HE WASN’T THE MONSTER BUT CAME FROM ONE

The Change

Scene - Ismail & Tia's Instagram

The camera panned across a quiet, luxurious home - wide windows, muted furniture, perfect calm.

Ismail lay sprawled across a sofa, phone in hand, half-awake, half-bored. He scrolled lazily through i********:, stopping

occasionally at fan posts — blurry shots of his smile, pictures taken from behind, from the side, even snapshots of him eating.

"You people are too fast," he muttered, chuckling at one particularly ridiculous angle.

Then something caught his eye:

"People You May Know"

There she was. Tia.

He paused. Blinked.

Tapped her profile. Her display picture was simple, calm - understated. Her page quiet.

No flashy posts, no desperate captions.

He smiled. A small, private smile.

Ismail [9:11PM]

Hi. Hope you're doing well.

Message seen. No reply.

Days passed. Weeks. Still nothing.

Then... he followed her.

The internet erupted.

"Ismail only follows ONE person??"

"Who's this girl?!"

"She's not even verified!?"

"WHO IS TIA?!"

Tia's inbox exploded. Messages poured in.

Some innocent. Some cruel. Some threatening.

At first, she ignored them. But as they escalated, she realized... she couldn't anymore.

("Days passed. Then weeks passed. Still nothing.) then Tia message

Tia [2:43 PM]

Please... unfollow me. I don't want this attention.

When Ismail saw her name light up his screen, his face brightened like a child who had just won a lottery.

He replied instantly.

Ismail [2:44 PM]

On one condition.

Tia [2:45 PM]

Condition? Do I look like I care?

I don't want to be known. I'm fighting my own battles. I don't need attention from your so-called fans.

Ismail [2:46 PM]

I'm not here to add to your pain.

I just want to be your friend. That's all.

I don't know what you're going through... but I promise I'll never let you down.

Tia's fingers hovered over the screen.

Tia (2:48 PM]

You have thousands of people calling you friend. Why me?

Ismail [2:48 PM]

I don't know.

Maybe my heart chose you.

But I'll stay in my lane. You don't have to reply fast. Talk to me when you can.

Just... before I unfollow, can you send me a smiling picture? Just one.

Tia stared at the message.

Her lips twitched slightly. She rolled her eyes, half-annoyed, half-curious. For a moment, she let herself linger on the message, wondering why it felt... different....

• Tia [2:50 PM|

My smiling pic how did it got to this.

Just then, Kia walked into the room.

"What are you looking at?"

Tia showed her the chat. Kia skimmed through it and rolled her eyes.

"Just send it, jare. Before people start digging up random pictures of you and saying nonsense. You know how the internet is - they can undo and do."

She hesitated before sending it, fingers frozen over the screen. Her heart raced, but she took a deep breath. Maybe it's okay... just this once.

So Tia took a photo.

Soft. Unfiltered. Honest.

She sent it.

Ismail replied with a heart emoji... and unfollowed.

But he saved the picture.

From that day on, they texted quietly.

Not every day. Not publicly.

But often enough to call each other-

Friend.