I was dead, it was as if I didn’t sleep at all last night. Every time I wake up I’m so tired I can’t even think. “I feel different,” I thought as I forced myself to get up for once. 

“Alexa play 2000 hits playlist”, I weirdly yelled. 

California Girls starts playing.

I was directed to my closet as I was moving with the music. The weekend is finally here. I can’t wait to stay at home dancing all night. Yes, I might be eighteen but I don’t like going out. I was about to do my usual mirror concert when…. I was too stunned to speak. Who is that? This is not me. Who am I? What? What’s happening? I started to take a close look in my full-length mirror. Sure, my body looks the same, but my face. My face was unreal. I looked so beautiful. I looked like a model. I started crying. Sure it was kind of like my face. But it was not me. Does this mean I will have people’s attention now? Ewww. But like, what is happening. Is this like a movie or something? I for sure am dreaming. I know. 

I ran to my door so fast, I smacked my whole body and hit the ground immediately. Nope. Not a dream. I was going to stay home, tell my mom I was sick. It was impossible, the math competition audition was today. I can’t believe now that I’m a senior I can audition. This has been my dream since I was a child.

As I walked out of my room, scared that my family would notice this weird event, my sister ignored me. Why would she do that if I look like a supermodel? Maybe she is jealous. I will keep this a secret and if I don’t say anything people will not ask, because it is weird. Maybe they don’t even recognize me. 

The whole time I felt golden, I just can’t explain why. As I walked into the kitchen hoping for this huge reaction from my parents. What am I going to tell them?

“Morning sweetheart”, my dad said, as he vigorously read the newspaper. 

“Morning dad,” I said. Wait, my voice is different. It sounds sexier. 

Nobody said a word. They didn’t care. Why don’t they care? I was anxiously driving to school. I guess my Mercedes now matches how fabulous I look. I pulled into the parking lot. Didn’t bother to get the car between the lines. After all, I’m gorgeous now. I walked down the aisle, people stared at me, but they always did. Never understood why. As I walk through THE lockers. You might ask why THE. This is the area where popular kids have their lockers. I always feel intimidated in this location. Spencer was totally looking at me, we made eye contact for a second. I zoned out. My mind was wiped out. The day of my 8th birthday flashed through my brain. How Spencer told everyone I peed my pants. Laughs, giggles, disgusting looks. 

BANG!

“Oh God, are you okay?”

Yup, I recognize this voice, Gabriel. The love of my life. I tried opening my eyes, pitch-black was all I could see. Color and forms started to form. This unique and beautiful green was taking all my attention. His eyes. Gabriel has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. We were dating in the past. I mean… kind of. We were like 6. It was true love. I remember him bringing me flowers he picked up from the school's playground. 

“Stella” he worriedly asked, “Stella can you hear me?”

“I’m sorry, yes I’m okay I promise” I was freaking out. 

I never understood what happened. After dating we were great friends, in 7th grade, he suddenly started hating me. He dated Spencer for a while. He is single now. He is the most popular kid in school. 

“Let’s go to class together,” he insisted.

We started talking about us. The past. I was so confused. Spencer told him I hated him, that’s why he stopped talking to me. 

“You look beautiful by the way,” he told me as he reached his seat. 

All my friends were in the corner, looking at me so confused. I ran to them. When I saw their faces I knew they were confused by my appearance. 

“I know right,” I said excitedly, “who even is she? Right”.

“Yes, you finally talked to Gabriel,” Roonie said, “you love him, he loves you, this is beautiful”.

“What are you talking about? Don’t you see something different in me?” I was really concerned, why is nobody saying anything about what happened this morning. 

“The only different thing about you is your sparkling eyes” she kept going,” obviously because you finally talked to him”.

I told them everything, how confused I was, and of course what happened with Gabriel. But that was not the point. The point was how stunning I looked, and how it was magic. I’ve never seen faces like those before. So confused. 

“Stella, you are the most beautiful girl from school,” they said, “you’ve always been”.

That was not true at all. The look on my face told them everything. Ronnie remembered something. She remembered how in 7th grade Spencer started to tell everyone that Stella hated them, for them to stop talking to her. How they accepted her as a friend when nobody wanted her. How Spencer was so jealous of her that she ended her.

 Stella was too stunned to speak. She wasted all these years feeling ugly and boring all because of rumors. She felt betrayed by herself. She immediately swooped into the seat next to Gabriel. They talked all class. And the whole weekend, and next week, and suddenly there she was. Stella living her best life, with her true friends and most importantly her true love Gabriel.