Picture Perfect

          I was the girl everyone wanted to be. I had the life a lot of people could only wish for. Was I rich? Not by any means. Was I the most gorgeous girl in the world? I'd like to think I'm pretty, but no. But I was always told I was smart. Classes came easily to me and I was the one everyone came to for help. I graduated near the top of my class with a 4.0 GPA, something some could only dream of.

          I was successful and well liked, but not popular. I got a small glimpse of the popularity spotlight everyone once in a while. I was a dance officer of the drill team for two years, getting to be right in front of the crowd with my hair and make-up done doing something I loved; dancing. For most of my high school career, I was in the band and not to toot my own horn (ha-ha, band puns XD), but I was pretty good at playing and marching.

          Outside of academics and extracurriculars, I was surrounded by mostly good friends who never betrayed me and had a couple of steady boyfriends throughout high school, the latter of which I'm still with and coming up on three years being together. I even had a job my last couple years of high school which I loved; loved the people, loved the experience, loved the work.

          But no one saw the prices I paid for my life. No one saw the nights I cried myself to sleep. No one saw all the times I resisted the urge to eat even though I was hungry, just to keep the figure so many people told me they wished they had. No one could be there to comfort me when my parents divorced because I had to be strong one and convince everyone I was okay and that everything was going to be okay. No one saw the panic attacks and how sick I made myself sometimes trying to keep that 4.0 GPA and live up to everyone's expectations and be able to get into the college I wanted to.

          Now don't get me wrong, my life wasn't all bad by any means! Like I said, I had people around me that loved and supported me. It just always seemed like as soon as I was happy and getting comfortable, something would happen and knock me around again, making me have to start over. But I never let that stop me.

             My name is Emily Raithe, and this was my "Picture Perfect" life.

Author's note: Hey guys! Let me know if this is something y'all would be into reading! And check out my friend's stories under the name AmeryMay111. Thanks!