Mother in Disguise Rosita was the smartest girl in Nashville. Not only smart, wait... you thought I was talking about being intelligent? Not just intelligent. She was not someone ordinary, she could do a Rubik’s cube in ten - seconds. She stood first throughout her high school. Not just that she was eye candy for every other guy. Rosita was named by her parents because she was so beautiful that she reminded them of a ‘rose’ so they decided to name her Rosita. Rosita had beautiful blue eyes with blonde hair, long legs, and an hourglas s figure. Every other girl wanted to be Rosita. She was an all - rounder extraordinary girl but just like any other ordinary girl, she also fell in love with Julian. An ordinary but alluring guy with curly hair, dark brown eyes, and a six feet height. They g ot married in a year and then were blessed with a baby girl. She was just like her mom. A beautiful, cute baby with blue eyes and blonde hair. Rosita was so happy to hold her for the first time and a tear rolled down her cheek at that moment. Julian enter ed the room, he held the baby and said “She is so beautiful, even more beautiful than her mommy. She is just like my favourite flower, she is my Lilly”. Rosita smiled sarcastically and that single line started playing in her mind over and over again. “Beau tiful than me, is she?” Rosita asked with a smirk. “Way more! She is the most beautiful girl on this planet. Most beautiful girl in my life but yes of course you come right after her,” Julian said with a huge smile on his face. And at that moment, for the first time in Rosita’s life, she was second. She came second. Just then, a nurse cutting a strip of medicines said , "You three look so cute together". Rosita and Julian smiled and thanked her. They came back home and Julian had a beautiful nursery prepared for her. They even had a small rose garden. The fragrance oozing out of it was magnificent. Suddenly, when Julian tried to pick a rose to offer it to his newly - born baby, a thorn pricked his thumb . He kept quiet and didn’t say anything. It was a small inj ury. Both of them were very happy. The room was bright and vibrant. Rosita loved the whole colour scheme and the white Lilly - themed wallpapers. But she didn’t have the courage to let her go. And she wanted to sleep with her. On Julian’s insistence, she dec ided that she will just make her sleep and then come to sleep in her bed. Rosita had all the love for her as much as a mother would. She slouched on a couch and kissed her and started singing to her. Both of them went to sleep on the couch. Julian watched them sleeping. He slowly whispered into Rosita’s ear that she is asleep. She shrugged and woke up. She placed Lilly in her crib and then went to her bedroom to sleep. As Lilly was growing up, she learned how to walk. How to speak and how to eat. Everything she did resembled Rosita it was just as if she was her reflection. Lilly started going to school when she was four. And her smart brain started to show signs from day one. She was one hell of a smart girl for her age. But she was no less than her mother a fter all. She was way too ahead of her time and she knew stuff that children elder than her couldn’t even comprehend. She smoothly went through her primary school years by skipping three grades. She always stood first in her class and was a brilliantly shi ning star in her school. All of her teachers cherished her. Her smartness would even outsmart them sometimes. Rosita and Julian were very proud parents and every single time Lilly came first, Rosita used to give her a piece of jewel. Rosita could relate to her because she reminded her of someone familiar, who was as brilliant and fierce as she was. Rosita would miss that version of herself, but she was glad that it was reflecting in Lilly and she could reminisce her time just by looking at her. Rosita was c alled by one of Lilly’s teachers to the school. Once she arrived, to her surprise it was the same teacher who taught Rosita. She told her “I am so happy to see you, Rosita. But it's no shock that Lilly is your daughter. Do you know that she even broke your record and solved the Rubik’s cube in six seconds? She is a brilliant child.” And everything came flashing back and Rosita went numb. She went back to the place in a hospital where Julian told her that Lilly was way more beautiful than her. And Rosita ski pped the next few lines and she had a confused expression. Rosita was deeply hurt. The damage th is injury brought her was not small. She got up without saying a word and left while the teacher was talking and she went silent. She started saying “Rosita, my darling are you okay. Rosita. Rosita.” But she couldn’t hear anything and she just left. She went back home to Lilly's room. She saw her from the door. She was cutting some clothes for her doll. Rosita entered the room and saw the wallpapers and the coll ection of Lilly’s jewels beautifully decorated. Then she saw her long blonde hair with blue eyes. She took the scissors from her and asked Lilly to sit in a chair. “Mom what are you doing with my scissors? ” “My child, I am going to give you a beautiful hai rcut,” Rosita claimed. “Okay mom, su