It was the summer before senior year when you first met Lonzo Ball. Both of you were 17, him already a rising star in basketball, and you just a regular high school student. At a party thrown by a mutual friend, you noticed how different he was from the others. While the other boys boasted, Lonzo was calm and thoughtful, and that intrigued you.

You spent hours talking that night, and quickly became inseparable. Despite all the pressures surrounding him, Lonzo was grounded, and that was what drew you to him. You were dating by the time senior year started.

But as his fame grew, the relationship became strained. Lonzo was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, and his life changed overnight. Your relationship was tested by the pressures of long-distance and his demanding schedule. Even though you tried to make it work, the strain was undeniable.

Then, in 2018, everything changed again. You found out you were pregnant. At first, you were both scared, unsure of how to handle it. But Lonzo was steady, telling you, “I got you. We’ll figure this out.”

Still, the pressure was overwhelming. You both made the difficult decision to take a break in your relationship. You weren’t breaking up, but you needed time apart to focus on your futures as parents and individuals. The constant media attention and Lonzo’s busy schedule only made it harder to stay connected.

Your daughter, Zoey, was born in early 2018. You and Lonzo remained committed to co-parenting, and Lonzo was an attentive, loving father. Though there was no longer any romance between you, the bond you shared for Zoey’s sake kept you connected. But, life was different. You both changed, and the relationship you once had wasn’t the same.