Love in the Spotlight

Spark

Gianna sat on her bed, scrolling through TikTok, mindlessly swiping through the endless videos of dance routines, makeup tutorials, and funny clips. It was a Saturday afternoon, and she had the kind of day where everything felt like it could be put on pause. Her phone buzzed in her hand, pulling her attention back to the screen, and she saw a new video pop up in her feed.

It was a girl with slightly tousled hair, dressed in a white shirt and a confident, almost effortless expression. Her lips curled into a subtle, knowing smirk as she lip-synced to a song Gianna recognized. There was something magnetic about her—her presence, the way she carried herself. The video was casual but powerful, like she didn't need to try to be cool; she just was.

Gianna paused the video and watched it again. She couldn't help it. The girl Hana, according to her username was absolutely stunning. There was a certain confidence in the way she moved, a quiet intensity in her eyes. Hana had this energy that drew people in, and it made Gianna feel something unexpected.

Gianna leaned back on her bed, chewing on her bottom lip, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She hesitated. She wasn't the type to comment on videos like this, especially not to strangers. But something about Hana felt different. The more she watched the video, the more she found herself smiling, her heart inexplicably racing.

Without thinking too much, she typed: "You're really pretty."

She stared at the message for a few moments, unsure if it was too forward. She almost deleted it, but then decided, what the hell? She hit send, her finger trembling slightly as she did.

The video continued playing in the background, but now Gianna's focus was solely on her phone. She scrolled up and down through her feed, trying to distract herself. Her heart was still pounding a little faster than usual. She couldn't believe she had actually commented on a stranger's post like that.

A few minutes passed, and Gianna thought she might have just forgotten about it when a notification popped up: Hana liked your comment.

Gianna blinked at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. She stared at the notification, a little stunned. That was... unexpected. She didn't know what she'd hoped for when she commented, but seeing that small notification made her feel like she had just been given a little bit of validation. Hana had seen her comment. Hana had liked it.

She bit her lip, trying to ignore the flutter of excitement that shot through her. She scrolled down her feed again, but her mind kept wandering back to Hana, wondering if she would reply, or if it was just a passing moment in the endless sea of TikTok content.

Then, as if the universe had a way of throwing in a curveball, another notification popped up: Hana replied to your comment.

Gianna's heart skipped again, this time more forcefully. She quickly opened the notification, her thumb tapping on the screen. The comment from Hana was simple but direct: "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself ;)"

Gianna felt her cheeks flush. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stared at the screen, rereading the message. Hana hadn't just acknowledged her she had engaged with her. The playful wink at the end made Gianna's stomach flip in a way she hadn't expected.

You're not so bad yourself.

Gianna paused for a moment, unsure what to say next. She wasn't usually one to flirt—especially not with strangers on the internet—but there was something about Hana that made her want to take a chance. Maybe it was the ease in which Hana's words felt, or how comfortable she seemed with herself. Or maybe it was just that Gianna had been feeling a little adventurous lately, tired of always playing it safe.

She started typing, backspacing, then typing again. Finally, she settled on something simple: "I'd love to know you better. You seem like someone with a lot of interesting things to say."

Her finger hovered over the send button again. She didn't know why it felt so vulnerable, sending that message, but it did. After a moment of hesitation, she pressed it.

Within seconds, a reply popped up: "Well, if you're serious, maybe we should take this conversation off TikTok. What's your IG?"

Gianna grinned. That was a good sign. She didn't hesitate this time, she went to her DMs on TikTok, sending her Instagram handle without thinking twice.

It didn't take long for Hana to send a request, and as soon as Gianna accepted, a message popped up: "Nice to meet you, Gianna. I'm Hana, by the way. I'm glad you commented. Honestly, I've been looking for someone to talk to."

Gianna couldn't help the grin spreading across her face. This was happening. She'd actually started a conversation with a girl she found so captivating, and now they were talking on Instagram. Gianna could feel the butterflies swirling in her stomach, her heart thudding with anticipation.

"I'm glad I commented then," Gianna replied, her fingers flying over the screen. "So, what do you like to do when you're not making TikToks?"

There was a pause before Hana responded, and Gianna anxiously glanced at her phone, fingers tapping the edge of her screen. When the message finally came through, it made her smile wider than she had in a while.

"Well, I'm really into drawing, so I spend a lot of time sketching and coloring random things. I also love late night car rides. What about you?"

Gianna took a moment to think about it. What did she want to share with someone she'd just met online? Something about Hana felt trustworthy, easy to talk to. So, she wrote: "I'm into a lot of different things—writing, cooking, and I'm pretty big on fitness. I like night rides too, I like to enjoy the night when I can."

The conversation flowed easily after that, and before long, Gianna realized she had been talking to Hana for almost an hour. Their messages were lighthearted and fun, yet there was something deeper behind them—a genuine connection.

Gianna didn't know where this conversation would lead, or if it would even turn into something more than just digital exchanges. But in that moment, she couldn't help but feel that this might just be the beginning of something exciting. Something new.

As she put her phone down, her mind raced with the possibilities. Maybe TikTok was more than just a platform for entertainment. Maybe, just maybe, it was where she'd meet someone who could change everything.