re.” And Rosita chopped off all of Lilly's hair. When Lilly realized that , she started crying. Rosita shouted at her to keep quiet and when Julian came home he got really mad at Rosita. He even slept with Lilly in her ro om that night. Julian was surprised to see Rosita in this state. Rosita cried the entire night thinking what had gotten into her. She was very embarrassed by herself and the next morning she went and kissed Lilly and said “Mommy is really sorry.” “No mom I love it, I love you. Please don’t cry.” And Lilly hugged Rosita. Now with every day passing Lilly was growing up, smarter and more alluring day by day. Rosita used to often look at their f amily photos and start comparing her beauty to her daughter's. Lill y started her high school in Rosita's dream school and that too on a full scholarship. Rosita was so proud of her and so was Julian. Just like Rosita, Lilly too had a high school love story. She fell in love with Eric. Eric was also a very smart child and equally good - looking. I must tell you, he was the star player of their basketball team and there was no girl who didn’t have her time crushing on him. And he fell for our dream girl. Lilly decided to invite him over to her place with his parents. Lilly to ld her parents to prepare the most exquisite dinner for them and so they did. The doorbell rang and Lilly rushed to the door. She opened it. “Oh, it's you, Rosita. It has been so long.” Ellen (Eric's mother) said with excitement. “Hey Ellen, I can't believ e it's you.” Both of them hugged each other. “We were high school best friends,” Ellen told Lilly. All of them shared a great laugh and then it was time for dinner. On the dinner table while reminiscing old high school time. Ellen said that you look so old now Rosita. You don’t look as good as you looked before. That old charm in you is missing. This made Rosita cry from within. But she managed to show up a dummy smile from outside. She added, "Lilly is like your high school version now. I must say an even prettier one. And that had to be it". Rosita didn’t pay any further heed to whatever Ellen said. She started to notice Eric's smile and whole imagery started building up in her mind where she started to compare Eric with Julian and thought to herself that if she would’ve waited, she could’ve found someone as tall and handsome as Eric. Rosita spent the entire night staying up. She walked towards her dresser and realized that not only was Lilly becoming her younger ve rsion, she was undoubtedly the ‘better’ o ne. While she was growing old with wrinkles on her face. That jealousy was poison and it had to be channelled somewhere. The next day as Lilly was getting ready, Rosita saw her brushing her beautiful blonde hair. She came and started combing her hair with her fingers and said “They would look even 'better' shorter. I think I should cut them”. Lilly got angry and said “No mom, Eric likes them and so do I. I don’t want them to be chopped.” She left in hurriedly . Rosita went to the kitchen and being obnoxious she just couldn’t understand what to do. She started staring blindly at the scissors in her hand. The poison started to spread. Once Lilly came back home, she hugged her mother and apologized. “I am so sorry mommy. I love you. I think I was rude this morni ng. Also I have to show you something.” Lilly shows her the diamond ring with which Eric had proposed to her. “I am going to get married to Eric.” “Oh my God! I am so happy for you my little girl.” Lilly hugged Rosita, and Rosita started crying. “Oh mommy don’t worry, I am not going anywhere.” Only if she knew what had been going on in her mind. Once everyone was asleep, Rosita tiptoed into Lilly's room with a scissor and the next morning Lilly woke up with a boy cut. She screamed at top of her lungs and st arted crying. Julian rushed to the room. And recalling everything that happened years ago he knew it had to be her. “How dare you? Why would you?” Julian shouted at her. “She looks prettier, what are you saying”, “No, she doesn’t,” Julian replied. “Mom, ho w could you, why would you?” Lilly went up to Rosita crying. “I don’t want to see your face ever again.” Lilly went to her room and locked herself up. Julian left the house in anger. After a few hours passed by, Lilly came to Rosita and told her that it is okay. She forgives her. Rosita with a tear rolling down her eye , “I am sorry my beautiful child, I know you would look pretty in any way.” They sorted it out and Rosita hugged Lilly one last time. Julian came back home and saw them laughing and watching a movie, he sat with them. They saw the movie together and everyone went to sleep. Rosita was restless and she knew this won't end. It just won't. She could hear whispers, “just end it”, over and over again. She had to let her go. She recalled, how happy sh e was when she gave birth to Lilly and how she celebrated her maternity. And look at her now. She had nothing but hatred and jealousy in he r heart for her beloved daughter. But s he decided. Rosita went to Lilly's room with a knife. The room was dark and th e wallpapers were gloomy and ill - lit. She k issed her one last time. And ended the competition.