Erika (ON HOLD)

Prologue

*ding ding ding*

That's the school bell signaling us it's time to get to class. I grab my books, and make my way over to my classroom.

Where I live, you are required to attend school until you turn 21. I only have one more year to go.

My name is Erika, and today is my twentieth birthday. I was more than ready to get out of school. Everyday I was tormented  and made fun of. I can't wait to get out of here.

As I walk to my science class, everyone stops stares and whispers. I'm used to it. Everywhere I go, people look and talk. Just as I was about to enter my classroom, one of the "popular" girls stopped me.

"What do you want?" I asked her, annoyed. "I can't come and talk to a friend?" she said. "We aren't friends." I told her. "Thank God we aren't." she said laughing. "I wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with you. Go get a new face, then we can talk." she added.

I rolled my eyes at her, then walked away. I was used to comments like this, because according to my government, I was "too beautiful". Where I live, only royalty have the right to be beautiful. I was forced to wear a mask to cover up my beauty.

It hasn't always been like this, though. Children don't have to wear masks, for the hope that they will grow up and loose their beauty. When someone turns ten years old, they are required to be examined. You went into a room in an unfamiliar building, and sat while someone examined your physical features.

The person who examined me thought I was too beautiful, and told me I would have to wear a mask. I am the only one in our village that has to wear one. Everyone else is allowed to walk around without a mask.

It was illegal to own or wear any makeup of any kind. Makeup was used to make you look beautiful, and they didn't want that. If you were considered beautiful, there were options of things you could do to get rid of your good looks. You could have surgery to turn your features from normal, to odd. Like for instance, someone with a button nose might get surgery to make their nose bigger and awkward.

There was also something they called "the aging pill". This pill caused premature wrinkles and unsightly moles. However, you could still see someone's beauty under all of those wrinkles and moles. 

I decided not to have anything done, in hopes that one day beauty won't be illegal. To me, beauty is a gift, not a right.

I made it to my science class just before the late bell rang. I sat down at my desk, and didn't talk or make eye contact with anyone. "Alright everyone. Let's get started, shall we?" Said Mrs.quinee, the science teacher.

Just before she started talking, we heard trumpets blast from outside. We all looked out the window and saw a carriage drive by. The royal family was here, and they had an announcement to make.

Everyone got out of their seats, and made their way towards the towns square.