She looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She couldn’t help but notice that little imperfection, a crack in her mask.

A small line that wouldn’t go away. So…. she covered it.

She plastered on as much make-up as she could until she felt a familiar grip.

It felt good.

Almost as if she was at home not being herself and wearing her mask…. the mask of pretty faces and nothing else.

No feelings no troubles, just being something she wasn’t.

Then she looked at her reflection again this time instead of a crack there was a gaping hole.

Inside swirled all types of colors and emotions. She closed her eyes and covered it with lies.

With all the ‘I’m fines and I’m okay and There’s nothing wrong.

When she looked in the mirror half of her was gone.

She slathered as much make-up and lies as she could while wearing less clothing as if to feel bare to feel something from the wondering eyes of boys.

She looked in the mirror one last time.

It seemed as if her skin was breaking off like tiny pieces slowly falling to the ground with a little ting and every single piece that fell she could feel herself breaking a bit more.

She almost cried from the new feelings that crashed onto her like a tidal wave of emotion.

Then she couldn’t take it anymore and the first tear dropped.

It rolled down her cheek and hit her hand with a splat.

That’s when she broke.

She let out everything she had been holding back.

A river of sadness was what she was crying. She felt as if she was drowning in her own tears.

She gasped for air and when she looked up into that mirror she saw a girl.

Her curly black hair was a mess.

Her dark brown, almond shaped eyes were bloodshot red.

Her caramel skin looked a bit pale and her smile dim.

This was her under her mask. A scared girl afraid of what was happening….

She waited in silence for her mask to piece itself back together.

For her to see the smiling girl with not a care in the world.

But when she looked up she saw herself.

Not as a scared girl who worried over every little thing or an overly confident woman, but instead someone who knew exactly who she was.

The girl smiled at her reflection and whispered to herself in the tense silence,” This is me…..”