I'm Beautiful, it's true

“I wish I was beautiful,” she pouted, twirling her Barbie doll in her hand. “Like you.”

Poof. When she woke up the next morning, there was no flab on her thighs. Long, long legs, feet arched. She dashed out of bed, braked in front of the mirror. Long golden hair dazzled her eyes. Her waist, thin and bendable like a reed. She froze, ecstatic at the change, and her smile stayed frozen.

Barbie girl tip-toed out the door, nauseous from the smell of sausages and baked beans in her mother’s kitchen. She needed to shop. Get smart. Get sexy before her friends woke to discover this dream girl. Her cheeks ached now from the constant smile, but she couldn’t take it off. Her feet hurt from being constantly arched, but she couldn’t flatten them. Shop, shop shop. Oh all that pain was so worth it. Guys were giving her the look. Her arms were overflowing with shopping bags. 

Her friends met her at the front of the mall. Their jaws dropped. They were happy for her, so she wanted to believe. They stopped for a frappuccino.  She still had her frozen smile on. That gorgeous guy asked her out, she shook her golden mane and smiled her smile. 

It was all very well, but she couldn’t speak. Damn, her back was breaking, arched the way it was. She just kept smiling. But she wanted to scream. So she played up a little. Could someone just give her feet a rub? Could they massage her back? They stared at her, incredulously. They were going to the gig later. They didn’t ask her. When she followed, with her shopping bags and big blonde hair, they chucked her in the bin.

Hello, called a weary voice in the murky darkness. It’s nice to have company at last.

She looked around, amidst the candy wrappers and rotting banana peels. And there she was, wretched and broken. Her blue top in tatters, the red bow askew. Her yellow skirt gone.

What happened to you? She asked. 

I cheated on seven boyfriends, she said. They took revenge on me. Be careful what you wish for.

Barbie girl sighed and fished out a dress from her shopping bag. You’ll need this for when the bin man comes, she said.