The New Ego

The days were starting to blur together. Wake up. Gym. Work. Sleep. Repeat.

But something was different.

I could feel it—small changes, like cracks in the old version of myself. My clothes fit a little looser. My mind felt a little sharper. And for the first time in years, I didn't hate the person staring back at me in the mirror.

At breakfast, my family couldn't help but notice.

"You're looking… thinner," my mom said, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Thanks," I replied, trying to hide my pride.

Alex, my older brother, smirked. "Don't get too excited. You've still got a long way to go."

I ignored him and focused on my eggs.

My dad, ever the quiet observer, gave me a nod. "Keep it up, son."

It wasn't much, but it was enough.

Later that day, I checked my dropshipping store. The sales were trickling in, but the profits were slim.

"$50 this week," I thought, staring at the numbers. "That's not even enough to cover the ads."

I opened my bank account and sighed.

Balance: $300.

"I need more income," I realized. "But how?"

I thought about picking up more freelance writing gigs, but the idea made my stomach churn.

"I can't go back to that. Not after everything."

The gym was busier than usual. I was on the treadmill, trying to push myself to run a little longer, when I noticed her.

She was at the weight rack, lifting with confidence. Her dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her focus was intense.

"She's… beautiful," I thought, feeling a mix of admiration and insecurity.

I finished my run and wiped the sweat from my face. As I walked past her, she looked up and smiled.

"Hey," she said.

"Uh, hi," I replied, my voice cracking slightly.

"I've seen you here before. You're doing great."

"Thanks," I said, feeling my face heat up. "I'm trying."

She nodded. "That's all any of us can do."

We chatted for a few minutes—about workouts, goals, and the gym's terrible music playlist. Her name was Sarah, and she was new to the area.

"She's so… normal," I thought. "And she's talking to me."

That evening, I walked into the house to find Alex in the living room with… Sarah.

"Hey, loser," Alex said, grinning. "Meet my girlfriend."

My heart dropped.

"We've met," Sarah said, smiling at me. "At the gym."

"Oh," Alex said, raising an eyebrow. "Small world."

I forced a smile. "Yeah. Small world."

Dinner was awkward. Sarah sat next to Alex, laughing at his jokes and sharing stories about their relationship.

My mom tried to keep the conversation light, asking Sarah about her job and her family. My dad was his usual quiet self, nodding along but saying little.

I picked at my food, feeling out of place.

"Of course she's with Alex," I thought. "Why would someone like her be interested in someone like me?"

Mia was out with friends, so the dinner felt even more unbalanced. Without her sarcastic comments and sharp wit, the table felt… empty.

"Maybe it's better she's not here," I thought. "She'd probably make some joke about me being single."

Later that night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Time is my enemy," I thought. "Every day feels like a race I'm losing. But money… money is my weapon. If I can figure out how to make more, I can buy myself more time. More freedom."

I opened my laptop and started researching. Dropshipping wasn't working, but maybe there was something else—something better.

"I just need to find it."

As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about Sarah.

"She's with Alex. Of course she is. But maybe… maybe one day, someone like her will see me differently. Someone like her will see the New Me."

It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep me going.