Not Just a Little Girl

Chapter 1

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Alexa groaned and opened her eyes. Why did school have to start so early? Still half-asleep, she hit the power button on her alarm clock, causing the red 5:30 to disappear from the screen.

Alexa dragged herself out of bed and to the bathroom. As she turned on the light, her life flashed before her eyes.

"Ahhhh! It' s too bright!" she exclaimed, turning away until she could see normally again. Why does this always happen to me? she thought, splashing cool water on her face.

After Alexa was done with the bathroom, she went back to her room to get ready. She walked over to her closet and started throwing clothes everywhere.

"Nope...nope...nope...not this one...or this one...or this one...definitely not this one..." At last, after 15 minutes, Alexa decided on a forest green crop top and high-waisted blue jeans. She took off her sleepwear and exchanged it for the aforementioned outfit, looking in the mirror when she was done.

"Ugh, this doesn't look right," Alexa muttered, turning her body to get a better look. "Great, now I have to change again!"

Alexa went black to her closet, and after much deliberation, she chose a crimson, off-the-shoulder blouse and ripped skinny jeans. Much better. After changing again, she walked over to her dresser to fix the train wreck that is her hair. As she was brushing her long, chocolate colored hair, she came across a huge knot.

"OW! I hate this stupid hair!" she cried out, getting more and more frustrated by the minute. Finally, Alexa got the knot out of her hair, and finished brushing it. She grabbed her curling iron, sat down, and got to work.

30 minutes later, Alexa finished up her hair by using various products, including coconut oil and a homemade blend designed to harmlessly highlight her hair. Afterwards, she got out her moisturizer and rubbed some on her hands and face. Alexa grabbed her makeup bag and started the precise, time-consuming process.

As she put the finishing touches on her lips, a clear gloss, her phone buzzed. She grabbed it and looked at the notification.

Claire💖🐶🌸: you coming?

Claire! She forgot about Claire! Every day, Alexa meets her two besties, Claire and Lindsey, at the drugstore near their houses at 7:30. But if i got this text from Claire, she thought, that means it must be...

"...7:30! Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh, I'm late, so late!" Alexa grabbed a black choker and put it on. She ran to her closet and wore her black ankle boots. She then hobbled back to her dresser and put on silver hoops and bangles. Her shoes were not made for running in. Alexa grabbed her phone and backpack, and, before she left, she looked in her mirror.

Her reflection, with the frizzy brown hair that she spent hundreds of dollars trying to fix, stared back. Her reflection, with the freckles and acne that she spent hours trying to cover up with makeup, stared back. Her reflection, with the tan that she spent weeks trying to perfect over the summer, stared back. Her nails, with the perfectly filed tips that she spent both time and money maintaining, stared back. All this time, and all this money put in to make herself "pretty," and why? To impress some sexist, opinionated boys who think girls have to look a certain way to be considered hot? To impress the media, which plastered the idea of reaching impossible beauty standards in our heads? What was it all for?

Alexa texted Claire back.

Alexa: I'm on my way.