Chapter 2 - Maria's Ugly Obsession

There was a girl named Maria who consistently yearned to be admired for her beauty. Maria had been instilled with a sense of vanity from an early age, believing that her appearance held the utmost importance. She constantly aspired to be the epitome of beauty in every aspect of her life. However, if anyone dared to suggest that another person looked more beautiful than her, it would enrage her completely.

In essence,  if someone else was regarded as the most attractive person in the room, she would relentlessly despise that individual, even resorting to potential harassment or physical harm. What made this situation even more disheartening was her unawareness that different people perceived her as the most beautiful among a group of seven girls.

Here's how it all started: Maria was at a beauty pageant and there were seven girls in the beauty pageant; Maria occupied the sixth spot in the room, while Maya held the seventh position.

The seventh girl was considered the fairest by one observer, the sixth by another, and so on down the line. Each audience member had their own distinct opinion on who was the most beautiful, yet Maria remained oblivious to her standing.

Among a group of seven girls, different audience members had their own unique opinions on who they considered the most beautiful. One person deemed the seventh girl the most attractive, another ranked the sixth, while a different observer favored the fifth. Similarly, the fourth girl earned the title of the best-looking according to a separate audience member. The fifth girl also held this distinction in someone else's eyes, and the same went for the third girl. Additionally, a completely different person regarded the second girl as the most beautiful, while the first girl garnered this distinction from yet another distinct observer.

Maria grappled with society's ever-evolving and perplexing beauty standards. Unbeknownst to her, as people matured, the chemical compositions in their brains changed. What they once deemed beautiful might no longer resonate with some individuals, and others experienced distinct biological responses to the concept of beauty.

Maya used to harbor feelings of guilt about her chemical reactions, even though she never expressed them verbally. She recognized that openly discussing these chemical responses could potentially hurt people's feelings, especially if they were aware that it was a biological reaction. While some people may not harbor any ill will towards her for these chemical reactions, a few might, even though she couldn't control them – just like the vast majority of the population.

One day, Maya made a conscious decision to stop blaming herself for these reactions. She ceased feeling remorse or guilt and adopted a new perspective. Her resolve became, "I can't alter the way I feel. I can't force myself to feel differently. If I find someone unattractive, I'll acknowledge it and keep it to myself because there's no sense in trying to change something I have no control over."

Maya encountered individuals she didn't find attractive, even though they weren't ugly or unattractive; they were just ordinary and perfectly fine, and God saw them all as beautiful.

The reason she couldn't alter her biological chemical responses, despite attempting to manipulate her muscles (a process that felt bad and challenging), was simply because she couldn't. This transformation wouldn't occur through sheer willpower alone; it would require a natural, intrinsic change in her biological and chemical reactions. Moreover, it was likely to evolve without her conscious intervention, as the process she was attempting demanded a great deal of mental effort, self-persuasion, and convincing.

Her inability to find these individuals attractive wasn't due to the person's appearance being undesirable. It was more about the way her brain was wired; she just couldn't generate attraction towards them. Therefore, she decided to stop trying to change this aspect of herself.

Maya personally found Maria to be beautiful, but a few of Maya's friends held different opinions, which led Maria to develop animosity towards her friends.

While some might label these friends as "haters," there was a crucial distinction to be made. Maya's friends genuinely liked Maria as a person; they just didn't experience the same level of attraction toward her. To her friends, Maria appeared to be quite average in terms of looks, and by "average," it meant that she didn't elicit any strong emotional reactions from them. In essence, she fell within the range of appearances that didn't trigger any chemical response in her friends.

Maria is of average height, standing at around 5 feet 6 inches. She has a well-proportioned figure, not too slim or too curvy, with a healthy weight. Her facial features are balanced and harmonious. She possesses expressive hazel eyes that can shift from green to brown depending on the lighting, framed by long, dark lashes. Her hair is a lustrous chestnut brown, flowing in gentle waves past her shoulders, and she typically wears it down or occasionally ties it back in a loose ponytail.

Maria's skin has a warm, olive undertone, often appearing lightly tanned, and it has a natural glow to it. She has a moderate bust size, fitting well with her overall physique, and her butt is curvy and toned, adding to her hourglass shape. It's essential to remember that Maria's beauty goes beyond physical attributes; her smile radiates warmth, and her friendly demeanor makes her appearance all the more appealing.

Maya is an average height, standing at around 5 feet 5 inches. She maintains a healthy weight, keeping her figure well-proportioned. Her facial features are soft and pleasant, with a symmetrical appearance. Her eyes are a captivating shade of deep brown, and they exude warmth and friendliness. Maya's hair is a rich, dark black, often styled in a simple, straight, shoulder-length cut that frames her face elegantly.

Her skin boasts a natural olive tone, with a slight sun-kissed glow that adds to her overall vibrancy. Maya has a modest bust size that suits her frame, offering a comfortable and natural look. Her butt is curvy, adding to her gently hourglass shape. But what truly stands out about Maya is her radiant smile and engaging personality. Her charm extends beyond her physical attributes, making her a delight to be around and connect with.

Timothy was a young man who possessed a striking handsomeness that appealed to certain people. He had a lanky frame, quite skinny, to the point where his ribcage was visible. Surprisingly, some girls found this lanky physique rather attractive, despite his lack of muscular legs.

His appearance was characterized by deep brown eyes, long, straight hair, and a connection to his Cherokee heritage, which explained his preference for keeping his hair long. Timothy's hair was a rich, pitch-black color, complementing his light brown skin. His fashion choices, however, were divisive; he often sported tattered, wrinkled, and unironed clothing, appearing notably unkempt.

What many women found most appealing about him was his facial features, as a significant number at his college found Native American attributes attractive. At the time, Timothy was 21 years old, while Maria was 23 and Maya was 24, respectively.

Timothy is attracted to girls with blonde hair and blue eyes, and that is just not something that Maria has; he's not attracted to women with brown hair either. Timothy does find women with brown hair unattractive, and he can't help it. That's just him. He doesn't vocalize it though, to be polite.

Timothy can find other types of women attractive, and this doesn't hinder his ability to go out with Maria. Maria possesses other features that Timothy finds appealing. It's essential to recognize that finding one feature unattractive doesn't mean one can't find other features attractive. Timothy can appreciate various aspects of Maria's personality and appearance, allowing them to enjoy a fulfilling relationship despite their differing preferences.

Maria found Timothy very hot. She loved Native American men, like many people at her college. Throughout high school, she always admired Timothy because she loved the way Native American men looked. She did not intentionally fetishize Native American men; she simply loved them. That was the race she favored the most in terms of appearance; she couldn't help it. That's just how her biology turned out. Timothy's facial features hit every mark for what she found attractive.

Because Timothy pretty much saw every other part of Maria as beautiful and only had an issue with her brown hair, he had no issue going out with her. He didn't try to change her hair color either because, to be honest, he genuinely didn't care. And Maria showed the most interest, which made him feel good. It wasn't really, "Oh, everybody loves me, I should be the best one in the room," ego boost. It was more of a natural reaction that people get from being complimented. He just liked her liking him.

Maria was quite possessive of him because she often became jealous of other women. She directed her jealousy toward those she considered more attractive than her and developed a strong dislike for those she believed to be prettier. In her perspective, she should be the best, and when she encountered someone she considered better, it made her feel insecure, as though she was at the lowest point.

It was as if no one ever found her attractive, and she despised it when someone else appeared to be at the top, as her goal was to be at the pinnacle.

In the next chapter of this volume, we're going to explore the relationship and just how far downhill it went.