

The Little DetailsSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 212. Your loyalty 11. Your sweetness 14. Our conversations 13. Your beautiful heart 15. The little things you do You have a softness about you that I absolutely adore. The person you are matters more to me than anything else. You probably don't realize how many little things you do that stay in my mind. More than a year later,you're still here. And that means more to me than I can explain. Talking to you can turn an ordinary day into my favorite part of the day.

The Things I FeelSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 216. Your support 19. Your presence 17. Your personality 18. The way you understand me 20. The way you make the distance feel smaller There's just something about you that I can't replace. You remind me that I'm not alone, even when you're far away. Even through a screen,your presence has become part of my everyday life. Sometimes you understand what I'm feeling without me having to explain everything. London can feel very far from Casablanca…but some how you make it feel a little closer.

The Things I AdoreSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 221. Your smile 22. Your voice 23. Your dreams 24. Your strength 25. The memories we've already made A sound that can instantly make my day better. Yes,this one absolutely deserves its own page. Even though we've never met in person,we've already shared more than a year of memories. I love hearing about the things you want from life and imagining what the future could look like. You have qualities in you that I admire more than you probably know.

The Things We're Still Waiting ForSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 227. Our first hug 28. Our first date 26. The future I imagine 29. You make me believe in what's possible I love thinking about all the things we still haven't experienced together. If two people can find each other from Casablanca and London and build something beautiful, maybe distance isn't as powerful as it seems. I haven't experienced it yet, but somehow I already know it's going to be one I'll never forget. One day,our screens will disappear and it'll just be you and me sitting across from each other. And I can't wait. 30. Because you're Shaz. And there really doesn't need to be another reason. You're you. And somehow, that's my favorite thing about you.

IntermissionA few facts about us...Home base: Casablanca / LondonOther home base: Whatsapp lolHow we met: The internet ! surprisingly useful for something that also contains cat videos.Time together: More than a yearHugs exchanged in person: 0 Current goal: fix this statistic.Couple pictures together: 0 Future problem. Future us canDistance:Us: still here.SHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 121

Chapter ThreeThings We Haven't Done YetSHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 2So here's to all the firsts waiting for us. Our first hug. Our first date. Our first picture together. That first moment when the screen disappears and you're actually standing in front of me. And to the ridiculous amount of photos we're probably going to take once we finally get the chance. I haven't experienced these things yet… but I already know they're going to become some of my favorite memories.

The Last Page...but definitelynot theend.I wish I could be beside you today. I wish I could give you a hug, look at you, and tell you all of this instead of writing it on a screen. But until that day comes, let this little book remind you that somewhere in Casablanca, there's a girl thinking about you, smiling because you exist, and feeling incredibly lucky that the internet brought you into her life.Happy 30th, Shaz.Here's to you. And maybe... here's to the next chapter of us.

SHAZ • 30 • A LITTLE LOVE STORY • 2P.S. Your 30s are officially allowed to be amazing. Preferably with me in them.