**East London Student Describes Her 14-Year Pursuit as ‘Real-Life Romance Novel’**
For many, tales of unrequited affection and eventual triumph are the preserve of paperback novels and Hollywood films. Yet for Claudia Agusheva, a 22-year-old postgraduate student from Chingford, East London, life has unfolded with all the drama and reward of a classic love story. Claudia spent 14 years nurturing feelings for Will Wilshere, a friend from her earliest school days, before the pair finally reconnected and made romance a reality.
The journey began in primary school, where Claudia and Will first met aged just four. Their story took a decisive twist in secondary school when, on the arbitrary arrangement of a teacher, they found themselves desk-mates. Claudia found herself developing feelings for the popular Will, though her own introverted personality and a climate of school bullying meant she kept these affections secret.
Struggling with shyness, Claudia adopted a methodical approach to getting closer to Will during their teens, befriending his circle one by one in an effort to ease her way in. She wrote about Will in her diary, but her crush on the well-liked classmate seemed doomed to remain unspoken, particularly as she felt the taunts of ‘mean girls’ at school.
A pivotal moment happened during the final moments of secondary school. At a celebratory gathering on the last day of Year 11, Claudia was chased by an overly excited dog across a school field. As others found amusement in the spectacle, Will intervened, embracing her and whispering reassurances as she clung to him for comfort. The incident, captured on video, became a treasured ‘rom-com’ moment for Claudia.
Looking back on these formative years, Will admits that romance was not at the forefront of his mind as a boy. He recalls the dog incident as a turning point in their friendship, marking the first meaningful conversation between the two. It wasn’t until much later, during their respective university years, that Will began to consider Claudia in a new light.
As their friendship matured through sixth form, gentle flirtation blossomed, but it was during a university break that things truly shifted. During a drive beneath the winter night sky, Will and Claudia shared their first kiss. Claudia attributes this transformative moment — and her courageous admission of feelings via a Halloween Facetime call — to her enduring faith in the possibility of love outside the pages of fiction.
For Claudia, the experience of finding validation and joy in real-life romance has brought a sense of personal healing. “Getting with the ‘popular boy’ really has been like living in my own romance novel,” she said, reflecting on the contrast between her adolescent hopes and her present happiness. “It’s so different to actually experience love, not just read about it. It healed a part of me to know it was just mean girls talking — and I found someone perfect for me.”
Will echoes her sentiment, expressing a wish that he’d noticed her sooner. “She’s the only girl in the world for me,” he said. Their relationship appears grounded in friendship, mutual support, and the delight of a dream fulfilled rather than fleeting infatuation.
The couple recently shared their tale on TikTok, where their story quickly garnered over 28,000 views and encouraging comments from users drawn to its heartwarming, film-worthy twists. Claudia believes her narrative offers hope to fellow ‘hopeless romantics’, showing that sometimes, patience and vulnerability reap long-term rewards.
Whilst stories of adolescent longing are common, Claudia and Will’s journey is a reminder of the unpredictable yet rewarding path that real-life love can take, even when played out over more than a decade. At a time when many relationships emerge and fade in the blink of an eye, their story stands as a quiet testament to perseverance, self-belief, and the unexpected joys that life — and sometimes love — can offer.