A pair of childhood sweethearts have found love 30 years after they met at school – despite knowing they were meant to be even as teenagers.
Faye Louise was head over heels for her school crush, Steven Shorey, when they met in 1996.
But while the “terrible twosome” got up to plenty of mischief together, it took until they hit 40 to finally give things a go – and they haven’t looked back since, with Faye, 41, even moving to be with him.
“I always felt Steven was my soulmate,” long distance coach driver Faye told Need To Know.
“We connect on a level that neither of us have before with anyone else.
“I knew from when we met in 1996 that he was the one I wanted to share my life with.
“I remember a specific moment that I really felt we connected.
“We were lying on the grass outside his childhood home for around three hours, just talking, and before I left he handed me a toy for the hamster I had at the time.
“That was when I felt there was something more between us.”
It’s something they’ve gone on to relive, now they are back together, enjoying summer evenings on the grass talking long into the night.
The pair grew up in Redditch, Worcestershire, meeting at Abbey High School 30 years ago – with Faye still able to recall the moment they met aged 12.
She said: “Steven fell off a chair while showing off – I remember it like it was yesterday, and we still laugh about it.
“Throughout school we had a love/hate relationship.
“He would always make out to our classmates that he never liked me.
“But we would hang out at lunchtime, taking it in turns to get McDonald’s on a Friday, and I started hanging around his area more.
“We became really good friends, but neither of us had the guts to make a move all throughout high school.
“We were the terrible twosome for all of the teachers and many times ended up in detention together for throwing water over one another in the playground.
“We used a school workbook to send each other notes in class because we were always separated – I still have that book now!”
Faye’s mum, Gillian, was forever exasperated by the mischievous pair – and predicted that they would end up together before long.
Faye said: “My mother used to chase Steven around the town saying she would bang our heads together [when we played up].
“She always told me that one day we would end up together.
“She passed in 2021 from bowel cancer, but she was always right.”
Faye even saved up her pocket money to buy Steven a video game for his birthday one year – “begging” her mum to give her an “advance” to be able to afford it.
When they were 17, they dated for a few weeks, but Faye was set to move to London when she turned 18 to pursue a modelling career, cutting short their romance.
She lost contact with Steven, a plasterer, until 2017 when they caught up in London.
They had connected via Facebook, though both had partners at the time so it was just a friendly meeting.
While they had a good time sharing food and drinks, the friendship was short-lived and they lost contact again until August 2025.
In that time, Faye had had eight organs removed after being diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) – a rare and potentially fatal form of cancer – in August 2023, after visiting her GP for abdominal pains, which she originally put down to period cramps.
An ultrasound found a 17cm ovarian cyst growing in her stomach and doctors later discovered a large tumour on her appendix.
But thankfully, after years of treatment, Faye has come out the other side and has been cancer-free for two years.
And by the time Steven reached back out, she was ready for love once more.
Faye said: “I was sitting at home and received a WhatsApp message from Steven.
“He asked how I was, and apologised for everything that happened when we were younger – all the arguing and stupidity we’d had all those years before – and for not keeping in contact.”
That October, having continued chatting, the two decided to meet up for a meal, and see if their connection was still alive and well.
Sparks flew once more.
Faye said: “It was like we had never really been apart.
“We could always just pick right up from where we left off.
“We have a strong bond and connection that hasn’t died in 30 years.”
The two started dating, though still lived in different cities with Faye now in Sussex, meeting each other in halfway locations for dates.
Eventually, in February 2026 Faye decided to move back to Redditch so they could finally be together.
She said: “We decided the long distance wouldn’t work long-term.
“We now live together and are building a life, growing day by day.
“I’m excited for our future!”
Life has been harmonious ever since for the pair, with Faye bonding with Steven’s 12-year-old daughter, and enjoying life in their old haunts.
She added: “I survived cancer and gained the love of my life.
“He came back for me.
“I wish my mum could see us now – she would be so happy that we finally made it, and that I came home.”
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