When We First Met – A Story About Love, Timing, and Letting Go

The story begins in 2017, at a lively engagement party filled with music, laughter, and celebration. The party is for a woman named Avery, who is getting engaged today. Guests surround her, congratulating her and asking how she met her fiancé. Smiling warmly, Avery begins telling the story of how their love started three years earlier.

She explains that they first met at a Halloween party, and that over time, friendship slowly turned into love. As she speaks, her close friend Noah stands nearby, listening quietly. Avery’s words pull Noah back into the past—because he, too, was at that same Halloween party.

That night was also the first time Noah met Avery.

The First Meeting

In a flashback to October 31st, 2014, we see a crowded Halloween party buzzing with energy. Noah accidentally spills his drink on Avery, and what could have been awkward quickly turns into laughter. They start talking, and within minutes, they feel strangely comfortable around each other.

By the end of the night, they are already good friends.

Avery tells Noah that she came to the party with her roommate Carrie, and later that night, she asks Noah if he can take her somewhere else—she wants to leave the noisy party. Noah takes her to Jess’ Bar, a jazz bar where he works as a piano player.

At the bar, Noah plays and sings for Avery. She is clearly impressed and genuinely enjoys his performance. Afterward, she pulls him into a small photo booth, where they take playful pictures together.

Inside the booth, Noah opens up and admits that he has never had a girlfriend and has never been in a relationship. Avery smiles kindly and tells him that he’s sweet—and that one day, he will definitely find the right girl.

Later, Avery takes Noah back to her house. They talk in the kitchen, eat cookies, joke around, and grow even closer. Avery mentions that she often collects charity money for children and elderly people. As the night winds down, Noah slowly leans in to kiss her—

And the memory cuts.

Heartbreak in the Present

Back in 2017, Avery introduces her fiancé Ethan to the guests. Watching them together shatters Noah’s heart. Deep down, he has always loved Avery—quietly, painfully, and without ever saying it out loud.

Unable to handle the pain, Noah starts drinking heavily. Soon, he’s too drunk to stand and runs to the washroom to throw up. Avery and Ethan follow him inside, trying to help. They give him medicine and vitamins, attempting to sober him up.

As Noah sits there, dizzy and broken, Avery and Ethan casually kiss in front of him.

Moments later, Ethan leaves to answer a video call from his parents. Avery asks Carrie to take Noah home, but Noah refuses, insisting he’ll call an Uber. However, he’s so drunk that he drops his phone into a tray of food. Finally, he agrees to leave with Carrie.

Before leaving the party, Noah notices a decorative plate with Avery’s picture printed on it. He picks it up and kisses it sadly.

In the car, Noah confesses to Carrie that he still loves Avery. Instead of going home, he asks Carrie to take him to Jess’ Bar. There, they meet Max, Noah’s close friend, who is now a Vice President at a company.

At the bar, Noah finally reveals the truth.

After the Halloween party years ago, when Avery took him home, he tried to kiss her—but she didn’t kiss him back. She hugged him and called him a “good friend.” The next day, Avery went out to buy cookies—and that’s when she met Ethan for the first time.

Noah believes everything that followed happened because of him. If he hadn’t eaten her cookies, she wouldn’t have gone out. If she hadn’t gone out, she wouldn’t have met Ethan.

Hearing this, Carrie tells Noah firmly that Avery is engaged now, and he needs to let her go. She leaves, frustrated and exhausted.

The Wish

Max takes Noah to the photo booth so he can rest. Inside, Noah pulls out the old pictures he once took with Avery. Overwhelmed with emotion—and still drunk—he accidentally turns on the photo booth.

As the machine hums, Noah whispers a desperate wish:

“I just want one chance… to make her fall in love with me.”

Back in Time

The next morning, Noah wakes up and immediately feels something is wrong. The world around him looks different. Decorations, costumes—everything screams Halloween.

He rushes to buy a newspaper.

October 31st, 2014.

Terrified and confused, Noah realizes he has traveled back in time.

He goes to Max’s office, but Max is no Vice President—just a regular employee. Noah tries explaining time travel, but Max doesn’t believe him. Carrie doesn’t recognize him either.

Now fully convinced the time travel is real, Noah decides to do what he couldn’t before.

He goes to the Halloween party.

This time, he approaches Avery confidently, saying all the right things—everything he remembers about her likes, her humor, her interests. Avery is impressed. They connect quickly.

But when Noah tries to rush things and kiss her, Carrie suddenly intervenes, accusing Noah of stalking her earlier that day. Avery believes Carrie instantly. In the chaos, Carrie knocks Noah unconscious.

Consequences

Noah wakes up back in 2017, believing it was all a dream—until Avery replies to his message with:

“Who are you?”

When Noah goes to Avery’s house, she panics and pepper-sprays him, calling him a stalker. Ethan and Carrie attack him, and Noah barely escapes.

Now he understands—the photo booth controls time, but every action has consequences.

Changing Strategies

Noah travels back again. This time, he listens to Max’s advice and tries acting confident—even rude. He insults Avery at the party, pushes her buttons, and eventually ends up in a dramatic moment where they fall into a pool and kiss.

They spend the night together.

But when time jumps forward again to 2017, Avery tells Noah the truth: she doesn’t love him. She’s still waiting for the right person.

That’s when Noah realizes something painful.

Love can’t be forced.

The Perfect Life That Isn’t Perfect

Determined to become the man Avery wants, Noah goes back again, gets a serious job, and lets time move forward.

In this version of 2017, Noah is rich, powerful, and successful. He owns a luxury home, drives his dream car, and is now a Vice President.

But the cost is high.

Max resents him. His life is ruled by endless work. Avery still doesn’t love him. And Ethan admits something heartbreaking—Avery wishes Ethan were in Noah’s place, but she still doesn’t choose Noah.

Finally, Noah understands the truth.

Avery was never meant to be his.

Letting Go

Noah travels back one final time.

This time, he doesn’t interfere. He introduces Avery to Ethan, letting their natural connection grow. He fixes things with Max. And instead of chasing Avery, he spends time with Carrie—laughing, dancing, and truly connecting.

Time moves forward again.

In 2017, Avery and Ethan are happily engaged. Max is Vice President. And Noah finally sees the truth—his heart belongs somewhere else.

At the engagement party, Noah calmly asks Carrie out on a date.

This time, she smiles and says yes.