Disclaimer: This book doesn't belong to me and I don't make money with this fic. No copyright infringement intended

My life as a school bullying survivor

She gives me that letter on the last school day and then she leaves without a word. I open it in fear. I expect insults or rude words or maybe whale pictures with the caption "your mom and dad". I just find this:

Dear Linda,

I'm sorry. I knew you were bullied and I didn't help. I should have done something. I guess I was too afraid to act. You didn't deserve it.

I hope everyone will be nice with you next year.

Best wishes

Rochelle

That was the last thing I expected. Apologies? Rochelle wasn't even one of my bullies! But I guess only decent people apologize from time to time. Monsters like Wendy never say they're sorry about anything.

I go back home, I cry and I binge-eat chocolate. Then I feel terribly guilty about it. I always feel bad after eating junk food. Eating is the only thing that comforts me but then I look at a mirror, I see how fat and ugly I look and I remember that no one will ever love me if I don't lose weight. It's so unfair that skeleton girls like Jill can eat everything they want and still remain skinny and beautiful! I hate her so much!

I hide in my room and I cry again and again…

My mom told me she wants me to take drawing lessons during summer. She says I'm good and I should meet new people. Ok, I like drawing but I don't want to leave my room, ever! They'll make fun of me again.

She suggests to try just once so I'm following her reluctantly. I guess I'll say the teacher is horrible or something so I won't have to come back. No surprise, I'm the only fat child here. I want to leave and…

"Hey! Linda!"

I can't believe it. It's Kenny, Jill's adorable little brother! He was one of the few people who were nice with me this year. I can't believe he's here.

"Nice to see you", I say. "I didn't know you were into drawing."

"I'm not. I just heard that the teacher tells interesting stuff about the history of art. Did you know Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world?"

Of course I do. We sit down and we start talking. Kenny is the most interesting boy I have ever met. He's smart, witty, funny, kind and loveable. I can't believe someone like Jill has such an amazing little brother.

Then the teacher comes in, gives us paint and paper and tells us about Vincent Van Gogh. I have a lot of fun this afternoon and when my mom comes and picks me up, I feel incredibly calm. I'm not even hungry.

"Can I come back for the next lesson?" I ask. "I just... I met someone nice."

So my summer went smoothly. I went to the drawing lessons whenever I could. Of course sometimes I still hide to cry. I avoid looking at mirrors most of the time. I still hate what I see. I feel fat and ugly.

One day, the drawing teacher shows us paintings from the 16th century. The women on the drawings are huge. There's a long silence, and then a girl asks:

"Why are they all fat?"

"Because at that time, all the beautiful women were supposed to have this kind of body", the teacher said. "Now..."

"But why don't they go on a diet? My dad says only lazy people are fat!"

I feel like crying. Suddenly I remember how everyone made fun of me. Blubber, fat, ugly whale... I hide my face in my hands while people around are talking loudly. Then that nasty girl says:

"Anyway, look at Linda!"

"Well", Kenny says, "Linda is beautiful inside and out. And people who starve themselves to lose weight have more health problems than overweight people. I read that book..."

He carries on telling about his books but I don't listen. I felt good again. There's someone on Earth who believes I am beautiful.

At the end of the summer, the teacher tells me I have potential as an artist. She says I'm a natural at drawing and painting. So I decide to become a painter or a children's books illustrator. I still have nightmares about people undressing me in the girls' bathroom and I still dislike my body but now I have an outlet. One day I'll be the greatest artist ever, everyone will admire my art and all those nasty kids will feel sorry for what they did to me.

To be continued…