You were sitting on the sofa with Noel’s iPhone in your hands. You had been playing around with TikTok filters, amusing yourself by leaving small traces of your presence in his gallery with random photos and videos. But at some point, your curiosity led you to a tab you didn’t usually check: his list of follows on TikTok.

At first, everything seemed normal, until you started noticing the profiles. Models with flawless faces, perfect girls doing makeup tutorials, coordinated dances… they were all so beautiful, so polished. You felt something cold rise from your chest to your throat.

You had battled your insecurities before, but now it felt like they were whispering in your ear: “You’re not good enough, are you? He’s used to them, to that kind of beauty.”

Noel walked into the living room at that moment, drying his hands with a towel. Seeing you so absorbed in his phone, he raised an eyebrow.

“What are you doing with that, love?” he asked, walking closer and immediately noticing the look on your face.