Lauren and Nathaniel had been dating for three months and things were going well. They had met back in the day at a coffee shop and hit it off right away. They were both into photography, music, and exploring new places. One weekend they went on a camping trip and took lots of pictures together.
Lauren posted one of those pictures on her Instagram with the caption “Life is better in the wild” and a heart emoji. Nathaniel commented “Agreed! I love you ❤” and she felt her heart swell with happiness.
But then something unexpected happened. One of her ex-boyfriends started responding to the picture too. He wrote “Wow, you look amazing” and “I miss those camping trips we used to take”. Lauren’s heart sank. She had dated Mark for a year before they broke up, and he had been her first love.
Ethan noticed her sudden change of mood and asked her what was wrong. She showed him the comments and he frowned. “Who’s this guy? Why is he commenting under all of your pictures?” Lauren explained the situation and told Nathaniel she had blocked Mark on all her social media, but he had found her again.
Nathaniel took her hand and looked into her eyes. “You don’t have to worry about him anymore. I’m here now, and I won’t let him ruin what we have. You’re amazing just the way you are, and I love you for who you are.”
Lauren felt a surge of relief and gratitude. She kissed Nathaniel and whispered “Thank you. You’re amazing too, and I love you too.” They hugged and smiled, feeling closer than ever. They didn’t need Instagram or any other validation to know that they were meant to be together. They had each other’s love, trust, and support. That was all they needed.