Grace Li slowly reached out, her fingers gently brushing through Aiden Thompson's hair, her touch as delicate as if she were caressing a priceless work of art. Her mind wandered as she thought back to how she had rejected him so bluntly the day before. What did he think? Did he feel hurt, or maybe even a little angry?
She sighed softly, pulling her hand back and carefully reaching behind to touch the skin that still held memories of the past. Over the years, the wound had healed, leaving only a scar that had faded with time.
As a child, she hadn't paid much attention to it. She had even been secretly relieved that the scar was on her back and not on her face—after all, for a young girl who cared so much about her looks, the face was everything. But as she got older, especially after she was accepted into one of New York City's top schools, things changed.
The dorms were shared, two people per room. She slept on the lower bunk, and her roommate was a bubbly girl with posters of celebrities and colorful graffiti all over the walls. One afternoon, after a long day of club activities and homework, Grace Li collapsed onto her bunk and fell fast asleep.
Suddenly, a sharp scream pierced the silence, waking her up with a start. She opened her eyes groggily to see her roommate standing by her bed, her face full of panic. With trembling hands, she pointed at Grace Li's waist and demanded, "Grace Li, what is that on your back?"
Grace Li instinctively reached back to touch her scar and realized what her roommate was referring to. Her heart dropped, and with a shaky voice, she asked, "You mean the scar?"
The girl scrunched her face in disgust, her lips curling slightly. "Yeah, it looks a little weird. I've never seen anything like that before."
Grace Li felt like she had been hit with a ton of bricks. This was the first time anyone had made such a blunt and hurtful comment about her appearance—and it was about her. Her self-esteem felt like it had taken a heavy blow, and a wave of discomfort washed over her. She kept asking herself, Is it really that weird? Is this scar really that bad?
Maybe it was the awkwardness of being a teenager, but from that moment on, she became extra careful. Every time she changed clothes or took a shower, she would check that no one was around. She made up excuses to skip swimming class or, when she did attend, wore a swimsuit that covered her back. She was always on edge, doing everything she could to keep the scar hidden from others.
Now, at 30, the scar had faded. It no longer had the raised, uneven texture it once did, blending in with the rest of her skin. She had thought, in her naivety, that she no longer cared about it; it was just a small mark in the river of her life.
But that all changed yesterday. When Aiden Thompson's hand accidentally brushed against it, she felt like an invisible force took over, and almost instinctively, she pulled away. She didn't want him to see this flaw she had worked so hard to hide.
In her mind, it was a defect she had tried to bury. She wanted to always show her best self to the person she loved, keeping all the imperfections locked away. Though logic told her this reaction might be overblown, that love should be about accepting everything, in that moment, her body reacted before her mind could catch up.
Even after it happened, she kept telling herself to open up to Aiden Thompson, to tell him everything. But every time she tried to speak, the words got stuck. She feared seeing any sign of disgust in his eyes, afraid that this beautiful relationship might crack because of a scar.
The next day, after completing their due diligence in New Jersey, they wrapped things up by 4 p.m. and drove back to New York.
Aiden Thompson acted just like he always did—bright and full of energy—like nothing had happened the day before.
But Grace Li, in contrast, couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She tried to keep calm and act normal, but it was clear she wasn't at ease.
After returning home to Manhattan, Grace Li headed straight into the kitchen, ready to work her culinary magic. The head of AgroTech had been incredibly generous, giving them a bunch of fresh vegetables as a farewell gift. Grace Li only took a small portion but it was enough to fill the fancy fridge to the brim, along with the usual American condiments like Heinz ketchup and Dijon mustard from France.
As she was busy cooking, Aiden Thompson walked in and said, "Grace Li, I think I'll show off some cooking skills today too."
Grace Li turned around, surprised. "No kidding? Are you serious?"
"That's for sure," Aiden Thompson said, pulling out his phone to show her. "I've watched this YouTube video twice now. I've got the steps down perfectly."
Grace Li glanced at the screen. It was a video showing how to make tomato egg soup. Coincidentally, they had brought back a lot of fresh California tomatoes from the field, known for their juicy, sweet, and tangy flavor.
"Alright, I've got to see this," Grace Li said with a smile.
Aiden Thompson got started, and Grace Li watched closely. He was quick to pick things up, and his movements were surprisingly smooth. Grace Li raised an eyebrow. "You've really never cooked before?"
"Never. This is my debut," Aiden Thompson said proudly.
"Well, you've got some natural talent. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next big chef," Grace Li teased.
Aiden Thompson looked at her with a grin. "How about this weekend? We each cook two dishes and have a cook-off. What do you say? I'm all in."
"Sounds good to me, I'm up for the challenge," Grace Li said, watching him peel the tomatoes and place them into a bowl. "By the way, I used to really dislike scrambled eggs with tomatoes."
Aiden Thompson stopped and looked at her. "So, are we still making this soup?"
"Yeah, keep going," Grace Li said, explaining, "Back in high school, the cafeteria always served scrambled eggs with tomatoes. But their version had way too much sauce, didn't peel the tomatoes, and it was a mushy mess. It looked like a red paste with a few egg drops floating on top. Everyone thought it was delicious, but I hated it. I wasn't into the sweet-and-sour flavor back then, so I'd avoid it. I was busy with clubs—debate, photography—and didn't really care about food."
Aiden Thompson, who had seen Grace Li warm up to the dish before, asked, "So how did you end up liking it?"
"Well, when I got to college, I realized tomato egg soup wasn't so bad. It was just that high school cafeteria version that ruined it. The college dining hall had more variety, and I joined a food festival where I got to try all sorts of cuisines. My tastes became more open." Grace Li grabbed a tomato from the basket, continuing, "Actually, when I was a kid, I used to eat tomatoes raw or dip them in white sugar."
"Dipped in sugar? That's a new one!" Aiden Thompson said, clearly curious.
Grace Li quickly cut a tomato into eight small pieces, put them in a small bowl, sprinkled some Domino sugar on top, and held a piece up to his mouth with a fork. "How does it taste?"
"Wow, that's actually pretty good. Sweet and tangy, really refreshing," Aiden Thompson said, surprised by the taste.
Grace Li took a piece herself and said, "These tomatoes from the farm are amazing, sweet with no sourness at all. Adding sugar makes it even sweeter."
Aiden Thompson leaned toward her and playfully asked, "Another one, babe?"
Grace Li laughed and fed him another piece.
They kept eating and chatting happily, and it felt like the tension from the night before had disappeared.
But deep down, Grace Li still couldn't shake off the unease from what happened. She had thought about it a lot and even searched WebMD and Mayo Clinic for information about scar removal surgery.
The scar on her back was about the size of a palm, and the recovery would take a long time. There were also risks, like possibly creating a more noticeable scar or dealing with infection.
Though this scar had always been the source of her insecurity, she didn't think it was worth the risk of surgery. After all, in a society that values diversity and inclusiveness, she hoped she could eventually learn to accept her imperfections.