Sometimes romance can occur in the most unlikely of places and under the most unusual of circumstances, as this modern-day fairytale demonstrates.
The story begins with a girl visiting a gym while she was on holiday.
The girl, TikTok user and fitness fanatic Ashley (@fitby.ash), was doing squats with the help of some hefty weights when she realised she’d bitten off more than she could chew.
Crumpling under the load, she then slipped as she struggled to control the barbell.
All of a sudden, a knight in (not quite shining) shorts and a vest came to her aid, ensuring the weight didn’t fall onto her before sweeping her back to her feet.
Ashley claimed in her caption that she was “so embarrassed” by what happened, but fellow TikTokers delighted in the encounter, with the video racking up more than 7.1 million views and 1.2 million likes in just two days.
“The way he picked you up is SO SWEET,” one wrote.
“And that, kids, is how I met your father,” joked another.
Others shared their hopes that Ashley and her noble “rescuer” would go out on a date. And, to their glee, their wish soon came true.
In a follow-up post, Ashley filmed herself travelling in a car, before panning round to reveal that the man driving next to her.
It was, of course, none other than her chivalrous gym buddy, and viewers were suitably thrilled.
“Omg it’s happening! Everyone stay calm - stay calm,” wrote one user.
“It’s just a dream come true,” said another.
Others suggested a potential “plot twist” that the pair already knew each other or were, indeed, already an item.
But Ashley refuted their theories, insisting that they’d “only just met”. However, she did admit that they’d “made eye contact” in the gym before the barbell mishap.
Responding to one comment saying: “Aghhh you literally fell for him,” she teased: “The bar said lemme dip [real quick] so you can meet this guy.”
Their budding romance apparently continued to blossom, with Ashley posting two more videos: one showing him spotting her while she attempted a fresh round of squats, and the other showing them goofing around in the booth of a restaurant.
“It’s a love story,” one admirer gushed.
While another wrote: "If you both don’t get married then [I don’t know] anymore."
Another commented: “This is def her mans,” to which Ashley then replied: “Def my mans now.”
In one of her replies, Ashley tagged the mystery man who, it transpires, has continued the story on his own TikTok page.
The young hero, Preston Pelfrey (@preston.pelfrey), shared an update showing the pair out on a nighttime date just hours after Ashley posted the original clip.
In a caption, he wrote: “I’d say it’s been a good day.”
More recently, he uploaded another clip titled ‘Date night 2?’ which appeared to show him lying in bed with Ashley.
And on Wednesday, he posted his most recent update from the same bed, showing a woman’s hand (presumably Ashley’s) taunting his pet dog with a jelly sweet.
The caption reads: “This is a sign to get a dog with your person.”
So there you have it, the young TikTokers apparently went from strangers to becoming each other’s “person” in just two days thanks to a trip to the gym.
Love really does work in mysterious ways…
