When you're young, all you want to be is seventeen.

That is until you actually turn seventeen.. 

Claire was a perfect example of being seventeen;

Short, medium sized, rough skin.

“Enjoy your youth while you have it!” Said her teacher first hour

Claire simply rolls her eyes.

She hated that saying.

Our youth is supposed to be fun, she thinks.

But when puberty hits--

Ginormous red mountains lay across your face

And Hormones dance through your body.

Claire walks out of school angry.

Normally she takes the same route home everyday;

Down the short street,

Through the tiny treacherous trail

passing plenty parlors along the way,

Then finally she is home.

In a burst of rage, she finds herself on a new path.

She lands herself in a supermarket full of strangers.

She walks in paying no attention to the swarms of people.

That was until an older man started following her.

Tracing her every move, 

Like a hawk on its prey.

He was so close she could smell him;

Cigarettes and Beer.

He was looking her up and down..

He finally spoke, “Smile more beautiful.” he said.

In a world full of scary men,

And oversexualized young girls,

You can't take any chances. 

Claire learned that today.

She managed to escape the man's gaze,

And chose to never take that path again.

After Claire got home safely she was livid.

“This is why I cant enjoy my youth

 Creeps like him!” She shouts abruptly. 

However Her anger slowly fades,

and she stares at herself in the mirror.

Claire was confused, why did the man speak to her?

She was nothing but ordinary.

Brown hair, spotted face, 

The only thing she had going was her body.

At least that's what the boys say..

She reminisces on the conversation she had,

With the boy she thought she trusted..

“Cmon just one, pleaseeee!” he pleaded

She was 14.

Claire was disgusted,

By the men,

The expectations, 

...herself.

It's hard to be a teen she thought.

She started to cry.

Tears streaming down her face

Like raindrops on a windowpane. 

“Oh claire.” Says her mom who overheard.

“You're anything but ordinary.

those little freckles that lay across your face

and that long beautiful hair.”

She sighs as she looks at claire.

“Honey, don't cry, you're as beautiful as ever.”

Her mothers words change Claires view on everything.

Claire released the beauty in everyone's imperfections.

The enormous mountains fade away,

The hormones become manageable,

And those doubts are simply insecurities.

“Maybe My teacher isn't so wrong after all.” She started with a smile.