I Was Teased Throughout School – At Our 10-Year Reunion, Nobody Recognized Me, so I Took Advantage of It
Mom went quiet. “Well, that tells me they never really saw you.”
“Madison sent in a video. They were laughing about it.”
“Oh, Eva.”
“I want to leave.”
“Then leave.”
I swallowed. “Really?”
“You don’t owe them anything.”
“I want to leave.”
I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing the red dress, my eyes were wet, and my mouth was shaking.
Then Mom said, “But you don’t have to run either.”
I pulled the cardigan from my bag.
Mom saw it and said, “Put it on if you want to. Just make sure it’s a choice, not armor.”
I held it for a second.
Then I folded it and left it on the counter.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
“I’m going back in.”
“Why?”
“Because Madison said my name like I wasn’t in the room.”
Mom’s voice warmed. “Then go take your place in the room.”
***
The lights dimmed as I returned.
The slideshow began with weddings, babies, dogs, promotions, and smiling vacation photos. People clapped and laughed.
“Then go take your place in the room.”
Then my slide appeared.
EVA.
A photo of me in Chicago filled the screen. I was standing with my team after a campaign launch, smiling with my arm around a younger coworker.
Under it were the words: Marketing Director. Community Mentor. Chicago.
People clapped.
Brielle leaned forward. “Who’s that?”
Then my slide appeared.
Ashley stared. “The woman that was sitting with us, no?”
Madison barely looked up from her phone.
Then the music cut off.
A grainy hallway video appeared.
Blue lockers. Dirty floor. Fluorescent lights.
Then sixteen-year-old me appeared on the screen, clutching my books.
Madison barely looked up from her phone.
