“The monster” by Beatrice Brandini

A rather ugly girl, with crooked teeth, very thick glasses, was mistreated and offended by everyone, teased daily. When she was lucky she was only snubbed, ignored, as if she did not exist, otherwise, more often than not, derided by the usual bullies (idiots) at school and outside, as if she were a plague.

Humiliated and often looked at with a grimace of disgust, she frequently heard the worst word that can be said to a person, let alone a young girl, namely “here is the monster!”.

Her name was Gemma, but no one usually called her by her name“La chiavica”, “the freak of nature” and many other pseudonyms of the worst kind. At school, however, she had taken hold of “the monster” and every time she heard him, even if sometimes whispered, she sank into a whirlwind of sadness that suggested negative thoughts, like wanting to commit suicide or hide for the rest of her life.

Poor Gemma walked with her head down and never smiled, even when she could, in short, she now moved like a zombie.

“The first change” by Beatrice Brandini

Despite her appearance, she was a rather intelligent girl, in fact at school a teacher always tried to cheer her up, she pointed out that she was one of the brightest students, one of the few who constantly strived, according to her she was really a beautiful person. Her parents were modest people, but they loved her very much, they often cried seeing her so sad, and on her appearance they felt a little responsible for her because they were both unattractive. Her mother prayed every day that her daughter would not feel only sadness and loneliness in her heart, and that soon she could get up and understand that in the world there is not only the external appearance, that was a bluff, even if the modern society, more and more hedonistic, proclaimed it as a diktat.

Gemma was in love with a boy who had never deigned to look at her, one day they met in the school corridor and he too let out in a low voice “Who is this monster?”. She gem heard it and she was destroyed; she leaving school she did not want to go home but she went to the top of a tower in the city, there she meditated whether to throw herself down. With her gaze lost in the void, she thought that perhaps if she were gone forever someone after her would have noticed her, or at least she could have regretted the harm he had caused her. At that moment on the wall of the tower landed a blue bird that did not stop singing and looking at Gemma, the chirping that he emitted while singing, was so strong that in some moments it seemed almost annoying. This was what caught Gemma’s attention. The girl thought he wanted to scold her for thinking about such an ugly and absurd thing, in that moment the girl wanted to believe that that little bird was an angel, the reincarnation of her beloved grandmother, who urged her not to do stupid things, suggesting to keep fighting; she told her that life was beautiful and that we must be ready to fight for it, overcoming obstacles that at times seem insurmountable to us.

“The little blue bird” by Beatrice Brandini

It wasn’t all to be thrown away… for example, her literature teacher highly esteemed her for the seriousness with which she approached school, in particular for how she endured those ugly humiliations, the result of the stupidity and wickedness of some human beings. After that bad episode on the tower, Gemma threw herself headlong into the study, she was already good, but she became very good, and someone began to respect her.

As soon as she had the chance, after finishing her studies, the teacher referred her to an important publishing house and there she began her career as an editor. She gem she read drafts all day, she fantasized, getting lost in the stories of always different authors, it was the best job she could wish for…. Also, with her early gains, she had decided to improve her appearance, physically she was not bad at all, for the rest she had to work a lot more.

She ditched the big thick glasses for contact lenses, she had found a capable dentist who had straightened her two big incisors, an experienced hairdresser and a good beautician, did the rest of her. She decided to cultivate her body too, doing gymnastics and swimming as soon as she could, in this way she was discharged and did not think about the bad things that had characterized her whole adolescence.

“Gemma gorgeous girl” by Beatrice Brandini

Finally, she was also noticed for something else, even though Gemma was now dedicated to writing, grateful for having saved her, transporting her to distant worlds through the imagination. After a tough but exciting internship, Gemma started writing about her. She had always loved spending her time on books, but that work, those years spent reading and reading stories, had made her discover her true talent.

The notes of what could have become her manuscript were submitted to the publisher, who knew instantly that the girl had potential; he decided to give her a chance, if she had devoted herself to her novel, if she finished it quickly, he would read it, and if he passed her stern judgment of her, he might as well to publish. Gemma wrote tirelessly, day and night, she was so excited and happy at the idea of ​​becoming a true writer, she who for all her life read and judged other people’s books. It was a great opportunity and she Gemma didn’t want to miss it. She thought of her whole short but intense life, of the only person who had treated her with respect, her teacher, her books, her beloved parents … so her book was born out of the blue, it was her story and the title it could only be “The Monster”.

The novel was very popular, was published and was a huge success. Many were the women who reflected themselves in that story, women who had experienced unpleasant episodes, and who, obviously, became huge fans of her. Gemma sent the first autographed copy to her teacher, who as she read it wept with happiness.

That book catapulted her into the Olympus of great authors. Gemma became a famous writer. The bookstores kept her books on display, some of them became best sellers; magazines and newspapers vied to interview her, as did television.

“Best seller” by Beatrice Brandini

Her publisher, in order not to miss she, made her a millionaire contract and Gemma became a very rich woman.

But her greatest satisfaction, in addition to what she wrote, was the choice to be on the cover of all her books, every novel of her always had a close-up. Her face was everywhere, no one ever allowed himself to criticize her appearance anymore, and hers was her greatest revenge. The monster had become a simple word in the vocabulary, while Gemma had become a great Lady writer and a great Lady woman.

Good life to everyone!

Beatrice