THE LOVE COACH

The camera light blinked red. Ella sat up straight and smiled like she was talking to someone she loved. “Hello, lovers,” she said, her voice soft and sweet. “It’s your girl, Ella — The Love Coach. Today, we’ll talk about how to know if someone truly loves you.” Her voice sounded full of energy, but her eyes told another story. She was tired. She had said those same words so many times that they no longer felt real. Her small office looked beautiful on camera — pink and white lights, a flower wall behind her, and two soft chairs. But off-screen, the room felt quiet, almost empty. Her best friend, Tina, sat across the room holding her phone. She was always there during recordings, helping with sound and comments. “Remember,” Ella continued, “real love isn’t about words. It’s about actions. When a person loves you, you’ll see it in what they do, not just what they say.” She smiled again, looking straight into the lens. “Stay loving, stay true. I’ll see you in my next episode!” The camera light turned off. And just like that, her bright smile disappeared. Ella leaned back on her chair and sighed deeply. Her shoulders dropped like a balloon losing air. Tina looked up from her phone. “You did great again, babe. Your viewers will love that one.” Ella gave a small laugh — the kind that didn’t sound happy. “Yeah, maybe.” Tina frowned. “What’s wrong again? You’ve been acting weird after every video lately.” “It’s nothing,” Ella said, playing with her hair. “I just don’t know if I believe what I’m saying anymore.” Tina sat up. “You mean love?” Ella nodded slowly. “Yeah. I tell people love is real, but I don’t even know if that’s true anymore.” There was silence for a few seconds. The only sound came from the small fan spinning in the corner. Tina finally said, “You’re still holding onto Kola. You haven’t healed — that’s the truth.” Ella looked away. That name always hit her like a slap. Kola — the boy who made her believe in forever, then broke her heart like it meant nothing. “I don’t want to talk about him,” she said quietly. Tina walked closer. “You have to one day. You can’t teach people about love if your own heart is still hiding from it.” Ella gave a weak smile. “Maybe. But I’ve moved on. I’m fine.” Tina folded her arms. “Sure. You say that every week, but every time his name pops up, your face changes.” Ella laughed a little, shaking her head. “Okay, maybe I haven’t fully moved on. But I’m trying, Tina. I really am.” She looked around her studio again — the bright pink lights, the camera stand, the posters that said Love Wins and Follow Your Heart. It all looked perfect — but it wasn’t her real life. When the camera was on, she was confident, smiling, and full of advice. But when it turned off, she was just Ella — a girl who didn’t know what love felt like anymore. Her phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw a message from one of her followers: “Coach Ella, your last video changed my life. My boyfriend and I are back together. Thank you!” Ella smiled sadly. “See? I can help everyone except myself.” Tina came and stood beside her. “Maybe your own love story hasn’t started yet. Maybe it’s just waiting for the right time.” Ella gave her a small side-eye and laughed. “Tina, please. Love doesn’t just walk into your life like that.” Tina shrugged. “You never know. Sometimes love walks in when you’re not even ready.” Ella rolled her eyes playfully. “Then it better come with a warning before it knocks on my door.” Tina laughed. “Or maybe it won’t knock — it might just walk right in.” They both laughed, but deep inside, Ella didn’t believe her friend. She had already closed that door. When Tina left later that evening, Ella sat in the studio alone. The city lights from outside shone through the window, making her think of all the people falling in love out there — holding hands, smiling, taking pictures. She leaned her head on the wall and whispered, “Maybe I’m just not made for love.” Then she stood up, grabbed her camera to pack it up for the night — and it suddenly stopped working. The red light blinked twice and went off. “Oh no, not again,” she groaned. She tried switching it on, shaking it, pressing the buttons, but nothing worked. With a sigh, she picked up her phone to call a repair shop. Maybe they could send someone over tomorrow. As she typed, she didn’t know that the person who would come to fix her camera… was the same person who would fix her heart.