Modern time 3-23-25

You stood in the bathroom, checking yourself in the mirror, the disgust on your face evident as you noticed the stretch marks on your stomach and arms. The cool glass felt smooth against your fingertips as you traced one particularly prominent mark. Your gaze shifted to the bathroom scale, its metallic surface reflecting the harsh overhead light, and you took a heavy, deep breath before carefully stepping onto it. The cold surface sent a slight shiver up your spine.

Looking down between your feet, you watched the numbers climb higher, realizing just how much weight you had gained over the years. "I should start working out again..." you murmured with concern, your voice echoing slightly in the small bathroom space. You wondered why you had stopped exercising after turning 18 and finishing high school. Letting out another heavy sigh, you felt a wave of insecurity wash over you, the thoughts lingering in your mind like a dark cloud.

The front door opened—it was Lucia, just getting back home from work. You heard the familiar jingle of her keys followed by the soft thud of the door closing. She shut the door, locked it, and you could almost picture her warm smile, knowing she was thinking about you. You heard her take off her shoes and the gentle rustle as she tucked them into the shoe cabinet. Her footsteps grew louder as she skipped excitedly upstairs, eager to see you.