“Amirah please clean your room! Haven’t you seen how organised Alisha’s room is? You don’t live like a human who has any sense of her surroundings,” Amirah’s mum said furiously.

“Mum, I will clean it some other time. Let me watch this show, this is my favourite,” said Amirah while completely ignoring her mother.

“Excuse me! Young lady, don’t you know how to talk with your mum. When I was your age I couldn’t even dare to talk with my mum like this!” her mum said.

“Mum, you were born in 1970s and I am born in 2009, there is a huge difference,” replied Amirah.

“I don’t care about the gap, it’s the respect. Now listen to me, I am giving you 10 minutes to get up and start cleaning your room,” said Amirah’s mum.

“Okay fine, mum!” said Amirah quite rudely.

Amirah got up and started picking up the mess from around her room. After sometime, the doorbell of their house rung. It was Amirah’s best friend Maria. Maria was a spoilt kid and she was allowed to do whatever she wanted and nobody ever questioned her.

“Hi! Bestie! how are you? OMG! Is it you Amirah? For a minute I thought that I was seeing a hairy monster. Look at yourself girl! What have you turned into and don’t you use any creams or makeup to cover all these dark circles and blemishes?” Maria said while holding Amirah’s arms and looking pitifully at her.

“What’s wrong with me? And by the way, I am just 12 years old. Am I crazy that I would apply makeup, and plus I am not even allowed,” said Amirah.

“But girl you need serious waxing, you look like a bear!” said Maria while laughing.

“What? Am I looking that hideous?” asked Amirah while looking at herself in the mirror.

“Of course! don’t you trust me?” asked Maria.

“No dear, it’s not that. I trust you more than I trust myself.”

The girls talked about a lot of stuff and had fun. Then Maria left for her house, leaving Amirah in her thoughts about being ugly.

Days passed and Amirah secretly started searching for creams and lotions that could hide her dark circles and pimples. She started noticing a lot of things about herself now. She saw hair on arms and remembered Maria had none. She looked at her blemishes, she noticed dark circles but then she thought why nobody ever pointed out her imperfection before? Why no one ever said that she was so ugly and she should cover her pimples and dark circles? She had no answer, but she was now gathering courage to ask her mum to take her to the salon.

“Mum, I wanted to ask if you could take me to the salon for a little makeover,” she asked hesitantly to her mom.

“Why? What happened? Why do you need a makeover?” asked mom.

“I know you are just saying it to make me feel better, but I know I am not. Maria said I should apply makeup and beauty creams to hide my dark circles and I also need waxing,” said Amirah sadly.

“Oh my God! Now listen to me dear Amirah, if Maria is telling you that you are ugly, do you seriously believe it? Do you really think she is your true friend? Let me tell you, she is not. She shouldn’t be called even a friend, because friends don’t discourage and hurt in anyway.

“Every human is beautiful in their own ways. Always remember that there will be dozens of people who will tell you that you are not pretty in several ways, are you going to be sad every time you hear someone tell you that and go for a makeover? Will you go and buy clothes according to others taste and preferences?

“No dear, you just need to remember that no matter what others say, you know you are pretty. Besides, look at the positive side rather than cry due to a single person’s hate remarks. Be happy of having dozens of people who truly loves you,” said Amirah’s mum.

“And yes, remember you are too young for cosmetics. When you grow up, you can start having a little makeup according to your age, but not at this age!”

Amirah became thoughtful at what her mother said and realised that she was right. One person’s remarks should not alter the way she thought about herself.

“Thanks mum! I actually never thought of it that way,” said Amirah.

“That’s the only reason I call you, a fool!” her mum said while laughing.

“Oh okay! I must accept that for the first time ever, I agree with you, mum! Thank you for being so nice to me and sorry for being rude sometimes,” said Amirah while leaning on to her mother’s shoulder smiling.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 3rd, 2022