Just Skin Deep

I don't know when I first realised that I was beautiful. I mean all little girls get told that they are beautiful don't they? It's just what people say. 'Oh this is your daughter? She's adorable' it's just polite really and everyone does it. I didn't realise that I actually was beautiful until I was around 13 or 14 years old.

Suddenly I was getting more attention than I could deal with. Grown men of 20 or sometimes even older, would strain their necks to stare at me as I walked by them. Even my school uniform didn't seem to distract them. At times I felt like a famous person. I'm not famous. I've never been famous. But by the time I was 15 I was starting to realise that I was different from other people. I was harassed. Constantly. At times it made me nervous and anxious.

I spent hours on front of the mirror. Just looking at my face and wonder what exactly it was that made everyone else go so crazy about it. I know I look nice, but that's just normal for me. It would be weird if I didn't look like this. But I do. It's my curse.

Men have always gone crazy for me. It's like they have to study hard and do all kinds of shit to be respected and cared about and wanted, but all I have to do is put lipstick on. It's not a bad life.

Admittedly it can be stressful at times though. I attract all men. Not only the ones I want, but the ones that I would never want. They all want me. It can be difficult. I feel so bad when I have to reject someone, but what the Hell, I can't just fuck someone because I feel sorry for him! I know they all want me. But that isn't my fault. I won the genetic lottery. Bite me!

Yesterday though, I was a bit confused. I was out and shopping. I was buying perfume. I love perfume. They say that beautiful women die twice. I wouldn't know! I'm having too much fun right now! I don't think about getting old. I just enjoy the moment.

As usual, I was getting a lot of attention from men and I was just holding my head high and pretending to ignore them and not notice them.

One guy got a little closer. I turned to him and faced him and I realised that he was actually pretty good looking. I raised one eyebrow at him and I asked him if he wanted to come back to mine. Let's hang out together?

He looked horrified.

He took a step backwards and then turned away and just walked away from me. Really quickly.

I mean seriously? What the Fuck? What was up with him? The idiot!

I shrugged it off. There will always be crazy people. And haters. You can't forget the haters! Some people will always hate a beautiful young woman. It makes them jealous. You have something they have never known, or something they could never have. Or sometimes they are just bitter old people who wish they were still young.

I got home. To my apartment. I have servants. I love where I live.

Alice turned up to meet me at the door.

'Oh Charlotte! Where have you been! We were worried!'.

I waved my hand at her. 'Don't be silly!'.

I went to bed. I always did like to take a power nap during the day. Odd though. That the guy I flirted with didn't respond. That never happens normally.

I Woke up again around 4pm. I thought I'd put some make up on and go out on the town. I wasn't feeling too good though. My bones were aching, my joints were hurting. I felt like I had flu or something. I felt weak and feeble.

I forced myself out of bed and went to the mirror. Looking at myself I nearly fell backwards. I didn't see my own reflection in the mirror. There was an ugly old hag there instead.

Well... time to cut down on the drugs...

Seriously, when you start hallucinating then you are probably overdoing the old recreational pharmaceuticals... right?

Alice came up behind me as I reeled in horror at the decrepit old woman in the glass.

'Can you see that!?' I screamed. I pointed at the grotesque creature in the mirror and turned to face Alice. 'Can you SEE that!?'.

Alice smiled and took my arm.

'Back to bed Charlotte'. She said.

'You gave us quite a fright today'.

I heard Janice respond. 'Well she's 82, what do you expect? She's demented'.

Alice replied. 'Don't be mean. I hear she was a bit of a beauty when she was younger'.

This is the end.