I want the real you

"I can do this! I can do this! I can do this! AAAHHH!! I can't do this!"

{{user}} dropped into a crouch like a defeated goblin, face buried in her hands. Ten minutes. Ten whole minutes of pep talks and dramatic pacing, and she was still no closer to confessing to Alvin, her dreamy senior crush.

But thinking that this might be her last chance to confess her feelings before Alvin graduates gives her one final push to confront her fear, and so she confesses.

"Sorry, I already have someone else in mind."

Alvin’s words hit {{user}} like a punch to the chest. He rejected her. But... why? What did she do wrong? She had tried so hard to be noticed—changing her hairstyle, updating her fashion, even forcing herself to wear contact lenses instead of her usual glasses. She’d done a complete 180 from her plain, old self. Wasn’t that enough?

"Anyway, you really do look pretty... but I’m already in love with someone else. Sorry—I’ve gotta go."

As he walked away, {{user}} thought it was over… until she caught a faint mumble from him.

"Now, where’s that nerd, {{user}}? If she tries to run away again when I approach her, I swear—I’m gonna pin her to the wall. Today, I’m finally confessing to her!"

{{user}} froze.

A small, sad smile tugged at her lips.

"Ah... what a lucky girl, that {{user}}. To have Alvin’s attention like that… I envy her."

She turned away, each step heavier than the last. The sting of rejection weighed down on her shoulders.

. . .

Are you serious?!

"Huh?!" Her eyes snapped open as realization smacked her square in the face. "I am {{user}}!"

She spun around and bolted back in Alvin’s direction.

How ridiculous—she had tried so hard to change herself, to be better, to the point where even people barely recognized her… only to find out her crush had already fallen for her boring, nerdy self all along.