Mirror, Mirror

The boy stares at the mirror, not moving a muscle, barely blinking. All is quiet but for the faint sound of his breathing. He is alone, but all the same, he is not alone.

He tilts his head slightly, examining himself in the mirror. He touches his cheek, frowning at the traces of baby fat remaining on his cheeks. He turns his chin down slightly, touching the slight double chin that forms. He pinches his stomach, wincing at the skin and fat between his stomach. He pokes his thigh, wrinkling his nose at the way the fat jiggles. He turns his head up to face himself in the mirror.

His lip curls in disgust.

“You’re disgusting,” he whispers to his reflection. The sound ripples through the silence, echoing in his ears. Disgusting freak. Disgusting brat. Why do I have you as a son?

“You’re ugly.” Ugly freak. Ugly brat. How is he that handsome boy’s brother?

“You’re fat.” Fat cheeks. Too fat. Stop eating, fatty.

“You’re stupid.” Stupid student. Stupid friend. Shame his little brother isn’t smart like him.

“No one loves you.” Who’d love you? Why would anyone love you? How?

“You’re a disappointment.” Look at your brother. What are you, compared to him?

“You’re worthless.” Disappointment. Failure. Worthless.

Crack.

The boy pants softly, staring at the mirror in front of him. He ignores the pain pulsing in his hand. He punches the mirror again. Crack. Again. Crack. Again. Crack.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

He glares at the mirror, now decorated by a spiderweb of cracks. His face twists.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Shards of glass litter the floor at his feet. Blood drips onto the shards, and his knuckles have bloomed into red-tipped violets. He closes his eyes, and his hurt seeps out between his eyelashes and roll down his cheeks. He wipes them away angrily, but despite all his efforts, he can’t wipe the hurt from his heart.

He leans down and picks up the shards, ignoring the pain shooting through his hand. He delicately fits the shards back into the mirror, ignoring the miniscule pieces at his feet. He smiles bitterly at his mirror, fractured and broken. His reflection grimaces back, shattered and distorted and hideous.

Sometimes the truth hurts more than a lie

When you hear it from someone that you least expect.