I’ve been placed on her wall since she was 15. I don’t recognize her anymore, the mid-size teen that once used to put on eyeliner and mascara every day is now an adult who puts on a whole face in the morning. You know I don’t get it, why would she hide behind a façade of make-up? She’s so pretty, doesn’t she like the way she looks? It’s almost as if she wants to become another person. Doesn’t she see the beauty I see?
As she gazes upon her reflection I reveal to her the dark circles under her eyes. She cradles her head in her hands with a cupping motion and begins to caress her skin as if it would somehow reverse the inevitable wrinkles that had formed around her mouth. Her curtains are pulled back with a light blue ribbon, allowing the rays of the sun to gleam inside her room. The sun begins to appear in a beam of light reflecting upon my shiny surface, glistening upon her brown, iridescent eyes. She flinches with the beam of light and continues to apply red lipstick to her freckled lips. I can’t help but ponder the idea that her eyes once sparkled with youth and excitement, but now as I look intently into them they say something different. They shimmer and twinkle with wisdom, hiding secrets of life’s experiences.
She reflects so much beauty within her, only to be exposed to it when I show her the true image of her appearance. I bare the truth of her inner soul, reflecting it to her as what I see as endearing wrinkles and dark circles that bare the marvels she has witnessed in her lifetime. If one stared at her for too long the numerous constellations one could form with the freckles upon her face I would end up with a masterpiece of the night sky. Her body is a never-ending tale of perfection. Curves that one would envision on an hourglass vase where the sunflowers perched inside would resemble the splendor of her golden cascading hair.
She exhales, leaving a circle of condensation that only lingers until fading completely and I can no longer breathe her in. Her breath smells like sweet summer nights when the moon hangs high in the sky illuminating the night like an ever-glowing orb of light creating a sense of magic in the air, to me she is magic. She is an electrifying vision that mesmerizes me every time. I love her and all I can do is admire her as I remain hung up on her closet door showing her reflections.
Erica Escobar is currently a senior at CCSU. Where she majors in Strategic Communications with a minor in Writing & Publishing. At CCSU she’s a Non-fiction reader for the Helix Literary Magazine. At her previous college, Capital Community College, she was the editor in chief for the student news club. This gave her the opportunity to gain experience as a newscaster as well as directing and producing a student news club. Outside of school, Erica works as an after-school Supervisor for New Britain Parks & Rec. In her free time, she loves to read Non-fiction books and spend countless hours on creative projects. One of the highlights of her year was when she adopted her puppy, Luna Mae. Erica aspires to one day combine her passion for traveling and writing to make a successful career out of it.
