After I wash my face and brush my teeth, I look into the mirror more closely. I see a seventeen year old girl with freckles mixed with acne. Bleh. The dark circles under her eyes aren’t too bad. Recently, she’s been sleeping better. Brown-black hair is a crazy mess. Short locks stick out at odd angles. It’s kind of dirty, too. This girl needs a shower, but doesn’t have enough time this morning. Soft pink lips curve up into a contented but sleepy smile at the sight. Her boyfriend likes her hair messy. Her eyebrows aren’t thin lines, but sharp and noticeable angles above her eyes. She likes the way her eyebrows come to a point at the top like her dad’s.

As I pull my dark hair back into tufty pony-tails, I look into the mirror again. I see a seventeen year old girl with a smooth, strong jaw and small, well-rounded ears. Her neck is pale and long, but the black leather collar cuts it short. Her friends are always so surprised to see her long neck when she takes her collar off. She likes her own neck and shoulders and collarbone, but they’re covered mostly by the white uniform shirt and purple sweater. I can catch a glimpse though the open neck. I put on my square glasses. The girl’s brown-green-navy blue ringed eyes are now framed by thin purple metal. I turn off the light and walk out the door. The girl in the mirror walks with me.