The Color Of The Inside Of My Mouth | Teen Ink

The Color Of The Inside Of My Mouth MAG

January 22, 2009
By Bassoonkelley GOLD, Tampa, Florida
Bassoonkelley GOLD, Tampa, Florida
15 articles 0 photos 49 comments

I wipe at my stupid eyes with the back of my hand, and it startles me for a second that my tears are gray. I dunno why it surprised me; I mean, I buy the s***ty mascara that’s $1.99 in the 20 Items or Less checkout lane. Why spend oodles of green on something I hardly ever use?

I just wanted to look nice, you know? Like those girls who’re just naturally fake pretty. The girls who can blend shades of eyeshadow like no one’s business, and match their lipstick to the exact color of their toenail polish or whatever. Seemingly effortless, yet impeccably coordinated.

This is good stuff, I should write for a living – solely on the subject of beauty queens with superiority complexes, of course.

I just want … God, what do I want? I want to feel the sun on my face and paint the clouds and hear the music in the trees and love myself and love someone else and just feel perpetually beautiful.

But that requires the $14.99 waterproof, fire-retardant, Grade-5-hurricane-resistant mascara, not the tube that’s two bucks in Lane 4.

My shoes are dirty and outdated, but that’s how I like them. I like these shoes. They’re comfortable. Why do I need new, expensive, fashionably appealing shoes in order for someone to say, “Hey dogg, you look nice today”?

And why is it that whenever I get deathly bored and slather cheap, pore-clogging makeup all over my face everyone suddenly says, “Wow, you look pretty!”? Since when is “pretty” about whale blubber and cocoa butter?

I’ll tell you one thing, though. I most definitely am not crying about some stupid XY.

Definitely not.

I’m crying for all the whales that have to give up their fatty insulation so that some fugly anorexic super bitch can paint herself pretty every freaking day, giving him something halfway decent to oggle all the time.

Seriously, I’m not leaking saltwater over a guy.

I just think it’s cruel and unfair that the fat-endowed marine life population doesn’t even get the slightest warning that they’ll soon be on a cosmetics endcap at K-Mart.

He could have at least broken it to me gently, you know? We’ve been friends since the George Bush/Al Gore debacle.

I mean come the Bette Midler on.

I spill my blood, guts, and viscera out to this guy and he throws down the “Let’s just be friends” card without a second thought?

It’s just … it’s common courtesy to ease someone into heartbreak, not smash it over their head like a whiffleball bat.

You know what? I’m going to take my $1.99 checkout Lane 4 mascara and chuck it right at her big, stupid square head.


The author's comments:
This is literally an excerpt from my journal, so it's a little different when it comes to writing style.

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This article has 476 comments.


on Sep. 17 2011 at 7:52 pm
SecretFlame PLATINUM, Portland, Oregon
20 articles 1 photo 373 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I have a life. I just choose to ignore it."
-one of my friends

THIS IS AMAZING! I LOVE THIS!!!!!! Now I know someone feels the SAME WAY AS ME!!!! YES!!!

Description is perfect. The flow is wonderful, and the voice is fantastic! I absolutely LOVED IT!!!


on Sep. 8 2011 at 10:34 pm
You have too much potential to just throw away by using curse words. Even if you did bleep it out, we all still know what it says. I feel sad that I was inundated with such profanity as soon as I read the first sentence. I don't know if I should read any of your other works because of a shocking quintessence such as this on your part.

on Aug. 29 2011 at 12:08 pm
Bassoonkelley GOLD, Tampa, Florida
15 articles 0 photos 49 comments
It usually takes about a week for the pieces I've submitted - it depends how long it is, though :)
Thanks for the feedback!

on Aug. 28 2011 at 6:42 pm
TryingSomethingNew BRONZE, New Iberia, Louisiana
4 articles 1 photo 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dance like no one's watching" mainly because i love to dance.

hey im new to this stuff.. i have wrote some things but im waiting for the editors approval, do you know how long it usually takes?

on Aug. 28 2011 at 6:07 pm
not.that.girl BRONZE, Troy, Michigan
1 article 2 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thought never to heaven go.

great! this reminds me of something i would write......which is also why it left me a tad bit confused. what exactly was it about?

takeitasitis said...
on Aug. 28 2011 at 2:34 pm
takeitasitis, Lakeville, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life may cause you to suffer, but you can learn a lot from pain.

