Scars to Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara

“I can’t take this anymore!” Sonya yells to the mirror in her dressing room. Just then Sonya notices a shadow lingering in the doorway. Again, Sonya whispers to herself, “I can’t take this anymore.”

The shadow steps forward, revealing the hesitant face of Mia, Sonya’s best friend. “What can’t you take anymore, Sonya?” Mia thinks Sonya will blow the question off, so Mia’s startled when Sonya breaks down.

“This! Everything!” Sonya waves her hand around the room. “The pressure, the stress, the diets, the rules, the constant attention.” Sonya wipes her eyes. “All the time: you can’t be in the sun; you have to wear this makeup; you need to lose five pounds by thursday; smile; turn your; head; lift up your chin. I can’t take it!”

Mia, unsure of how to respond to her best friend’s outburst, walks forward and wraps an arm around her Sonya’s thin shoulders.

“Sonya, I… You…” Mia trails off.

Just then, Missy pops her head into the room. “Sonya, five minutes.” As quick as she came, Missy leaves.

Mia turns to Sonya’s face. Mia watches as Sonya steps away, takes a few, deep breaths, and quickly starts to reapply her makeup. Within a minute, Sonya looks like she wasn’t just crying.

“Sonya-” Mia starts.

“Don’t Mia, I’m fine. That happens sometimes, I’m fine, really. Just a lapse of composure.”

“No, Sonya, you’re not okay. You need help. You-”

“Mia, really I’m fine.” Sonya snaps. Sonya closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, starts again. “Mia, I’m okay, really, I am. I don’t need help, I’m okay.”

“Sonya, you’re not…” Mia stops herself, changes tactics. “What if you’re not okay, Sonya? Then what?”

“Then what? Then I keep going Mia. Covergirls don’t cry after their face is made. I’m a covergirl, I can’t cry or complain.”

“But what about when they’re starving? Do they get help then? You’re too skinny. This isn’t beauty, Sonya.” Mia persists.

“There’s beauty in everything. What’s a little bit of hunger? I can go a little while longer.”

Exasperated, Mia says, “Maybe you can go a little while longer, but you’re going to become so skinny, you’ll be ugly.” Ugly. The word no covergirl wants to hear.

“Two more photoshoots, Mia. Then, I have three weeks off. Three weeks of eating whatever I want. Except chocolate, soda, carbs-”

“Sonya!” Mia shouts. Sonya, alarmed, looks directly at Mia, instead of Mia’s reflection in the mirror. “Sonya, you’re going to fade away. You’re going to disappear.”

“I have to do this, Mia, I have to.” Sonya waves her hand around the room.

Missy sticks her head into the room again. “You’re up, Sonya.”

Sonya nods and heads to the door, but Mia reaches out and grabs her arm.

“Sonya. Beauty goes deeper than the surface. There’s beauty, hope for you waiting for you. You’re beautiful just the way you are. You don’t have to change yourself with makeup, clothes, diets. You’re beautiful.”

With a small, weak, smile, Sonya pulls away from Mia and leaves, leaving Mia standing alone.

Original Lyrics

She just wants to be beautiful

She goes unnoticed, she knows no limits

She craves attention, she praises an image

She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor

Oh, she don't see the light that's shining Deeper than the eyes can find it

Maybe we have made her blind

So she tries to cover up her pain and cut her woes away

'Cause cover girls don't cry after their face is made

But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

Oh-oh, oh-oh

And you don't have to change a thing, yhe world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

She has dreams to be an envy, so she's starving

You know, covergirls eat nothing

She says beauty is pain and there's beauty in everything

What's a little bit of hunger?

I could go a little while longer, she fades away

She don't see her perfect, she don't understand she's worth it

Or that beauty goes deeper than the surface

Oh, oh

So to all the girls that's hurting

Let me be your mirror, help you see a little bit clearer

The light that shines within

There's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

Oh-oh, oh-oh

And you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

No better you than the you that you are (no better you than the you that you are)

No better life than the life we're living (no better life than the life we're living)

No better time for your shine, you're a star (no better time for your shine, you're a star)

Oh, you're beautiful, oh, you're beautiful

And there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

Oh-oh, oh-oh

And you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

Death is at her doorstep but I do not let him in.

I do not fear him, I am not ready to let her go, I still want to win.

This sickness that claims her body, it will not take her soul.

I am a fighter and she loves to win, I wont let death take its toll.

She has so much more to accomplish with her life, why did it have to be her.

I will tell the reaper, please go away, I will get down on my knees and beg, I will do whatever you confer.

As I sit here and watch my love, struggling to keep her life, I pray to the gods above, please don't take my wife.

I don't want to greet the reaper, go knock on someone else's door.

Why must you bother her, take her away, she has a child to bear, a life to give to the world.

This child that is inside her, the child that is mine, our child deserves a chance, that child will carry on our bloodline.

Family and a True Love, that's what we all want. So Mr. Reaper, if you would kindly leave, go on to your next soul to take, for this one is not going anywhere on this particular eve.

Don't fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

LYRICS

All our times have come

Here but now they're gone

Seasons don't fear the reaper

Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain..we can be like they are

Come on baby...don't fear the reaper

Baby take my hand...don't fear the reaper

We'll be able to fly...don't fear the reaper

Baby I'm your man...

Valentine is done

Here but now they're gone

Romeo and Juliet

Are together in eternity...Romeo and Juliet

40,000 men and women everyday...Like Romeo and Juliet

40,000 men and women everyday...Redefine happiness

Another 40,000 coming everyday...We can be like they are

Come on baby...don't fear the reaper

Baby take my hand...don't fear the reaper

We'll be able to fly...don't fear the reaper

Baby I'm your man...

Love of two is one

Here but now they're gone

Came the last night of sadness

And it was clear she couldn't go on

Then the door was open and the wind appeared

The candles blew then disappeared

The curtains flew then he appeared...saying don't be afraid

Come on baby...and she had no fear

And she ran to him...then they started to fly

They looked backward and said goodby...she had become like they are

She had taken his hand...she had become like they are

Come on baby...don't fear the reaper

I LOVE this song so much, so much that it is my ringtone on my cellphone and I saw Blue Oyster Cult in concert at our local county fair!  This song is so bittersweet and beautiful, not about suicide at all, just about not fearing death when it knocks on your door. And those cowbells (listen to song sometime to hear them), come on, the song would not be the same without them!

P.S. (I am not much of a "storyteller" per say, but I do love to write! So I still hope you like my "Story" and Lyrics!)