Liliana Grace is a girl. She has bleached blonde hair, with purple peekaboos that make old ladies shake thier heads in disaproval. Liliana has a nose ring, and a tounge ring, and a few other piercings. She likes the free will piercings give her. They make her feel confident. She has the most confidence when she doesnt have to hide herself. She wears long baggy clothing and a silver bracelet that glimmers in the light. It has a heart charm, with little crystals that Liliana runs her fingers over everytime she gets nervous.

I am Liliana Grace.

I dont usually leave my home, one because it is comfortable and two because no one will stop staring at me. They scowl at my piercings. They cringe at my clothes. They especially hate my hair.

But I dont care. What really bothers me is when people underestimate me. I have all these talents, but no one cares to see them because of my purple peekabos. I have so many ideas, but no one seems to mind them because of what I wear. I hope that one day I will be able to speak to people like me, and for them to see me as just another person. I am a girl. Battered and bruised, who deserves attention like everybody else.

Tim Phillips is a philosopher. He is my uncle. He is the wisest man I have ever met, and the most sucessful. Sometimes I wish Tim was my father.

I walk to Tim’s house to prepare him for his big speech. He doesnt have a wife or kids, so I could see how lonely it would get preparing for the biggest moment of his life.

Tim is doing his hair, slicking it back with grease and finger combing it until he finally decides it is good enough. Then, he straightens out his suit and slips on his nicest shoes. He looks nice.

I can feel something building up in my throat. That feeling you get when you know your about to cry, but you hold it back. My eyes well to the brim with tears, but Tim is too busy to notice. I can feeling my heart burning with pride, but a hint of jealousy. Tim is so sucessful, and amazing, what allows me to believe that I am not?

“Ready to go, Tils?” he asks, finally looking back at me. He straightens up his tie as he stares to me.

“Yea, Im ready. I know your gonna do great.”

I respond. My resting face slowly melts into a smile.

“Thank you, Tils.” He responds, smiling back to me warmly. “Maybe one day this will be you,” he adds as we walk to the car.

Suddenly, I feel a surge throughout my body. It shocks me, but nothing else comes from it. I am still in the car, driving. Wait, driving?

h look down to my legs. Dress pants and shoes… this cannot be happening!

I swerve the car into the nearest lot, and turns out it is just where I needed to turn. I see a stage ahead of me, with what looks like thousands of people anxiously waiting for someone. Right now, that someone is me.

I look to the backseat and see myself. Who is acutally Tim. He is utterly horrified, an open mouth plastered on his face. His eyes flick with horror, and I cant help but to admire my face.

I decide to embrace this opportunity, a reason to finally share my thoughts to people. Tim and I walk up to the podium, and he wishes me best of luck. I reach for my wrist expecting to feel my bracelet, but it isnt there. I hesitate at the podium for a while, but ad soon as I start to speak, as if by magic, words spill from my mouth as fluid as butter. I am talking about all kinds of things, and the eyes drawn to me from the crowd helps me infer I am doing a good job. Even uncle Tim is tearing up.

Even behind my hidden idenitity, I still feel powerful. Then, I do something a bit spontaneous.

“Im sure my niece would like to say a few words to everyone if you will have her…” I wave to uncle Tim, and shyly, he approaches. He clears his throat and begin to speak. His words motivate. People in this crowd just stare in admiration. No one looks disgusted.

At the end of his speech, everyone claps for the both of us.

After all of this time, I realized it was never me, but the people around me. I just needed someone to care.