It was my last year of high school, the year when everything changed. During junior year, I was the girl everyone kept a distance from. My name was one of my insecurities, and one of the reasons everyone kept a distance from me. My name was Patricia, and some called me “Fatty Patty.” To be honest, I was bigger than everyone else by at least fifty pounds, and this made my clothes too small. I hated myself for not wanting to get up and exercise like everyone else. I had no energy to stay clean either. I had really bad acne, ratty and greasy hair, and my teeth were naturally stained yellow. I got bullied for my hygiene too and was called several names. However, no matter how mean people were to me, I always killed them with kindness.

My home life did not help make school life better. My family was not the best environment for me. I came home to my parents screaming every night, and no food to eat. This was a rough patch I had to get around, so I wanted to change for the best. After junior year, I decided I needed a job to change my lifestyle. I started to make more money than my parents and ended up taking care of them and my siblings. This was a big responsibility, and I had no one there to support me when I needed it. However, I managed to get through it.

During the summer after junior year, I decided to try my best to fit in, and change the way everyone thought about me. I went to the gym every day, and the track at my school to run. This was a big step from my normal fitness routine. I began to lose ten to twenty pounds a week. Since I got a job, I was able to buy the items to help with my bad hygiene. This included face wash, face mask, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, and more. My clothes started to be too big on me, and this made me feel better. I realized how hard I was working, and I loved the results. However, I was nervous about the beginning of the senior year to come. I was scared everyone would still make fun of me.

On the first day of senior year, I got many stares, but it felt good for once. Someone named, Sophia, came up to me and complimented me. No one has ever talked to me without being rude. It felt great to finally be visible in a good way. Sophia was considered a popular girl, and later in the year, we grew closer. I never had someone to talk with about everything. I told her everything, and I even went to parties for the first time. When Sophia first met me, she liked everything about me except my outfits. She invited me to go shopping with her and some of her other popular friends. They changed my whole wardrobe and bought it all. I was amazed by the other girls’ kindness, and I even looked good. After I changed my wardrobe, I was considered popular. Guys even started to notice me. Sophia’s boyfriend, Michael, was perfect and had been my crush since first grade. Now that Sophia and I were such good friends, I did not want to do anything to hurt her, but I did.

One night at a party, Michael came up to me and said I was really cute. I was so surprised at this comment, I danced with him. As soon as I turned around to look for Sophia, she was looking at Michael and I dancing together and ran off. I felt horrible for what I did, so I went home and tried to call her. She did not answer and I felt awful.

The next day, I went to school and saw posters of me all throughout the hallways. The posters had a picture of me when I was “Fatty Patty,” and said, “Patricia will always be “Fatty Patty!” All the old memories rushed back, and I ran out of the school with laughing echoing from behind. I only had a week left of school, and I ruined my chances of being normal.

As the last week flew by, I was by myself and felt lonely. I started to get bullied again, but not for the same reasons. When graduation came by, I knew I missed my last chance for being normal. I ruined my last year.