Mirror, Mirror on your wall, starring back at you like eyes that fall. Who is the ugliest one of all?

Watching your reflection in the mirror you could see what others saw. Too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too pale, too dark, and everything in between. Everything you read from the fan sights said ‘too’, you were beginning to hate that word. How can something be ‘too’? Your train of thought began to wonder into the night ahead.

What would my friends think? Am I too dressed, too under dressed?

Sighing with defeat you grabbed a white jean jacket over your long beach dress that hit you around your toes. Slipping on sandals you looked at your appearance.

Everything was covered up, every imperfection that I could cover up I did.

You heard a knock on the door as you skipped down your stairs holding the front part of your dress up as your feet danced with each step as you made your way to the front door.

"Mom, Dad. I am going out with Changmin be home before ten!" You called to your parents as your mom responded back as you closed the door. Changmin just froze at your appearance.

"What?" You looked back at him self conscious of yourself. 

"Aren’t you a little covered? I mean it is a little warm out, it is summer after all." He let out a muffled chuckle as you looked at your outfit. The thoughts of everyone’s comments came back.

"What’s wrong with being covered?" You said sadly

"Nothing, I was just thinking that you might get warm with all of that on." Changmin tried to not make you upset, "But I think it looks really great on you." His hand slid into yours as you two walked to the beach that was only a couple of blocks away. His friends were having a bonfire and invited you, his girlfriend to accompany him. 

Making your way onto the beach you slid off your sandals as you held them in your free hand while Changmin held your other hand. He lead you over to a group of his friends as he talked for a while. Standing there awkwardly as he finished. Making his way to another group of friends you excused yourself to get a drink as he talked with his friends. Sitting on the beach you watched the waves lap up onto the shore as they took small grains of sand with them to freedom. Sipping your water the moon reflected in the crystal clear water as Changmin sat beside you.

"Aren’t you hot in that?" He looped his finger on your jacket as you shook your head looking down at the multicolored sand. "Hey what’s wrong you seem to be sad and distant from everyone." His saddened tone made you feel worse.

"What do you think of me?" You said as your thoughts gently thought up the worst case scenario. 

"What do you mean? There are so many things that I could talk about. I could go on for days." He smiled as he pushed your fallen hair behind your ear.

"What do you think of me? Like am I too tall or too short?" You played with the ribbing on the water bottle top not wanting to see his expression. 

"Have you ever heard of the story of the little ducking?" He asked as you nodded your head, hearing it one too many times. "You know how the duckling becomes beautiful in the end, well the duckling had to go through several trials being called ugly, pushed away, and humiliated before he got changed and everyone else was jealous because of the beauty he had not just outer beauty but inner beauty and confidence in himself." His arm wrapped around you as he gently pulled you into his shoulder, "Don’t listen to what other people think of you or what you see in the mirror. You need to believe in yourself and smile. A smile is the most beautiful thing a person has to offer, no matter how different your smile it from others it is special to you." He kissed your head gently, "I wouldn’t want to change anything about you or your smile."