I'M IN LOVE WITH MYSELF

Chapter One: The Storm Before the Calm

Lucy sat quietly in her small makeup studio, her fingers skillfully brushing powder across her client’s face. The faint hum of the overhead lights buzzed in the background as she applied the finishing touches to the glamorous look, her thoughts far from her work. The room, a little cramped but charming with its soft beige walls, vanity mirrors, and the large window that overlooked the busy city street, felt more like a sanctuary than an office. But right now, that sanctuary seemed too small to contain her mind, which was adrift in a world of daydreams.

In this vivid daydream, she stood in the bustling school hallway—her school hallway—watching herself. But she wasn’t the frazzled, stressed-out artist she was today. No. In her dream, Lucy was perfect. A younger, flawless version of herself with soft brown hair cascading down her shoulders, a glowing complexion, and an ethereal charm that had been long forgotten. She stood there, laughing with him. Brown.

He was everything she’d ever fantasised about in her dreams: tall, dark, and impossibly handsome, his smoldering eyes framed by messy hair that only enhanced his bad-boy appeal. He leaned in to kiss her in the hallway, a scene so perfect that Lucy’s heart skipped a beat. She could almost feel the electric charge between them. He was always so gentle in her dreams, sweet and caring, not the man she knew in reality. In this version of him, he wasn’t just a cruel and dismissive partner—he was her dream come true.

She sighed, allowing herself to slip further into the fantasy, letting the dream linger a little longer. Her fingers moved absentmindedly, and she barely registered that the client in the chair had started to stir.

“Hey, Lucy,” the client’s voice interrupted, sharp and irritated. “You gonna finish up this look or what?”

Lucy blinked, coming back to reality with a jolt. The daydream shattered like glass around her, the sharp edges cutting into her thoughts. She smiled weakly at the client, apologizing for her lapse in focus. The woman, a local celebrity, was always a bit difficult to please, and today she seemed particularly impatient.

“Sorry, just… a little distracted today,” Lucy mumbled, trying to smooth over the awkwardness.

Her thoughts, however, were not on her client. They were on Brown. Always on Brown.

Lucy had always been a dreamer. She had longed for something extraordinary, something beyond her humble beginnings. When she was younger, she’d imagined a fairy-tale romance, with a perfect guy, a perfect life. But life had a funny way of throwing curve balls. Brown had never fit that ideal, not really.

He wasn’t the charming, loving boyfriend she had hoped for. In fact, he wasn’t the dreamy version she saw in her head during daydreams. Brown in real life was a narcissist—vain, self-centered, and cruel when he wanted to be. But he had his charms. At least, that’s what she told herself. He could be sweet when he wanted something, and that sweetness had been what had drawn her to him in the first place.

It all started during a late night out with mutual friends. Brown had stood in the corner of the bar, his tall frame leaning against the wall with a smirk plastered across his face. His charisma, undeniable even then, had made her want to approach him. After a few drinks, their chemistry had been palpable. They shared a kiss under the stars, the rest of the world fading away.

And just like that, Lucy found herself swept up in a whirlwind romance. He had a way of making her feel special, like she was the only one who mattered. At least, that’s how it had felt in the beginning. The days and nights that followed had been filled with passion, intimacy, and what she thought was love. But with time, the cracks began to show. His temper flared more often. His attention grew more fleeting. And slowly, the man who once made her feel like a queen turned into a distant, aloof figure. But by then, she was too deep in love—or maybe too deep in the illusion of love—to turn back.

Lucy’s phone buzzed on the counter, snapping her from her thoughts once again. She glanced at the screen, already knowing who it was.

Brown.

Her stomach churned. She picked up the phone, her fingers trembling as she answered.

“Where are you, Lucy?” His voice, deep and demanding, came through the speaker. “I’m waiting outside your studio.”

“Brown, I’m still working,” Lucy replied, her voice quiet. “Can you just give me a little space?”

“You know I hate it when you’re busy with other people,” Brown retorted, a sharpness in his tone that made her heart ache. “Just give me your ATM card and car keys. I’ll need them.”

Lucy bit her lip. The request wasn’t unusual. Brown had always used her for what she could give him—money, her car, her time. He would beg and plead, his charm laced with thinly veiled threats, until she gave in. Reluctantly, she grabbed her things and handed them over to him through the door as he stood waiting outside, his black leather jacket gleaming under the streetlight.

Minutes later, he zoomed off in her car, leaving her feeling helpless and hollow. She turned back to her work, trying to focus, but her thoughts were scattered.

The hours dragged by. When her client finally left, Lucy was exhausted. She could feel the weight of the day pressing down on her, the exhaustion of a woman who had given everything to a relationship that was draining her. As she packed up her tools, she buzzed her boyfriend’s phone.

It was Brown.

“Brown, pick me up please , she demanded. “I’m done with work and I am very tired.”

Brown lets of a sigh “i am tired too, Lucy find another way home he said”.

She bit back her frustration, but she couldn’t help the exhaustion that coloured her voice as she spoke. “Brown, I’ve had a long day. Can you at least be civil for once?”

His response was a scoff, followed by a hurtful, cold remark. “Always making excuses, huh? Typical.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving her feeling smaller than she had before. She stared at the phone screen, tears welling in her eyes. The hurtful words echoed in her mind, but something inside her snapped. She couldn’t do this anymore. She needed to confront him, once and for all.

Without thinking, she stepped out into the dark, rainy night. The chill in the air matched the cold knot that had settled in her chest. The streets were quiet, the only sound was the rhythmic splatter of rain against the pavement. She hitched a ride from a stranger, her mind consumed with the conversation that was about to unfold.

By the time Lucy arrived at Brown’s apartment, the rain had turned into a torrential downpour. She could barely see through the darkness as she paused in front of his building. She paused there for a brief moment, staring at the door, bracing herself for what was to come. But she had no choice. She had to face him.

The confrontation was swift, as Brown was already waiting for her. His eyes were cold, his lips twisted in a sneer. He had a way of making her feel like nothing, like a mere afterthought in his world.

“Give me my card and my keys,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He glared at her, rage flickering in his eyes. “You’re pathetic, you know that?”

And then it happened.

In a flash of anger, Brown slapped her hard across the face, sending her stumbling to the ground. The sting of the blow was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. She looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes.

“That’s it,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I’m done. We’re done.”

She reached for her keys and her card, walking away from him as quickly as she could, her heart shattering with every step.

As she sped away in the car, the rain pounding against the windshield, she felt numb. But the numbness was shattered when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the headlights of an approaching truck.

The scream of tires and the blinding light was the last thing she saw before everything went dark.