Chapter one: Smell
I've always been bullied. The whisper gossips. The inside Jokes.
The "pity"looks. The backstabbing friendships. yeah. I experience it all.
Walking through the hallways, searching for a place to hide. Always
finding nothing, finding no one that simply gave a danm. Then coming home
to a single parent household were not always a good thing.
Mother was never home. She expected for us to be "perfect". I, being the older sibling, needed to
be the parent figure to my sister, Alice. Mother was actually being the responsable parent, working
two jobs. We saw her in the morning, when she left work, and at night when she came home.
I hated her at first. but now, I'm not sure.
My name is Isabella but I prefer Isa. I was 14 at the time , when I met Jake. Of course, he being
the center of attention, was the star of middle school. Everybody wanted to be his friends. I, on the
other hand, was the strong silent wallflower. Middle school was the worst for me. I was constantly
bullied because I smell. I had some serious body odor. It's not that I didn't take showers, puberty happened.
Mother was too busy preocupied with her jobs... and when I ask her about needing the essentials...
she slapped me. She made some statement about me still being a child to need such things.
So people gossip and whisper behind my back. My Dad, Charlie wasn't in the picture. Even close relatives
weren't involved in our lives to care. So I tried everything to make sure people didn't smell me.
My expectations did not happen. People still talk. It hurted.
Since the first day, Jake had an interest in me. He would always be close by. We didn't talk.
the silence felt nice. After a few day, He asked me out.
My heart jump! this was so weird -a BOY had an interest in me. I didn't consider myself as ..beautiful.
Ofcourse I said no. How could I? I have to take care of my 6 year sister, Alice; while doing the chores of
the house. Jake was hurt. He did put some distance between us. word got around that now I was too good
for the most popular boy. the rumors got worse. I started not to care. I made friends but with time, those
friendships dissolved.
It was one day that I finally broke down. I went to my locker that morning, when a note fell out. My Heart
started beating as I open it.
Isa...
Your the most beautiful girl I have met. you are so bright and kind.
I have to tell you that you be even more beautiful if you took
care of yourself. try makeup. try deodorant. try something
-XoxoX
I read the letter once. then twice... by the 10th time. I notice that everybody in the hallway
were quietly staring at me. feeling stupid I grab my bag and headed for biology. As I walk in
class, I ripped the letter into pieces and threw at the wastebasket by the door. I never had felt
so vulnerable... so ugly than that day.
I thought the sender was Jake, but after the day I rejected him, he saw me differently.
I even believe he was the many who like to gossip about me.
I open my books, trying to forget everything.
I didn't work.