Alice's POV:
16 is a good age.
14 was bad... that's when I had my...
My incident.
Which Taryn never has to know about.
But I'm 16 now, finally. I've stopped popping my acne, I've embraced the vitiligo that spreads from a patch on my forehead around my eyes, even paler than my regular skin. I've stopped bleaching my hair blonde and let my natural strawberry blonde grow through.
Life was hard for a while. But I reached out, my parents sent me to speak to someone. I met my boyfriend Daniel, I... I didn't tell Taryn.
Taryn. The single most important person in my life.
I used to feel like a swimming duck, like I had a broken foot. Like this was pointless, like nothing was worth it. But now I'm better. I'm better, I'm happy now.
Apart from one secret. But that's not coming out yet. That doesn't need to be told. After all, secrets aren't really secrets if I tell people. And I can ignore it, I can pretend it isn't me. Because it's not me, I'm not like that. I'll get over it.
Because right now, I need to be strong Alice. I can't let them down again. I need to ignore the pain and ignore the frustration. Because Alice isn't crazy anymore. Alice is fine.
I mean, sure, keeping this secret in is probably restricting my life, making it harder to live normally. But it's okay. Because I'm better now. I'm fine now. I'm sane Alice, good Alice. Perfect Alice, with the good grades and the long French braids.
I can't be that Alice, I'm not that Alice. I'm happy.
YOU ARE READING
Swimming Ducks
General FictionAlice and Taryn have been best friends since they first joined Eastcroft Grammar at 11 years old. But when Taryn begins to think a little too much about her best friend, and Alice seems to be growing close to her every day, will the friendship crumb...
