The Girl in the Mirror

Alyssa threw open the door, sighing. Her feet ached from walking all over campus, trying to find her classrooms.

She’d lost her way more than once. She was late to a couple classes. She’d dropped her food tray in the canteen, so she was starving.

And the cute guy who’d sat beside her in Intro to Econs didn’t even look her way once—as if she were invisible. In fact, no one had spoken to her all day.

She dropped her bags by the door, a lump in her throat and tears stinging her eyes. What a day.

She’d spent her whole life convinced she was a nobody. She didn’t think she was pretty. She had acne scars that never went away. Straggly thin hair. A nose too big for her face. Eyes set too far apart.

And she was far too skinny… and flat. Friends used to call her, “airplane runway”. If she could even call them ‘friends’.

Standing in front of the mirror, she stared at herself. Something looked off, but she couldn’t pinpoint it.

She rubbed the tears away, hiccupping. Wait a second.

Her hair seemed thicker, more… luscious. She ran her fingers through her hair. Huh.

Her face looked like one of the girls in her class she thought was prettier—big, twinkling eyes, a dainty, pointed nose.

And her skin looked… different. Fairer? Smoother? Hold on, where are her scars? The spots?

They’re… gone?

She shook her head, chuckling. She must’ve had too long of a day.

She headed towards her tiny kitchen. Her ramen wasn’t going to cook itself.

**

Alyssa was up early for a class. She’d had her breakfast of eggs and toast, and was about to head out. She thought of the cute boy and wondered if she had other classes with him.

She straightened her blouse as she went to the mirror.

How lucky was she that the previous owner had left this mirror behind? They’d taken most of the other furniture, but not the mirror. A full-length one, too. Rounded top with a gold frame.

As she stood brushing her hair, she noticed something.

Her hair seemed to become thicker, darker. She paused.

She frowned, leaning forward. Large brown eyes that didn’t seem like hers stared back at her.

Right before her eyes, her skin cleared up, the spots and scars disappearing. She gasped.

She moved closer to the mirror, almost kissing her reflection, and ran her hands all over her face. It was real. Her face was smooth, soft. Am I dreaming?

As she stepped back, taking in her full body, she looked like a completely different person—like a young Jessica Alba.

She actually looked… beautiful.

She still couldn’t believe it when she left the apartment.

But when she bumped into that cute boy again in Academic Writing and he’d said, “Hey, pretty! I think we haven’t met. I’m Gabriel,” she finally believed it. It must be real. It has to be.

No boy had ever noticed her before.

She ran back to the apartment and hugged the mirror. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Every day, she’d look at herself in the mirror. Every day, she’d watch herself transform.

She stood taller. She held her head higher. She laughed harder. There was a bounce in her step.

Suddenly, she had friends. Lecturers called on her. Her grades soared. Even the waffle guy gave her an extra scoop of ice cream.

And she and Gabriel started dating.

**

Until one day.

As usual, she got dressed and looked into the mirror before leaving.

But this time, nothing happened.

She tilted her head and knocked on the glass. Still nothing.

She lifted the mirror, checking the back, her palms beginning to sweat. No, this can’t be happening!

As she swung the mirror back into place, she heard a soft, raspy voice that sent a chill down her spine. “Alyssa.”

She whirled around, heart pounding. No one.

“Alyssa,” the voice said. “Here.”

As she turned back to the mirror, her old reflection stared back—but her mouth was curled into a sneer, her eyes cold.

“W-What?” Alyssa whispered, eyes widening.

“You’re welcome.”

Alyssa opened her mouth, but no words came out. The reflection laughed.

“I said, you’re welcome. I’m the one responsible for giving you the beauty you’ve always wanted.” The reflection flipped her hair.

“You? Who are you? H-How…”

“It doesn’t matter. But…” the reflection placed a finger upon her lips, “it ends now, unless…”

“Unless what?”

“You pay a… small fee.” The reflection smirked.

“What does that mean?” Alyssa wrung her hands.

“I’ve been trapped in here a long time now,” the reflection rasped. “Do you know what that’s like? Watching people come and go, while I’m stuck in here.” She bared her teeth.

“All I’m asking for,” the reflection whispered, “is just five minutes.”

Alyssa coughed. “F-Five minutes? To do what?”

“To come out.”

“Out?”

The reflection smiled, though her eyes were empty. “You don’t have to do much. I’ll have my five minutes. I’ll return to the mirror. Then I’ll give you your beauty again.”

Alyssa cocked her head. “I-I… I don’t know…”

The reflection narrowed her eyes. “Or do you want everyone—including Gabriel—to see who you really are? Do you want to go back to your life before?”

Alyssa bit her lip. “Just… five minutes?”

“Five minutes.”

Alyssa sucked in her breath, whispered, “What do I have to do?”

The reflection chuckled. “All you have to do is place your palms on the glass.”

Alyssa paused, her hands in mid-air. Then she slowly placed them flat against the glass. Their palms met.

Immediately, Alyssa felt herself being pulled forward. She screamed as cackling rang in her ears.

Alyssa fell backward. But the reflection stood there, now in Alyssa's entryway, as real as life, an icy smile on her face. “Thank you.”

She turned towards the door.

“Goodbye, Alyssa. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of your life—and Gabriel—for you.”

As the door clicked shut, Alyssa continued pounding on the glass, her screams unheard.

-THE END-

(C) Copyright Lisa Kwan 2026

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Part of my creative writing project. Wanted to try something in the horror genre, but not sure if it's really that scary in the end. Oh well. Not my strength ;)