ICARUS

ICARUS, by Edwin Sanchez.  Altagracia, a woman whose face is noticeably deformed and whose spirit is noticeably amazing.

ALTAGRACIA.  When I was a mere slip of a girl I went to my high school prom.  This is not gonna bring up any evil high school memories, is it?  I had no intention of going, but my mother found out the theme was Mardi Gras and that everyone had to wear a mask.  She became like a woman possessed. It mattered so much to her that I let myself be talked into it.  Let her spend money we didn’t have on this beautiful red velvet dress, let her make this gorgeous mask of feathers and sequins.  I even let her pay my cousin to take me.  She took a Polaroid of us and she waved us off.  I thought my heart was gonna pop out of my chest.  There I was outside the gymnasium door, and on the other side, everyone who had ever made my life hell for the past twelve years.  The doors open, and all eyes turn to face the fairy princess.

Not a single person recognized me.  Not a soul.  I was the mystery girl.  If I could bottle any moment in my life, that would be it.  Then somebody figured out who I was.  And they all looked away, like they were embarrassed for me.  Like I had been caught trying to pull something off.  But I fixed them.  I took over the prom.  I got in the middle of the dance floor with my arms spread out, taking up as much space as I could and started spinning around.  And while I was out there no one else dared to dance.  They didn’t have the guts to look me in the eye. It became my prom, all mine.  (pause)  Sometimes, you just gotta make people feel uncomfortable.  Make the golden people look away.