Back in high school, Summer Lin was just an ordinary girl.
She wasn't particularly pretty, a little short, her skin wasn't flawless, and she never wore makeup. Her hair was always tied up in a simple ponytail. She sat quietly by the window in class, never causing trouble. Her grades were decent—not outstanding, but steady. She was so invisible that even teachers sometimes forgot her name during roll call.
But she had a crush on a boy—Ethan Shen.
Ethan was the kind of boy everyone noticed. He had delicate features, a clean, bright smile, and was at the top of the class. He also played for the school basketball team. Wherever he walked on campus, girls would glance his way, whispering. Summer didn't dare to get close, nor did she expect to be noticed. She would just watch him from a distance, hiding behind the bleachers after school to catch a glimpse of him shooting hoops.
One day, she overheard someone say,"Ethan likes girls who look more polished—fair-skinned, stylish, you know, the type who knows how to dress up."
She glanced down at herself: grayish school uniform, fingerprints on her glasses, acne dotting her bare face.
That night, something shifted.
She began waking up early to learn how to draw her brows and apply tinted lip balm. She studied skincare routines, learned how to cover blemishes with foundation. She changed her hairstyle, saved up for a soft, feminine dress, and even started jogging every day to lose weight—cutting out snacks and pushing herself beyond comfort.
After a month, she looked different. People started noticing. Boys from other classes added her on social media. Girls complimented her outfits. She smiled, but her heart was racing—finally, she was stepping into Ethan Shen's world.
And then came her chance.
The school held a debate competition, and she and Ethan were placed on the same team. They started talking more. Summer tried hard to appear calm, smart, effortlessly graceful. Ethan did seem to notice her—his eyes lingered longer than before.
After the finals, he asked to talk to her privately on the basketball court.
Summer's palms were sweating. She had carefully done her makeup, wearing a white dress that fluttered slightly in the wind. She stood in front of him, heart pounding like a drum.
Ethan looked at her for a long moment.
"You've really changed," he finally said.
Summer lowered her gaze. "Do you like me more now?"
Ethan hesitated, then softly shook his head.
"I think I liked the way you were before. The quiet girl who read books in the corner. The one who didn't say much, but had this calm, gentle smile."
She froze.
"It's not that I don't like who you are now," he continued. "It just feels like... you're trying too hard to be someone else. And I kind of miss the real you."
The wind blew across the court. Summer suddenly felt her perfectly applied foundation was like a mask—covering not just her face, but the person she used to be. The girl who had once fallen for Ethan without pretending to be anyone else.
That night, she wiped off her makeup and stared at her reflection in silence.
The next day, she wore her old uniform, tied her hair up simply, and walked into class with her bare face. As she stepped into the hallway, Ethan came from the other end. The morning light fell softly on his face as he looked at her.
"Good morning," he said. "You look... really good today."
She smiled, and for the first time in a long while, it felt real.
That's when she finally understood—The most beautiful version of yourself is the one that doesn't hide.