Me In My Reflection

• Emma Lambert, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Lily-Anna’s hair was pulled back into a tight wet ponytail, with no bumps in sight. Her bikinis matched the setting sun falling behind her. With long tanned legs and full-on makeup smeared on her face, she looked as if she was ready to step out on the rolling red carpet. The glistening sparkles of the pool reflected her soft coffee brown sunglasses. I looked down at my bathers. A one-piece bathing suit that was hot pink with a half-faded elephant printed on the front. My skin was whiter than ever, not a single inch of me was tanned.
Looking into her eyes brought back bad memories of my past school term. “Stop trying to fit in. Don’t you understand Aubrey, you will never fit in!” The words ran around my head making me dizzy. A pain rushed through me, cueing my tears to run down the side of my face. But as much as I hate to say it, she was right. No one liked the way my hair looked like Dora the explorer, or how my back was slouched when I walked, or how my glasses were big and round and covered most of my face.
I was a dork, and I always will be.
I turned my attention to other people screaming and giggling with their friends. I longed to feel like that. I dangled my feet in the water looking at my reflection. As I study my reflection, someone comes and sits right next to me. The girl’s blonde hair was messily tied up off her face and her blue bathers had unicorns printed on the front. She turned her head towards me and smiled. As she smiled her shiny blue braces came into sight.
“Feeling left out?” she asked. I nodded back not wanting to talk about it. “I felt like that at my old school, some kids can be mean.”
“Tell me about it!” I replied as she turned to face me.
She held my hand in hers. “Sometimes in life people are mean to you and put you down because they are jealous of you or because they think it's a cool thing to do. We just have to ignore those people and start living our lives. People who get bullied are often the ones that succeed in life, because they’re brave enough not to be just like everyone else. We need to remember that - I know at times it’s hard to believe, but it’s true!”
She was right, I can’t let bullies push me around. I’m my own person and I can control who I am and what I do!
“Thanks, I needed to hear that!” I smiled at her as she pulled me into a hug. As we let go, she disappears. All that was left was colourful glitter that swayed in the air.
I looked back at Lily-Anna, I knew it was time to step up and focus on myself. Lily has no chance of bringing me down!