Picture-Perfect Zeal And Zest!

I was back at home after my MBA course was over. I had a break after which the placement-interviews were to commence.

I had ordered five items- a dress, a bracelet, a pair of shoes and two suitcases from an online shopping-site. 

"I love the black and white zigzag pattern on the shoes! They remind me of Zebra", my sister remarked.

"That's why I ordered them! I wish to use all this and pose for a picture and submit it for a chance to win the Travel-Junkie-contest."

I tried out my new dress, bracelet and shoes and posed atop the two suitcases. I wanted to show my zeal and zest to travel!

Photo by Elene Usdin; Picture-Prompt from Magpie Tales

"Don't click my face, ok?" I instructed my little sister as she went on to capture my pose. 

My sister was alarmed! "You want me to cut off your pretty face from the picture!"

"I would have/could have/should have looked pretty...but for my zit and pimples that spoil my beauty..." I sighed. 

"Picture-perfect!" I said when I saw the photo my sister had clicked.

"Would have been picture-perfect with your face...", my sister remarked.

Ah! My poor face! I had tried out a lot many solutions for my pimples- stuffed stuff, drank potions, tried concoctions, put face-masks, popped pills... 

(Note- Not an exhaustive list. Many things I have actually done have been edited out! You are better off not knowing about terrible experiences!)

Nothing worked.

I was sick and tired. 

"Would my face come in the way of my job-interviews?" I shuddered.

That's when we went to granny's place for some days.

Granny had the most awesome garden with many trees. I had spent many summer-vacations there.

"Oh dear! How thin you have become! Don't they give you food to eat at the hostel?" Grandpa was concerned.

"And what have you done to your face?" Granny eyed my pimples disbelievingly. 

"Now that you are here, you'll be fine in a few days!" they chorused.

Granny didn't lose a day. She made me drink the juice of bitter-gourd and made me eat chutney prepared by mashing leaves of Neem tree! 

(Note- Don't you dare ask me to describe the taste!)

Neem Leaves; Source: Wikipedia

And yes, my face looked green too as she tried her natural therapy- mask made of Neem leaves and other ingredients! 

Needless to say, that didn't make anyone go green with envy! 

My youngest aunt, who visited my Granny's saw me looking green and feeling blue!

When the next day, I found that my skin had reacted with a severe outbreak of irritation, my aunt advised that I can try a new cure!

I still continued with Granny's cure as it was "natural".

I used it religiously and within a few days, I earned back my pimple-free & zit-free face! I thanked it a zillion times!

I happily posed for a lot of pictures with my family. We returned home.

It was time for me to leave home and get back to my institute to attend the job-interviews. 

Now that I had a clear face, I was assured and more self-confident.

I was filled with renewed zeal and zest!

Then, I got the great news that my (headless) photo-submission had won the Travel-Junkie contest! 

The organizers had requested my latest pic to display the photo of the winner on their website!

This time I was formally dressed in a Saree. I intended to get a pic clicked that I could use for my job-interview too.

My sister clicked my photo. 

"Picture-perfect!" she said.

For an IB contest.
Also linking with-
ABC Wednesday- Zigzag, Zebra, Zit, Zeal, Zest, Zillion
Magpie Tales