Maisie couldn't believe it.
She tilted her head left and right, making sure that the reflection mirrored her movements.
Her features were soft and girly, her lips plump and luscious, her nose as cute as a button and her eyes big and round.
The once dirty blonde hair that covered her head was now a glossy, long, raven black with not a single split end in sight. Her bangs weren't oily either and they didn't stab her eyes.
Makeup containers, face and hair products littered the bathroom counter.
She bit her lip as the corners of her mouth turned upward.
Her thumb flew up to her lips, which parted slightly to allow her to gently bite down on it as she contemplated.
Even without any makeup on, she was drop dead beautiful. Now that she had a proper 'canvas', maybe she should try the makeup she'd try to do before…before she was beautiful.
Maisie tapped her index fingers together before looking through the containers.
Top brands. Quality. Every color you could imagine and EXTREMELY soft makeup brushes.
She hadn't just had a glow up after a bad dream, she was in someone else's BODY, someone else's LIFE!
Now was her chance to start over, to start new and become the person that she really wanted to be.
Maisie bent down to stare at all of the skin care products at eye level, dragging her perfectly manicured nails along them labels as she read them.
"Heehee, even her nails are so pretty~" Maisie thought as she took a moment to appreciate them.
They were pastel purple and pink, like the sunset, with little white clouds on them and glittery stars.
"I wonder if she made a wish too?"
After one more moment of contemplation, she resumed her investigation of the woman's products.
Once her skin was prepped, she pumped some product onto a makeup sponge and got to work.
It had been a while since she'd watched the video tutorial on how to do the look she was going for, but she still remembered most of it, and the rest she just kind of winged.
Once she finished she took a step back, to see her face in its full glory.
She. Was. Gorgeous.
A smile spread across her face, stretching her lips to the point it was almost painful, but it was full of genuine joy.
Maisie didn't want to tear her eyes away from the mirror, but her attention was torn away by a woman entering the room.
"Tara? Tara are you in here?" The woman knocked on the bathroom door, and Maisie opened the door to peek out.
Standing in the doorway was a woman that looked just like her, albeit much older.
"Tara! Tsk! I told you to pack all of this already!" She scolded as she shoved past her to grab some of the products.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Maisie instinctively cowered away, her bottom lip stuck out with a pout as she held back tears.
Would she be hated in this life too? Even though she was beautiful now?
The woman sighed with frustration before giving her a tight hug.
"I'm sorry. I know it's not your fault, you've been dealing with…..well…a lot. Let's hurry and get it packed, honey. We don't have much time."
Maisie nodded slowly, surprised at the sudden shift, but even more so at the feeling of the woman's arms wrapped around her.
Together, they worked putting the makeup and skin care products in a cardboard box, and then proceeded to pack up the car.
"Mom?" Maisie asked with hesitation, unsure exactly who this woman was to her now.
"I know, I know. It's scary, going to a new school," her mother gulped, holding back emotion, her voice shaking as she delivered the rest of her sentence, "I know it's farther away, but maybe a change in scenery will be good for you."
Maisie wasn't sure what to do to comfort her. Her own mother had never been kind or caring, but she'd seen in the movies…people often…
She reached her hand out and gently placed it on her new mother's arm, watching her face to gauge her reaction.
'Is this right?' she wondered to herself.
A soft smile appeared over her mother's face. "If you need anything and I mean ANYTHING, you call me immediately and I will be here to pick you and whisk you back home, no judgement! Hyzen University is a good school. Don't you worry about the costs either."
Maisie couldn't help but smile herself. This woman seemed so warm, was this what a mother's love was really like?
"Thank you, mom. I'm excited to go there." Maisie's words came out awkward, almost robotic.
Her mother didn't seem to find it a red flag though, she only smiled and placed a hand over Maisie's, rubbing it lightly.
After about 3 hours, they arrived at Hyzen.
The large, golden gates were held open, welcoming them on campus.
Maisie stared out the window, her eyes wide with wonder and surprise at the beautiful landscaping and the stone buildings.
It looked like a bunch of miniature castles that were creating some kind of fantasy world.
Her dorm room was a bit more 'reserved' that the opulence of the rest of the campus. It was a small room with a purplish, gray walls and light hardwood floors.
On each side was a bed, inside of a built in closet structure and together sat two desks, facing the window that looked out to the rest of the campus. In the corner was a door, which she assumed led to a bathroom.
"You stay here while I bring up your things. I don't want you to overexert yourself." Her mom said, placing a hand out to indicate for 'Tara' to stay put.
Maisie nodded and sat down on the bed. It bounced a few times and was very soft. She wondered what kind of bedding was packed away for her to put on it.
She looked across the room to the other bed, to see that it was already made. Clearly, her roommate had already arrived and made herself at home.
'I wonder who it will be. Will they be nice to me? I hope we get along.' She thought as she stared at the other girl's decorations.
There were fake plants lining her desk, and notebooks stacked neatly. Her bedspread was pink and orange hexagons with three sheep plushies sitting at her pillow and a large one sitting at the foot of the bed.
'That looks like it would be nice to snuggle with. I want one too…..' Without realizing it, a pout had formed on her lips. She shook her head to be rid herself of those thoughts.
'I shouldn't be envious of others now. I'm going to make this life my own this time! I'm going to be Tara and I'm going to live well!'
Suddenly, she felt a gust of inspiration and passion to really turn her life around and ensure that she would not return to her old self or her old way of living.
After about an hour, her things were unpacked, her side of the room was decorated, and her mother was on her way back home.
Maisie looked through her things, trying to get a grasp on who Tara was. She seemed to like really sparkly and cute things.
Her bedspread was a pastel purple – similar to the colors on her nails – white gradient. Most of her pens and notebooks had bright, glittery covers, or pompoms on the end.
Tara's fashion choices were no different. It was like a dream come true, everything Maisie ever wanted to be.
"H-Hi. Are you my new roommate?"
Maisie turned to the doorway to see a girl with short blonde hair and large circular glasses. She wore a loose sweater and a skirt with leggings underneath. Her nails were clean and maintained but they weren't painted or manicured.
In them, she held a bag that was wafting out a delicious smell that made Maisie's mouth water.
Maisie nodded to confirm.
"I'm Mai-Tara." She reached her hand out to shake the other girl's.
"Mai-Tara? I'm Ellie."
"Oh. I was going to say something else, but decided to just introduce myself plainly." Maisie said quickly, scrambling to come up with an excuse for her blunder. She'd need to practice introducing herself as 'Tara' from now on.
Ellie nodded and puckered her lips as she shook Maisie's hand.
"I see. Well, Tara?"
"Yes, Tara."
"You're really really pretty."
A deep red hue flushed over Maisie's face. She'd never been told she was pretty before. What was she supposed to respond with? How was she supposed to react.
"Th-Thanks. You are too."
A huge grin spread across Ellie's face as she looked like she was about to fight back tears.
"Thank…..you."
It looked like she also was not used to hearing such a compliment.
'Maybe….we'll get along after all…' Maisie thought.
Later that night, Maisie vowed, that now she would definitely leave 'Maisie' behind, and continue forward as Tara.
Now, her new life really began.