When up-and-coming model Isabelle meets talented but jaded photographer Milo, sparks fly despite their age difference. Their romance becomes the talk of the New York City fashion scene, fueling rumors and speculation about their scandalous affair. A...
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Isabelle took a deep breath as she walked into the therapist's office, taking a seat on the plush couch and fidgeting with her hands. She had been seeing the therapist for several months now, but still felt nervous every time she entered the room.
"So, Isabelle," the therapist - a middle aged lady named Lola with nothing off about her except the occasional blue streak in her hair - began, "how have things been going for you since our last session?"
Last session...it had been a while. Isabelle was hoping to secretly wane herself off of this whole therapy thing now that she completed her allotted required sessions. But after everything, she decided one more wouldn't - couldn't - hurt.
Isabelle shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling the familiar knot of anxiety in her stomach. "It's been a rollercoaster, to be honest," she replied. "It feels like my career may finally be taking off, which is amazing, but at the same time, I feel like I'm constantly on edge, waiting for something to go wrong."
The therapist nodded in understanding, encouraging her to continue. Making little notes in her notebooks, Isabelle both wanted and was afraid of looking at those.
"And then there's Milo," Isabelle said suddenly, her voice rising. "I worry that I'm not good enough. For him. I feel like he's got it all figured out, and I'm just stumbling around in the dark."
The therapist leaned forward, her kind eyes meeting her own. "Isabelle, you are an incredibly talented and beautiful young woman. Your success is not just the result of luck - it's the result of your hard work and dedication. And as for Milo, well, it sounds like he sees something special in you. Have you talked to him about how you're feeling?"
Lola shook her head, feeling a pang of guilt. "No, its new.Delicate... I don't want to burden him with all of this."
The therapist smiled gently. "All of what?"
When Isabelle stayed silent, the blood rushing to her face, Lola spoke again.
"How have you been feeling since your release from the hospital?"
Isabelle shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the memories of the hospital still fresh in her mind. "It's been... a struggle," she admitted. "I'm glad to be out, but I'm still struggling with my self-esteem and anxiety."
"Isabelle, the people who care about us want to help us. They don't see it as a burden. Have you ever considered that maybe Alex wants to be there for you?"
Isabelle thought about it for a moment, feeling a flicker of hope. "I guess I never really thought about it like that," she admitted.
"It takes courage to ask for help. The people who care about us want to support us, even when it's difficult. Have you ever considered that maybe Milo wants to be there for you?"
Isabelle thought about it for a moment, feeling a flicker of hope. "I guess I never really thought about it like that," she admitted.
The therapist nodded in encouragement. "Why don't you try opening up to him, and see how it feels? It might surprise you how supportive he can be."
Isabelle left the therapist's office feeling a little bit lighter, the weight of her insecurities feeling a little less crushing. She knew that her journey to healing was far from over, but, she felt like she had a fighting chance.
She didn't mention that Milo was who he was, but it didn't matter. All of a sudden, she just saw him as...him.
And then there was the fact that a year ago, she checked her own self into the mental ward. It wasn't as dramatic as it may sound, but something along the lines of malnutrition, burnout, and mounting anxiety in a world where she was fighting so hard to fit in...She spent a couple of say on an IV, and with some very needed rest.
But she's better now. So much better now. She was eating, she was sleeping, she was meditating. She was almost all good, except for the fact she still had her self sabotaging tendencies, and her self esteem - weak at times - was not helped by. The city and the world she was living in.
All of her previous relationships were limited by what she thought she deserved. And even thought logically, she knew she should have done better, it was hard to believe so.
And now, now there was something so beautiful happening something she always wanted but maybe never believed she would get, not really, she prayed she wouldn't find a way to stop her from getting what she wanted.
