You know the drill. This is John-SP150's fault. And I wanted to mess around with Esther a bit, since no one's ever really developed her all that much. This won't get many reviews, I know. But there's no harm in trying, right?

Don't own. Matt and Trey do



Esther stands in front of her mirror. Until recently she loved that mirror: the antique Venetian glass, reflecting back to her the things that she loves. Paint brushes, charcoal, willow sticks, the photos and memories still living on her wall. She used to look in that mirror and be proud of what she had. She never cared what state of smudgy disarray her face and hands were in. If she could start making something from scratch, and end up with something beautiful, then who cared about the in between stages, right?

Then the girls talked. Started saying she should take better care of herself, try something new with her hair, wear earrings bought from Hollister, and not made herself with beads, charms , and silver wire. Maybe lose a pound or two, they said. Not that there's anything wrong with being a size 8. Of course not. But all the best places only carry sizes 1,3 and 5, and it's such a shame that all our stuff's just that tad bit too small for you, isn't it, Esther?

That was a month ago. Now, I watch her from her doorframe as she looks at herself again. Her face is thinner and paler, making her eyes look huge and slightly haunted. She bites her lips, and keeps her hands that were always so busy making something into the pockets of her jeans. They don't do much now. A waste really. Kevin's worrying about her, he keeps saying. She won't listen to him though. So he wants me to try. But what do I say?

I push the door open. It feels heavy in my hands.

"Uh...Es?"

She turns to me, with those hurt eyes and a smile that's not her own,

"Am I pretty now, Brad?"

I say nothing. Just hold out my arms, and let her fall into them. She curls into my shoulder, and for a minute, I know what she sees in the mirror makes her happy like she used to be.