*Never Told Him I Was Bald*

As I sat in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. My hairless scalp gleamed under the bright lights, a constant reminder of the secret I kept hidden from the world.

It had been three months since I met Ryan, and our relationship was moving at a whirlwind pace. We had met online, bonding over our shared love of adventure and good food. Our conversations flowed effortlessly, and before I knew it, we were inseparable.

But there was one thing I never told him – I was bald.

It wasn't always this way. I had lost my hair due to a medical condition, and it had taken me a long time to come to terms with it. I wore wigs, hats, and even tried to grow my hair out, but nothing seemed to work.

Ryan had always complimented me on my "beautiful hair," and I had let him believe that it was all mine. I was terrified of what he would think if he found out the truth.

One evening, as we were getting ready for a night out, Ryan walked into the bathroom while I was adjusting my wig. Our eyes met in the mirror, and for a moment, I thought I was caught.

But Ryan just smiled and said, "You look stunning, as always."

I breathed a sigh of relief, but the guilt was eating away at me. I knew I had to tell him the truth, but I was scared of losing him.

As the days went by, the weight of my secret became almost unbearable. I started to withdraw from Ryan, afraid of getting too close and being discovered.

But Ryan was oblivious to my struggles. He continued to shower me with love and affection, and I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with him.

One night, as we were lying in bed, Ryan turned to me and said, "I love you, not just for who you are, but for who you help me to be."

In that moment, I knew I had to tell him the truth. I took a deep breath and said, "Ryan, there's something I need to tell you. Something I've been hiding from you."

Ryan's expression changed, and he looked at me with concern. "What is it?" he asked.

I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'm bald," I said, the words tumbling out of my mouth.

Ryan's face went blank, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of disappointment. But then, something unexpected happened.

He smiled.

"I don't care," he said, taking my hand in his. "You're still the same person I fell in love with. Your hair, or lack thereof, doesn't define you."

Tears of relief streamed down my face as Ryan pulled me into a tight hug. For the first time in my life, I felt truly accepted.

As we lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, I realized that I had been living in fear of the wrong thing. It wasn't my baldness that was the problem – it was my own insecurity.

Ryan's love and acceptance had set me free, and I knew that I would never let my secret hold me back again.