People tell her she's pretty but she isn't sure if she can believe them. When did this girl lose her confidence which she needs so much?
Demi looked into the mirror as she tried not to cry. Life wasn't supposed to be like this. Life was supposed to be about living out your dreams and being happy, not this. She glances quickly at the room that has her scale hidden, scared to get on and know the number. It's deep, buried in the back of her closet.
She could do this, being strong. Hiding beneath everything when it's all wrong. She gasps. She looks back in the mirror, in the corner, because she'd never look at herself, and is surprised at what she sees. "Joe? Why are you here?" And just like that her chocolate brown eyes turn black. Her arms cross her frail body.
"What's going on with you?" he asks. He tries not to stare, knowing it will make her feel uncomfortable, but he can't help it. This isn't the girl he knows. With her hollowed face, dull and lifeless eyes, she's a shell of herself. She's not the happy go-lucky, full of life girl that he knows. She irrevocably broken.
"Nothing," she whispers. "I'm fine." Joe shakes his head. She could shut the whole world out, including herself. Demi starts to apply her make-up for the day and he stares. Not even make-up could make her beautiful…because real beauty comes from loving yourself and that's something she could never do.
"Let's forgo the make-up today, Dems," he says as he tries to pry the brush from her hands.
"No!" she almost screams. "No, Joe. We aren't together anymore. You can't dictate what I wear and if I wear make-up. No!"
"Demi!" he yells. He's frustrated, upset, both with her and himself for letting her get like
this. She's a mess.
"No. Do you think its easy being me? Do you think its easy putting on the act that I do everyday? I smile when all I want to do is cry. I laugh when all I want to do is die. I want to tell everyone how my world falls apart each night when I am laying in bed with tears in my eyes, pleading to God to help me. I want to let everyone know what it is like to be me, pretending to be happy…pretending to like myself. If it was up to me, I wouldn't be pretending, I would actually be happy. But it's not. It's not up to me anymore," she cries as she sinks down onto the floor. She's mad at herself for letting this out, for telling him. A strong girl keeps her shit in line, and with tears running down her face, she still manages to whisper the simple words "I'm Fine." But she's not strong. She's weak.
Joe stands there in shock. He's awed. How could wonder girl have fears and insecurities? Unsure he gets down, looks her in the eye, and says the three words she's grown so accustomed to being able to provide the perfect answer for, "Are you okay?"
She smiles tightly. It's fake, he can tell, but she tries. Her act isn't going away. "I'm fine. Even Sleeping Beauty has nightmares sometimes, Joe."
She may seem so perfect but behind it all, she's just an accident waiting to happen. He knows it too. Tears come to his eyes as he croaks, "We're going to get you help, Dem. You're going to be alright."
The broken girl nods. She finally lets go of her fake smile and the tears slowly roll down her face as she whispers, "I don't want to be me."