Page 26 - Cornice_Grade 10

The word “beautiful” has followed me every
step I take. Honestly, I've never understood
what beauty really is. What is it about
someone that makes them so pleasurable to Soon, gossip started spreading around town about how
perceive? Whatever it may be, I'm thankful “the pretty girl got an ugly play toy”. Hearing such words
to have been gifted with such features or about Kumari felt as if an arrow was shot right at my
f
e
f
should I say I was. A few years ago my life heart. I couldn’t even imagine how Kumari must’ve felt
e
f
f
took a tragic turn. The mirror became my hearing people disparage her. As time went by I noticed
biggest enemy. The world is a cruel place things changing between me and Kumari. We wouldn't
filled with disappointments for a vulnerable hang out as much and she started avoiding me during
girl like me. school. I couldn’t blame her fo f f or this, however, I missed
her dearly. Days passed by and Kumari and I got distant.
Growing up I never had many friends.
“They're all jealous of your beauty, One bright day in July as I was walking to school under

Paramita”, my mother always said. My the heat, Kumari came up to me. My heart beamed with
mother has always been my best friend, a happiness after seeing my best friend after what felt like
f
f
t
f
f
f
f
e
t
never disappointing companionship. years. I had so much to tell her but before I could Kumari
f
o
f
However, growing up with just the woman interrupted me, “I am so sorry but you have no idea what
who gave birth to me as my only friend has I've been through”, she said. “What do you -” before I
f
or
f
impacted me in many ways. Even the could finish my sentence Kumari splashed me with
slightest bit of attention from someone something.
else, someone my age, means the world to “AAAAAAAAHHHH” I screamed as loud as I could,
me. In other words, I desperately seek fe fe f eling my face melt off. I cried for help until I passed out
f
o
f
f
f
f
f
f
a
validation from people my age. I tend to but no one heard me, or maybe they just chose to ignore
trust anyone with my eyes closed and this is me.
what led to the beginning of my story.
That day my entire world changed. I don't know where
Two years ago a new girl moved to my Kumari went and I never want to hear from her again. A
town, cavetown, her name being Kumari. I mirror, which was the only thing I could freely talk to,
was 16 at the time and as lonely as ever. became my greatest enemy. To this day I still can't look
One day during recess at school, as I was at a mirror without tears running down my melted face.
d f
d f
a
reading my book Kumari came up to me. Countless surgeries later I still feel like the ugliest
e
f
f
“Hey there”, she said and I replied with an creature to have ever walked the earth. So tell me, what
awkward “hi”, not knowing what to say is beauty? My mother lies to me and sometimes I fall into
a
f
f
next. Kumari began to introduce herself and her lies. But the mirror is always there with the bitter
we spent the whole period talking. As days truth, reminding me day by day how one can never refe f f er
passed by, Kumari and I got closer. We to me as “beautiful”. As much as I appreciate its honesty,
would hang out more often and my mom there is nothing I abhor more than “the mirror”.
even loved her. A few months went by and I
began to trust Kumari blindly. -Aarya Jyoti Chhatkuli