Excellent.

on Aug. 28 2011 at 2:20 pm
spiritiris BRONZE, Blacksburg, Virginia
4 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Writing a story is like driving through the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can get the whole way that way."
~E. L. Doctorow

I love the realisticness of it. It reminds me of a lot of things, but mostly life in general. It's so imperfect and true. Especially the part about it coming from your journal, that shows how close we're getting to you. It's amazing.

on Aug. 28 2011 at 11:21 am
AllCaughtUp BRONZE, Shelton, Connecticut
2 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
-JK Rowling (as Albus Dumbledore, of course)

I love this! Your voice is so raw and real. Plus I completely agree with every point you made.

on Aug. 28 2011 at 1:20 am
TryingSomethingNew BRONZE, New Iberia, Louisiana
4 articles 1 photo 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dance like no one's watching" mainly because i love to dance.

I really like this articles, its really true.. plus i feel you, and im so far away from make-up that i dont even know how to put it on....btw how long does it usually take for the editors to approve your submitted work?

on Aug. 6 2011 at 6:15 pm
EnigmaticBeing PLATINUM, Santa Barbara, California
22 articles 0 photos 51 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be careful what you set your heart upon - for it will surely be yours.'
James A. Baldwin

I really love this a lot since I can relate to it. I mean wtf should an animal have to die just so some skinny ass bitch can strut around and make quiet thoughtful girls like myself feel inferior? Now granted I wear makeup too but why is it that I have to wear it just so people will notice me? Just so that I can get complimented? It's unfair and it unmasks the supposedly perfect world that is plastered on the cover of every beauty magazine in existence. Thanks so much for creating this and please write more :]

on Aug. 6 2011 at 3:11 pm
Anonymous_Me DIAMOND, Marble Hill, Missouri
54 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life is but a walking shadow."






~Shakespeare (Macbeth)

This is awesome. I like how there's also stuff about how makeup really shouldn't matter, and wondering about what you want in life, while you're trying to get over a guy. Jealousy drives you to do somethihg stupid, and that's where throwing the mascara comes in. =)

on Aug. 6 2011 at 12:39 pm
Laura_Oliver GOLD, Manchester, Connecticut
12 articles 2 photos 122 comments
This is really interesting and different from other fiction that I have read. It is very honest and to the point, but with those "in between the lines" messages. I like it

on Aug. 6 2011 at 8:59 am
shapeshifter56 GOLD, Cave Creek, Arizona
14 articles 0 photos 136 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Instead of waiting for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain."
--Unknown Author

Awesmome piece! I love it! Keep up the great work! Your voice is awesome!!!!

kre101 SILVER said...
on Jul. 15 2011 at 11:07 pm
kre101 SILVER, Holt, Michigan
6 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
To the world you're just one person.. But to one person you may be the world

Ha ha this is really funny I really like this!

on Jul. 15 2011 at 7:16 pm
LifeWrite PLATINUM, Westfield, New Jersey
44 articles 14 photos 53 comments
This is one of the best pieces I've read--you have an AWESOME voice as a writer! Keep it up! :)

anonymous said...
on Jul. 15 2011 at 6:03 pm
Great piece- your voice is so strong and poignant!

issie said...
on Jul. 15 2011 at 3:21 pm
your vocabulary is awesome, but it was kinda confusing until i read it twice. now that i understand ot better, i can relate to it in a way. i also keep a journal, and write in a similar style. Yay!!!!!

on Jul. 15 2011 at 2:33 pm
iamonecoolradiator, London, Other
0 articles 0 photos 22 comments
Loved this!! so easy to read and realistic but kinda funny at the same time....PLEASE READ SOME OF MY WORK IT'S NOT LONG!!

writer015 GOLD said...
on Jul. 15 2011 at 2:15 pm
writer015 GOLD, Howard, Ohio
11 articles 13 photos 112 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. " --Marianne Williamson

I really like this kind of writing, it seems more real to me. Even if you do have to read it a few times

on Jul. 15 2011 at 10:31 am
987654321123456789, Athens, Wisconsin
0 articles 15 photos 8 comments

This is awesome............I espcially like the last line............