THE ILLUSION OF PERFECTION 3

Nadia loved being authentic and her social media was a genuine, unfiltered reflection of her real-life goals. Her feed wasn't a constant reel of instant perfections and "pepper them" moments. Rather, they featured her late nights, frustrating mistakes, and the small, hard-won progress she achieved in her budding career. Her daily struggles weren't hidden; they were shared, not for pity, but for the hope of inspiring others grappling with their own ambitions.

She wasn't discouraged by her few followers. Instead, she focused on building genuine relationships with those who truly engaged with her work and devoted her energy to pursuing and creating a brand for herself. In the long run, Nadia found true friendship, loyal clients, a deep sense of purpose, and a life that felt far more meaningful and fulfilling than anything a thousand likes could offer.

For Tayo, the threat of obscurity, of being left behind, had become a constant, gnawing dread. His fear was no longer just an emotion; it had metastasized into a living parasite, feeding off the illusion of his fake, expensive lifestyle and gradually seizing control of his entire existence. 

His self-worth remained fatally tied to the approval of strangers, dependent on the hollow echoes of social media likes and a dizzying myriad of flattering comments. Thus, he was relentlessly bound to the exhausting, soul-crushing cycle of pretending to fit into a world of completely fabricated luxury, a world he was beginning to lose control of.

Tayo was standing on the balcony of his home, rehearsing a casual laugh for an upcoming story, when he noticed the familiar silhouette. It was Nadia. She wasn't aware of Tayo’s familiar eyes. She was stretched out on a simple mat on the terrace, sketching with intense focus, surrounded by bolts of fabrics and lost in her own world. 

He could not remember the last time he saw her. His eyes took in her now rounded features as it occured to him that they hadn't spoken properly since leaving school. The silent break was caused partly by Tayo’s swift, dazzling ascent into his new lifestyle, and partly by Nadia's quiet discovery and focus on her genuine goals.

Hesitantly, Tayo flipped to an old chat app and typed a short message. 

"Hello stranger..."

CONTINUE