Matt Brown: Collection of Short Alaskan Bush People Fan Fics

Confidence

Looking at your reflection in mirror, you dreaded the morning. The face looking back at you would never be one that could make any man's head turn. Your own mother had simply called you 'attractive'. That's what people call girls who weren't pretty but who tried hard. But that was ok. Because you knew a secret. And it was a secret that no one else in your family knew yet. It was a secret that was easy to keep because you had stepped out on your own and were living by yourself in a small town in Alaska. 

It wasn't a secret as earthshattering as knowing how to turn lead into gold. On second thought, maybe it was. What you knew that no one else could see during the day, was this: Every evening, when the sun sank low on the horizon and the blues and whites of the sky transformed to pink and orange and finally to black, you became the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth.

In the light of day, your dark brown eyes were plain and dull and you worked dutifully at your job and were almost invisible to everyone. Especially to men. Your nose was a little too big to be called cute and your smile didn't make anyone want to smile back at you. There was nothing spectacular about you during the day.

Nighttime however, was a different story. The moonlight brought out the flash of gold in your brown eyes and the shadows brought a sharp definition to your nose and made it look regal. And your smile? Oh, that smile. When the glow from the stars shone off your pearly teeth and your laugh lifted to the sky, you were nothing less than gorgeous.

Flipping your hair back over your shoulders, you slammed the door behind you and stepped out of your house into the night. The weather was cool and your snug jacket fit you perfectly. You carried a few extra pounds in all the right places and you swung your hips as you walked. During the day, the little bounce to your butt that your sisters had made vicious fun of was expertly hidden in loose skirts and long sweaters. But the tight denim fabric you wore in the evenings hugged your curves and transformed that daytime lump into a sexy bubble that turned heads and made men look up at you from the brightly lit screens of their phones.

Stepping into the dimly lit bar, you tossed your smile to the small group of men to your right and gave a nod to the bartender. Gliding smoothly over to your regular table, you slid into the chair with another hair toss that reflected glimmering light around the room like a golden disco ball.

Everything was perfect. You were nighttime beautiful and you could feel all eyes on you as you held up one long slender finger to the bartender. Within seconds, he was rushing over to bring you your drink. You gave him a quick, friendly wink and lifted your glass to your full soft lips.

When you heard the laughter coming from the group of guys at the far table, you lifted your head, thinking you might join them at their table. But as you looked up, gracing them with your smile, all the guys dropped their gaze and hid their smiles. All but one. The handsome man with the short salt and pepper curls simply stared at you.

The coy smile that always resulted in an interested raise of a man's eyebrow settled on your lips as you looked at him. But he didn't return the smile. And after a few seconds, his intense gaze started to make you a little uncomfortable. Your own smile faltered and you looked away as your nighttime confidence wavered. He didn't seem impressed by anything about you and you rubbed a finger self-consciously along the side of your nose. And that's when you caught your reflection in the long mirror on the other side of the room.

Your dark hair was lying limply on your shoulders and you gave it a desperate little flip hoping it would catch the light. But it didn't. There were no golden flecks of light dancing through your hair at all. Blinking in confusion at your reflection, your brown eyes were simply that. Brown. The color of mud. Afraid to look, but afraid not to, you peered sadly at your too-large nose and the weak smile that didn't even have enough pizazz to turn up the corners of your mouth. With one stare from a handsome stranger, your evening secret was revealed for what it truly was.