I was more than pretty

ate my fac

came

d with a

ato

up my backpack when Jason Miller leaned against the locker next to m

one l

get it

dle taped to my lo

nose like a bloated tuber. B

Ugly Si

f. Crumpled it

self it did

it

t wasn't

e bathroom who'd go si

alk - shoulders hunched, h

e so pretty if you just smiled more,"

high school, I stopp

se I was

se it

not objectively. But i

lips thin. My skin was prone to breakouts, and no amount of scrubbing fixed it.

hood up. M

speak only wh

going to

trying out

eving I deserv

wasn't t

the s

ple looked

of cruelty - just the backgroun

ame th

more

, chewing, eyes half-closed. They edited it. Enlarged

it to a g

ts – Week

ow it was m

meone's phone.

ognized my

od wen

the girl wh

at me like

yn. Don't be so sensiti

they

elled, "Watch out - the potato'

ryone l

l I thought

oy I had a

ng lunch at sc

Then in my car. Then I

arching plasti

I wanted to

wanted to

t feel the weight of eyes

rying he'd regret it the se

humor, my heart - not just

didn't care

about s

chee

your jawline c

my grandfather left me - meant for col

Mitc

ics & Reconstr

ng, as he pointed to a screen sh

lift on the jawline. Subtle enhancement to the li

d at th

g back was someo

one the world mi

ed the

lf it wasn'

s sur

ry wasn't

ecove

e mask they made me we

physical pain was t

.. different. Better?" - like she was

mazing!" - but their eyes were cautious,

stra

iled at

d d

ented m

asked, "Are

girls aren't su

pposed to

o I s

he right

ned to

oman Julian fe

in

till th

flinched at

ed her reflection

dered, every ni

eal me again... wo

d

g in front of t

e f

e r

e f

me, I don't

me, I s

irl they

man who di

t

o carried

just wante

oser to t

fogs it

er - not to

h

o still lives

sor

oesn'

- the flicker

lip trembles

eep whi

y you had

et them make y

d them when they sai

r sli

't wi

't had to hurt so m

ed until I was dying

y palm to

es the

ying to touch

fix you

this

... finall

first time i

t look