That evening, Ethan didn't go straight to his room.
He stood outside his house for a while, staring at nothing.
The sky was turning darker, but his mind felt even heavier.
Ethan (thinking):
Why does everything feel so… wrong?
He knew Katrina hadn't done anything.
He knew the truth.
And yet—
Every word he had heard that day kept repeating in his head.
"She'll choose someone like Eric…"
"You're boring…"
"Who would pick you?"
Ethan clenched his fists.
For the first time—
He didn't feel angry at others.
He felt angry at himself.
That Night
Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, his phone in his hand.
He hesitated for a moment.
Then called Jessica.
She picked up quickly.
"Hii Ethan."
"Hey…"
His voice was quieter than usual.
Jessica noticed it instantly.
"What happened?"
Ethan leaned back, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't know… everything just feels messed up."
Jessica stayed silent, letting him speak.
Ethan continued—
"Everyone thinks I'm… boring."
He let out a dry laugh.
"And honestly… maybe they're right."
Jessica's eyes narrowed slightly.
This was new.
Ethan was always confident in his own quiet way.
But now—
He sounded unsure.
Vulnerable.
Jessica spoke carefully—
"Why would you think that?"
Ethan sighed.
"Because it's true. I don't fit in. I don't talk like them… I don't act like them… and people notice that."
He paused.
"And Katrina…"
Jessica listened more closely.
Ethan continued, slower this time—
"She's… different. She's popular, confident… everyone notices her."
His voice dropped slightly.
"She belongs with people like them."
Jessica knew exactly what he meant.
People like Eric.
Jessica's Words
Jessica leaned back, thinking for a moment.
Then she spoke—
"Ethan… maybe you're looking at it the wrong way."
Ethan frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Jessica's tone softened—but her words were sharp.
"If you feel like you don't fit in… then change it."
Ethan went silent.
"Change…?"
"Yes," she said simply.
"Look, Ethan… the world doesn't work like you think. Being kind and quiet isn't enough."
Her voice grew more convincing.
"People notice confidence. Style. Presence."
She paused.
"If you want to be seen… you have to become someone they notice."
Ethan didn't respond immediately.
Jessica continued—
"You don't have to stay the same person if it's not working for you."
A small silence followed.
Then she added—
"And if you want someone like Katrina… then you need to match her world."
A Shift Begins
Those words—
Stayed.
They didn't feel wrong to Ethan.
In fact—
They started making sense.
Ethan (thinking):
Maybe… she's right.
Maybe being like this… isn't enough.
Maybe that's why—
People overlook me.
Why they compare me to Eric.
Why they think I'm not enough for Katrina.
His grip tightened around his phone.
"What should I do?" he asked quietly.
Jessica smiled slightly.
"Start by changing yourself."
The Next Day
Something felt… different about Ethan.
He didn't look like his usual self.
His hair was styled more carefully.
His clothes were different—more sharp, more noticeable.
Even the way he walked had changed.
More confident.
Or at least—
Trying to be.
At the University
The moment he entered—
People noticed.
"Is that Ethan?"
"He looks different…"
"Not bad…"
Ethan heard the whispers.
And for the first time—
They didn't hurt.
They satisfied him.
A little.
But then—
Another voice—
"Did you hear about Katrina and Eric?"
"Yeah… they'd look so good together."
And just like that—
Everything inside him shifted again.
With His Friends
Ethan walked toward Eric and the group.
This time—
He didn't avoid them.
Eric looked at him, slightly surprised.
"Well… look who decided to join us."
Ethan smirked slightly.
"Why? Not allowed?"
The group exchanged looks.
Jackson laughed.
"Okay… something changed."
Ethan sat down casually.
For the first time—
He was trying to fit in.
Trying to belong.
Meanwhile
Katrina stood near the corridor, waiting.
When she saw Ethan—
She froze for a moment.
Katrina (thinking):
He looks… different.
She walked toward him slowly.
"Ethan…"
He turned.
"Yeah?"
Again—
That tone.
Cool. Distant.
Katrina tried to smile.
"You look… different today."
Ethan shrugged.
"Is that a problem?"
Her smile faded slightly.
"No… I just meant—"
"I know what you meant," he interrupted.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried something sharp.
Katrina went quiet.
Something inside her felt uneasy.
Katrina (thinking):
Why does he feel like a stranger…?
The Change
Ethan wasn't just changing his style.
He was changing—
The way he spoke.
The way he reacted.
The way he saw things.
And slowly—
Without realizing—
He was becoming someone else.
Someone colder.
Someone harsher.
Someone influenced by the noise around him.
Inside Him
Even though he knew the truth—
Even though Katrina had done nothing wrong—
The constant talk about her and Eric…
The comparisons…
The pressure…
They were shaping him.
Twisting his thoughts.
Turning his insecurity into something darker.
And Katrina
She stood there—
Confused.
Hurt.
Watching the person she had just started trusting…
Slowly drift away.
Without understanding why.
Somewhere Else
Jessica looked at her phone, a small smile on her lips.
Jessica (thinking):
Good… you're finally changing.
But her eyes held something else too.
Something quiet.
Something calculating.
The Beginning of Something Dangerous
Ethan thought he was becoming stronger.
More confident.
More acceptable.
But in reality—
He was losing something.
Something real.
Something pure.
And the worst part—
He didn't even realize it.
Because sometimes—
The moment you try to become someone else…
Is the moment you start losing yourself.