Vanity is the silent killer.
No, it doesn't literally kill people, but it does lead humans to do things outside of proper morals. Consequences of this characteristic include low self-esteem, self harm, and, in extreme cases, death.
As a stare at myself in the mirror, I can't help but notice the extra fat in my thighs that I've worked hard to reduce. My nose is too pointy, my eyebrows are too thick, and my cheeks are too chubby. No amount of makeup can take these problems away, though I have most definitely attempted to.
I check my watch. Three minutes until I need to leave, which means I'm running way behind schedule.
Breathe, Becca. Breathe.
I take one last look in the mirror and then grab my bag, dashing out of my bedroom and down the stairs. No time for breakfast today. Not like I need it, anyways. A thigh gap is much more important to me than nutella on toast.
As I walk out to my car, I notice my neighbor across the street shuffling to his mailbox. Old Mr. Hewitt has been a widower for five years, though it seems like he's aged twenty since his lovely Marsha passed away. It hurts my heart to know he's all alone now, but I quickly push that feeling away. This isn't the time to be feeling things. School starts in thirty minutes.
I lower myself into my car and start the engine. Mr. Hewitt waves at me as I pass, and it's all I can do to keep on my icy facade. It's not safe, Becca. Keep your face on.
I make it to school in record time, arriving ten minutes before the bell. The library is my target as I rush into the warm building, but I'm distracted by a scene down the hall.
There's a boy, around my age, easily towering over most of the crowd. His face is sharp and rugged, as if he was forced to grow up too fast. Though he isn't model-material, there is no denying his good looks. The boy is looking at his opponent with an angry expression that does little to marr his features. I would have stared longer, if the opposing boy hadn't walked into view.
It's Bradley.
I quickly deflect my gaze and rush on to my safe haven. There's no way I can deal with him right now. I know he's probably cheating on me, so at this point, I'm really only using him for the popularity. There's no need for me to actually make an effort to spend time with him anymore, and I don't want to.
Poor newcomer, though. I would dread having to live through the initiation phase at school, especially during my Senior year. I bet he won't even last a week before Bradley has either brought him over to the dark side or cast him out with the other misfits. It all depends on how much of his life he is willing to give up in order to become something he's not.
We all had to go through this phase at one point during our high school careers, and I can't honestly say that I came out a winner. Sure, now I'm popular and the subject of many girls' jealousy, but I'm dead under all of my beauty. Weren't we always told that "it's what's on the inside that counts"?
Like I said, vanity kills.
