CHAPTER 1:

Chapter 1: The Tyrant Behind the Smile

I was a model, a student, an actor -juggling worlds where appearances mattered and emotions were tools to be wielded. I thought I had control over everything, over everyone. But then, on my birthday, something unexpected happened.

During a runway practice, I saw her.

She was there, radiant and effortless, her beauty so genuine it made my heart flutter and my knees weak. I wanted to run, to escape the flood of nervousness crashing over me. I had never felt like this before-not lust, not fleeting attraction-but something deeper, something that whispered this is real.

I knew I loved her.

Not because she was a prize or a conquest, but because for the first time, I wanted a true connection. Something honest, something that could break through the walls I’d built around myself.

I was lucky-her makeup artist was an old family friend, so my mom and I stopped by during practice. I tried so hard not to stare, but every glance at her made my heart race. After that day, she invaded my mind. I found myself scrolling through her social media, searching for any sign of who she was beyond the runway lights. Have I fallen? I asked myself.

Days passed, and I couldn’t shake her from my thoughts. I wanted to court her, to show her the parts of me I’d never revealed. But I was afraid-afraid I was the wrong man, that my darkness would only hurt her. I knew I had to change, to strip away my bad habits, my reckless pride. I had to be ready for her.

The day of the runway event came, and as usual, she was breathtaking-jawdropping in a way that made everything else fade. I made small gestures-like helping her find a seat when she complained of sore feet, exchanging shy smiles. It was the first time I felt like a gentleman, not a tyrant.

After the show, my mom said something that stayed with me: “If you ever find a girlfriend, I want her to be someone like her.”

We both won the same awards that night, and our mothers began talking like old friends, bridging a connection I hadn’t expected. I felt a strange mix of joy and fear-was I really ready to give her my heart?

I took a breath, reached for my phone, and saved her social media contact.

This was just the beginning.

I decided to make my move—quietly, carefully, through signs on social media. It felt silly at first, like a kid trying to catch someone’s attention for the very first time. But honestly? I was genuinely happy just to be talking to her, even if it was just through messages and likes.

It took some time for her to notice my little hints-but eventually, it worked. Looking back now, it’s almost funny how obvious and awkward I was. But that was me, fumbling through something real for the first time, hoping she’d see me for who I wanted to be.

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