Pretty Boy

Chapted 2

I sat in my younger sister's bedroom, reading her the same story she chose every night even though we had an entire bookshelf of new ones.

"Shuji?"

I stopped reading and gave her a curious look. "Yes?"

"I can't sleep."

As I mentioned, I have three siblings. This is Tamiko. 10 years old and has long red hair, constantly wavy and tied back in a ponytail. She has freckles on her shoulders and cheeks, always wearing baggy clothes due to not liking the way tight fabric rubs against her sensitive skin. She pretty pale too.

The other two are Yuki and Riko. Both girls too. Riko's 13 and has black hair like mine, keeps it cut down to her shoulders, green eyes like Tamiko's.

Yuki's actually my twin sister. She looks just like me, occasionally tries to match clothes with me and keeps her hair in a long braid at the back of her head. When I was younger, I was jealous of her sharp jawline and perfect nose. Now that I looked different, I wasn't jealous anymore.

She always has a new boyfriend but they never get to second base because they know I'll kill them if they even try. Even though she's pretty statuesque, she tends to focus more on her studies. Which is why she never keeps a guy for too long.

"Yeah me neither. Want me to read something else?"

"No." She sat up and sighed. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Do you think I look like a carrot?"

"Pardon?"

"Well this boy at my school calls me Carrot because of my hair. It's all...orange. I want to look like you guys but since I'm different, mom wants me to keep it this way."

"Why would you want to look different? I like your hair."

"I don't like being called names."

"Listen to me." I stood up and climbed in bed with her, placing a hand on top of her head. "Remember when people called me fat all the time and I wanted to look like Yuki?"

"Mhm."

"I was really insecure and it took a long time for me to like how I looked. I still sort of don't."

"I don't believe that. You look pretty."

"Thank you, but that's not my point. My point is...people are mean. And when you're different, they're even worse. So you have to be nice to yourself to balance it out. See, if you like who you are then whatever people say won't bother you."

"But I don't like how I am."

"Then you've gotta change that. You have to look in the mirror and believe that you're beautiful. Because you are, you just don't know it yet."

"When will I know?"

"Thats for you to decide."

I don't know what I said that changed her mind, but when I made breakfast the next morning and she came downstairs in her uniform, her hair was down and curled perfectly. "Look!"

"Look at you." I smiled at her. "You look amazing."

"I know right! Mommy did my hair and let me use her mascara!"

"Oh did she?" My twin sister jogged downstairs and laughed softly. "It looks great! You know what would go with it perfectly?"

"Hm?"

"My lucky bracelet." She pulled her bracelet off and latched it around the younger girls wrist. "Now you look even more fabulous."

"Thanks!"

"Come on, let's eat. Hurry it up Riko!" She sashayed over to me and pulled her braid over one shoulder. "How do I look?"

"Same as always." I shrugged.

"Gee thanks." She rolled her eyes. "It's the first day of Uni and you know I've been stressing about this!"

"I know, I know. You look fine."

"It's the earrings isn't it?" She sighed. "I knew the hoops were too much."

"You look great." I put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be so nervous, your hands will get sweaty."

"I really wish you'd apply. Entries are still open if you want to reconsider. They don't care if you start a bit late."

"I said I'd think about it."

"I know you love being home alone all day and jacking it in your room to B'z, but I promise it'll be fun to get out of your little turtle shell for once!"

"That's not what I do all day."

"I literally don't believe you."

"....okay fine that's what I do all day but-"

"Exactly! Why not at least apply?"

"If I say yes will you back off and stop trying to get your friends to hook up with me?"

"Yes."

"Then yes. Now eat and leave. I need you to drive them to school since mom's at an interview and I now have to go fill out an application form."

"Fine, give me your keys."

"Just take the other car!"

"But I look so much hotter in the front seat of yours!"

"Fine." I grabbed my keys from the counter and shoved them in her hand. "Now go."