Ashanti & Carleek
ASHANTI (Age 27)
CARLEEK (Age 25)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
DATING
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR LOVE
This charismatic, charming and super close couple can teach us a thing or two about being in love. They originally met at an immersive experience when Ashanti caught eyes with the cute guy-friend of a mutual friend. They were connected via social media several weeks later and they’ve been going steadily ever since! When Carleek asked Ashanti to be his girlfriend, it was the grandest gesture she’d ever received: complete with roses, her favorite snacks, and a giant dating-proposal poster with a check “yes” or “HELL yes” option. They even exchanged house keys four months into their relationship. They can’t keep their hands off each other, and their affection just keeps growing. They love to smell in each other’s morning breath – it gives them each the kick they need to start the day! Cute or gross?
Ashanti and Carleek do everything together from the moment they wake up until the moment they’re in bed. They’ll shower together, go to the bathroom together, coordinate outfits, make lunches together, drive to work together, go home together, and share pretty much everything. Except, unfortunately, an apartment! Ashanti and Carleek haven’t been able to break their leases to move in together yet, meaning that Carleek’s roommate, Lionel is getting a front-row view into their relationship. Lionel regularly sees (and hears, ew!) how hopelessly in love these two are. Lionel admits that he’s seen a change in Carleek who used to be a BIG player and a lady’s man, always bringing a new girl home to their shared apartment. Now that Carleek is with Ashanti he hardly recognizes his friend/roommate. They don’t hang out as often, and when they do Carleek is preoccupied Ashanti, making Lionel feel secondary.
This couple is so close that they even share the same occupation: they are substitute teachers. In fact, they didn’t like to be separated so they made arrangements for Carleek to transfer school districts so they could be together. The two will only apply to jobs that allow them to share a commute, and hopefully, a lunch period. And it’s even better if they see openings in similar room numbers at a school – they’ll immediately throw their names in the hat. Recently, Ashanti was in Room 412 and Carleek in Room 414, so they could pop in and out of each other’s rooms to say hi all day long. The kids are always obsessed with both of them, and are eager to help send messages back and forth: “Ms. A, Mr. C thinks you’re really pretty!” It’s no secret that this couple is hot for each other and have a hard time controlling their attraction. Just the other day they tried to find a closet at their school for some sexual alone time!
They have each other’s locations in their phones so if he’s out with “the boys,” Ashanti will come visit, unannounced, and vice versa. They have each other’s passwords because they feel that there is nothing to hide in their relationship. If one is invited, the other is coming. It’s non-negotiable. They tell each other that they love each other at least 40 times a day (no exaggeration.) Ashanti has no boundaries and will even dig inside of Carleek’s nose to pick for boogers! She doesn’t want her man to look crazy in public! When they are together they always have to be touching, whether that is in public or private!
Ashanti has a 4-year-old daughter named River whose father isn’t in the picture. Though Carleek never imagined that he’d be a father-like-figure to someone else’s child before having his own, he bonded instantly with River. It’s one of the things that makes him so attractive to Ashanti. As a single mom, she has found it hard to date, navigating the delicate balance between keeping her daughter separate from her love interests until it’s serious enough. With Carleek, it didn’t take long for him to be fully integrated into their lives, even though Ashanti first introduced him to River as a “friend.” Carleek is now on the pickup list for River at her school. River quickly realized how happy he made her mom and when she sees Ashanti crying, she’ll often say, “Mom, call Carleek, he’ll make you feel better!”
This couple has been together for less than a year but already going through the milestones of a serious relationship. They are starting to introduce each other to one another’s parents, siblings and extended family. Naturally, both Ashanti and Carleek are nervous to meet the formative people of their loved ones. Additionally, this couple lives separately, but once Ashanti’s lease is up they are deciding whether or not to find a new place and move in together. Although some friends and family think that they might be moving fast, this couple can’t wait to be even closer together.
This couple often discusses marriage. Carleek secretly admits that he’s contemplated proposing, confident that Ashanti would say yes. Ashanti and Carleek are a couple starting to write the book of their love story, crossing out “firsts” and “milestones” on a trajectory of building a life together. However, this is the infamous honey moon phase. Will each other’s less desirable traits come out and show themselves in the relationship? Will practical realities such as jobs, taking care of a home and child-rearing impact an otherwise happy romance? Ashanti and Carleek think so, but only time will tell.