After a long day, I got back home from college with a new mirror I bought from a small vintage store with my friends during my after-college hours. Finding the perfect spot for it hanging it up I look at myself in it for a second and find something off with the air around me. Brushing it off I make my way to take a shower. While doing so many thoughts start to linger in my mind "Would I be appreciated enough if I don't put up this facade? Will I be valued less without the perfect mask on like I have my life put together? And what if the mask wears off, will I end up alone? "What I do know is that the shower is the best place for having thoughts like this and letting down the wall I build every morning.

Stepping out of the shower I get changed and at the corner of my eye, I see something like a shadow for a second, blinking once to see clear I see nothing. Probably my mind making tricks on me again. I snuggle up into bed and doze off as the moonlight starts to creep in through my window into a peaceful slumber.

Waking up as the sun rises I feel the environment change just the way it was when I saw my reflection in the new mirror. Looking at myself in it I huff and plaster a smile on my face and make my way to college.

Reaching I approach my friends seeing them and notice they're not as excited to see me as they usually are "Something going on"i ask and the only response I get is ignorance making me feel awful.

"so you guys wanna go to a spa together?"

The response I receive in return is "Who'd wanna go out with someone like you? go away" Wow that hurt

Sighing to myself I just make my way inside. As I head over to my class through the corridors I feel other students' eyes on me and whispers among them making me feel worse like I'm living my worst nightmare of being an outsider again like I did in my childhood. Quietly I just head into class and take my seat but not able to focus always drifting back to how people saw me today.

During lunch break, I took my lunch seeing the table with my friends in it along with a new girl.?

As I see no space for me I make my way out to the benches and have lunch there.

Heading back in still feeling awful about my day I put away the lunch tray and go to change for cheerleading changing into my outfit. Once done I head out to the girls and see them practice already without me and the new girl replacing me. what in the world?? she just came today being her first day and in cheer already?

" Hey girls !! I'm here for practice now !! then I see all those looks of, no one wants you here leaving me there as they continue practicing. Looking at them I just give up looking down my heart hurting. I spot my boyfriend on the ground practicing. Smiling I go up to him seeing him come to me.

"Baby Heyyy" I lean in to kiss him but don't see him do the same. Then I hear him say he's breaking up with me freezing in place. He to lost his love for me?

What really hurt me is not even that but when I see him go up to the new girl and kiss her. That's when I really lost it.

I just ran from there needing time for myself tearing up feeling my chest hurt and headed to the bathroom going in I let my tears out "Gosh I hate myself "

Calming down as I was about to step out I saw the new girl in front of the mirror with my reflection in it. Weird. Keeping myself hidden I hear her say that she's going to make me feel like this and make me suffer the rest of my life since I hate being alone and turn my life into a nightmare.

I step out as she leaves and see myself in it and realize all of this might have started when I saw myself in the new mirror I brought getting the same feeling as her and the mirror. Make me suffer by my own fear, think not because you know what? I'll embrace it and enjoy life on my own

Fixing myself and taking a deep breath I decide to be myself never be someone else. I go out and pay no mind to what others are saying about me or my looks. What's the worst thing that will happen to hang out by yourself?

I just go about my day and smile at a few students and the new girl. As she sees me in this happy state, by myself and being myself I see she has a different look on her face. By the end of college with everyone gone with just her and I left I saw her walk away patting my shoulder and fade off into the forest.

As I watch her an actual smile creeps up my face seeing a message from my friends asking if I want to hang out with them and head over to them.

"I know you may feel out of you're element but you will find your people and love you for being who you are without needing to please."

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