Nicole Beaupre

The Girl From Science

I sat across from her during my freshman year of high school in our Introduction to Science class. The room was filled with desks organized to create a U-shape, so we faced each other during every 55-minute period. Throughout the year, we would occasionally make accidental eye contact and flash an awkward smile. She had brown hair that came below her shoulders, and a stud nose piercing that I was jealous of, as I had been trying to convince my parents to let me get one. She was shy and soft-spoken. She came from a different school than the majority of the rest of the people in my high school, so she often times seemed lonely and seeking friends. The day I first spoke to her was the day we wore the same sweater – hers tan, mine purple. I gave her a compliment on it, knowing she would notice the similarity between our outfits. A small amount of laughter followed, and our first interaction came to an end.

Throughout our freshman and sophomore year, we began to gain mutual friends. I spoke to her more frequently and we even began to become friends ourselves. She was bubbly and full of life, no longer appearing to be the shy girl who sat across from me in class. She became more comfortable in her new environment. We would sit together during lunch and talk about anything that sixteen-year-old girls would normally talk about, from boys, to driver’s education, and anything in between. Her laugh was contagious and her smile would light up the room. It was always a genuine smile, spreading across her entire face. Her already narrow eyes would close even more while her smile beamed bright. It was nearly impossible not to smile back. We grew to be best friends by the end of our sophomore year, and I began to understand the true Meghan, who was no longer just the girl from science.

We would talk more personally about ourselves. She would tell me she was insecure about the spots on her face or the way her eyes looked. She would compare herself to other girls, saying she wasn’t tall enough, or thin enough, or pretty enough. She would spend hours applying her makeup and doing her hair, constantly checking with me because she wanted it to be perfect. The girl in school who appeared to not have a single trouble in the world, had troubles within herself. Her insecurities would bring her to tears sometimes and it always broke my heart. She couldn’t see that she was beautiful inside and out. Her smile shone like the sun and her sunset colored hair flowed perfectly down to her shoulders. She was short, but it suited her personality and made her who she was. She was the most perfect Meghan she could be.

We drifted apart during our senior year. We would see each other in class and do the same accidental eye contact and awkward smile as freshman year. She appeared to be the same happy-go-lucky girl from before I got to know her, but it was different now. I knew there were insecurities behind that radiant smile with the narrow eyes. I knew she tried on multiple outfits that morning. I wished so badly that she knew how nice she looked every day, and that there was no reason to worry.

We reconnected during our first year in college. She became more confident in herself during our time apart. I could tell by the way she talked and the way she carried herself. She stood taller and her fantastic smile appeared more genuine than ever. She spoke proudly and confidently about her passions. It was obvious that she finally began to decipher who she truly wanted to be. She got her nose pierced again and had multiple tattoos. There was a globe and coordinates to her favorite place on her arms, because she loved to travel. She had a flower on her wrist and “wild child” written on her side. She became comfortable with her sexuality and was not ashamed of it. She was no longer just the girl from science, she was Meghan, and I have never seen such a beautiful transformation.