The morning light barely touched Elara's room. It was dark, just like she felt inside. Monday again. Another week. She opened her eyes. She wasn't happy, just awake. Her plain ceiling felt heavy. It was like all the pressures on her shoulders were pushing down on her.
She really didn't want to get up.
Her phone was next to her bed. It was always there. With a small sigh, Elara picked it up. The cold screen felt like a way out, a small window to a world better than hers. The screen's light pushed away some of her sad thoughts.
She skipped news, school chats, and apps she didn't use. She went straight to Instagram. She always did this in the morning. It was her escape. She scrolled through reels – bright colors, quick dances, perfect people, and lives that seemed perfect. Each swipe showed her how different her dull life was from the pretty pictures.
Another tall, confident model. Friends truly laughing at a coffee shop. A student excitedly talking about their favorite subject.
Elara felt a bad taste in her mouth. She could see good in others, but no one saw good in her. Everyone found fault. Her height. Her shyness. The boring college major her parents made her take. It felt like Elara herself was just a list of problems to everyone else.
A new reel showed a girl her age, looking great in a fancy outfit. The comments were full of praise. Beautiful. Perfect. Real model. Elara looked at the girl's long legs. Her heart hurt. She knew she had a good face, an artistic eye, and could pose well. She felt a hidden beauty inside. But the world only cared about how tall she was.
One day, she thought, with a tiny spark of hope. One day, I'll show them. Height doesn't matter.
But the spark quickly died. Who would believe her? Who would give her a chance?
She kept scrolling, not really looking, until a message popped up:
Kael_Writes: Good morning, Elara. I had a feeling you'd be up early, fighting those bad feelings again.
A small shiver went through her. Only Kael. Only he saw past the outside, past the flaws everyone else seemed to see. Only he understood her quiet struggles. Just like that, the endless perfect lives on Instagram faded. A warm feeling came, from a connection that felt like magic, even before she knew it truly was.
She quickly typed back, her fingers moving faster than they had all morning.
Elara_Dreams: You always know, don't you? It's just... another day feeling like nothing's going to change.
The three dots popped up almost at once, showing he was typing. He was always there, it seemed, no matter what time she messaged.
Kael_Writes: Sometimes, the 'nothing' changing is just the world showing you it needs a little nudge. Or maybe it's just waiting for you to give it one.
Elara frowned slightly at her screen. Kael often talked like that, in riddles or with wise words that made her think.
Elara_Dreams: What kind of nudge? My college subjects are boring me to death, and I can't even get an interview for modeling because of my height. It's not a 'nudge' problem, it's a 'reality sucks' problem.
Kael_Writes: Reality is a funny thing, Elara. It bends a lot more than people think. And for what it's worth, anyone who can't see the beauty in all forms, in all heights, isn't seeing clearly at all. They're missing out.
A small, genuine smile touched Elara's lips. Kael always knew how to make her feel a little lighter. He never said "you're beautiful," or "you're perfect," which would have felt like empty words. Instead, he made her feel seen, truly seen, for her inner spirit.
Elara_Dreams: Easy for you to say from wherever you are. But thanks, Kael. Really. No one else talks like that.
Kael_Writes: Perhaps they just haven't learned to listen to the whispers yet. Or to look for the tiny threads that connect everything.
Whispers? Threads? Elara typed a laughing emoji. He was always so mysterious.
Elara_Dreams: You and your mysteries! By the way, I have a horrible presentation today in that awful Marketing class. Wish I could just disappear.
Kael_Writes: Disappear? Never. Sparkle? Always. Just remember that even a tiny seed can crack concrete if it grows strong enough. Maybe a little 'luck' will find its way to you today. Just keep your eyes open for it.
Luck? Kael often used that word. And sometimes, after he said it, strange small things did happen. Good things. Maybe a forgotten note appearing just when she needed it, or a sudden cancellation that saved her from an awkward situation. She always told herself it was just coincidence. But with Kael, you never quite knew.
Elara_Dreams: I'll try to sparkle. And watch out for this 'luck'. Thanks again, Kael.
Kael_Writes: Any time, Elara. Go show them what you're made of. And remember, the world sees what you let it see.
Elara put her phone down. The screen felt a little warmer now. The gloom in her room hadn't vanished, but a sliver of morning sun had finally broken through the clouds outside, painting a faint, hopeful stripe across her wall. Maybe, just maybe, Kael was right. Maybe a tiny nudge was all she needed.