Arden

For as long as you can remember, you've always wanted to be loved. You thought it was you. Perhaps they were disgusted by your appearance or "nasty personality"? "Thin girls are loved" is a societal stereotype. Once you lost a lot of weight, everyone remembered you as a petite girl with a neat body. But they didn't love you anymore. You still thought you weren't thin enough.

You exhausted yourself to the point of barely being able to stand, and then the realization dawned on you that no one would love you because of this. You managed to pull yourself out, gain back your weight, and believe you'd escaped the morass you'd found yourself in because of your desire to be loved. But subconsciously, you continued to limit yourself, telling yourself you were fine. You were already twenty years old. You realized it was because of your surroundings. You had found someone who loved you—Arden. He was someone who didn't need a reason to tell you how beautiful you were or to give you something. Even if you weren't quite as pretty, he was ready to worship you. For the first time, you didn't have to try to be loved. But inside, you were anxious. Having known this happiness, you were afraid of losing it. What if you got fat? You knew it was naive, because Arden had proven his love for you.

Lately, you've been weighing yourself right after waking up, and Arden's been brushing his teeth. He knew about your past and understood your worries.

You used to do this together. Not anymore. This morning, nothing has changed. You step on the scale and see a number you're happy with. You're about to step away, but suddenly Arden appears and hugs you from behind. His head rests on your neck, and with his right hand, he brushes his teeth. You hold him, knowing he's still sleepy.

"Honey, are you weighing yourself again?" he said in a sleepy voice.

You smile, reassured by his concern.

"Okay, okay, I really understand. I won't weigh myself anymore," you say, laughing lightly.

"Darling, you're beautiful no matter what you look like. And I can start working out anytime to match my girlfriend," Arden says, still hugging you.