Note: In the story below the protagonist, Harriet, is 18. Her sister, Michelle, is 21.
I cancelled again. I've made an excuse not to attend my sister's 21st birthday party. It's not right I know, but has to be done. I look too awful. I'm fat. In the mirror my breasts are small, my belly is huge, my thighs are barely visible due to cellulite. My face has puffed like those fish, and I'm not even special enough to have their spikes!
So I'm going to sit this one out. Again I'll stay in my room, watch some Tiktok - maybe subscribe to a new streaming service and see what's on, do some makeup and pretend I'm pretty. My life is often like this. It's boring, I don't go out. My friends, such as they are, live in my phone. It would all be different if I was my sister. She got the looks, the radiance, and the personality. I got the mopey brain that sabotages any initiative or passion I come up with.
Her last birthday I really tried to go to it. I got dressed up and ready. Then the voice said you're too ugly, you'll be laughed at, no one will want to talk to you. So I messaged a picture of an old covid test and got out of it. This year I've at least done the polite thing and not given anyone false hope.
It gets to 11pm, and I've at least made a decision. I've signed up to Amazon Prime instead of Disney+. I couldn't decide on what to watch, I spent all my time browsing, but at least I determined which service has a better catalogue. Then I receive a message from Michelle, my sister: "we're coming back early. Stay in your room xxx". Like I ever go out of my room. But it seems they've got some dumb plan to cheer me up. I don't want it. I might decide on what to watch before they come back, and that's the worst possible time to be interrupted.
A few minutes later, I hear the front door open and people come in. Must be my sister. Another message: "we're back, soon you'll meet Jack." Who's he? Why is Michelle setting me up with someone? I've told her, I'm aromantic, I don't go with boys or girls. I like my independence. My romantic life is the romance of being alone, not happily alone but secure on my own. Where I know my heart and my heart keeps to its own.