January 29, 2001, Brooklyn, New York, A little girl was born. What was unexpected was the life that she had ahead of her. Growing up was hard, especially for a girl who was depressed and reserved. Girls were mean and boys laughed at the little “white girl” on the block. One pet peeve of mine is being mixed up or confused as a “white girl” when I am in fact not. I was just a pale hispanic, that’s all. Anyways, every school I went to there was constant laughter, pointing, whispering, etc. Everyone left me out, made me feel like garbage, and even when I was making friends they always moved away to a different state which was so convenient at the time.
I had gone through many stages of weight through my life, I started as chunky, then I became thin, then chunky, then thin, then chunky and so on. My belly was as round as a bowling ball, and my eyes were bigger than the moon, thanks a lot glasses. I was simply unsatisfied with myself, and the kids at school seemed to have agreed with me too. Every day when I come home from school, my parents asked me the same question and every time I would answer the same thing.
" Did you have a good day at school? Are you okay?" they would say. In response,  I always said "It was good. I am okay." even though in my heart and in my mind that I truly wasn’t “good” or “okay”. They never knew a single detail of my school life, because I had decided that the life I had there and the one I have at home should be separated at all times. At school, I often sat alone,  pondering my thoughts away. A group of kids approached the table and sat down. One person took my tray of uneaten food and threw it away, while another rest their hand firmly on my shoulder. The person then picked me off the seat, if it was even possible at the time, and dragged me to the halls like a bag of trash. Insults and curse words fired out their mouths like a dragon releasing its fiery to it’s all time enemy. Their words cut through my skin and went into my thoughts. There they played over and over for me to hear all day long. I wanted to walk away from them, and be free from their insults. Who am I kidding?  I wanted to sprint in terror, or maybe even run a mile.I just wanted to get out of there, but they beat me to it. They escaped into the deep hallway, laughing in pride from what they just did. It was at that moment that I decided to go back into the social craze known as the cafeteria. Worst mistake ever.
I was a little mouse looking for its cheese. I am looking for something to keep myself alive, to keep me happy, but everything isn’t always a happily ever after. After you find the cheese you see that there are strings attached, but you go to it anyways. What could go wrong? After all isn’t that what you were searching for? No, no it wasn’t because instantly the strings are strung and it’s time for the consequences. SNAP. The mouse dies. Curiosity killed that mouse and it almost happened to me.
A boy I have never seen before, stared at me until I sat down in a seat. His eyes burned through my soul, almost killing me from the impact of fear building up inside of me.
“ You don’t deserve to be here fatty! Why do you even come here little white girl.” he yelled. There was that word again. White girl.  As annoyed as I was I didn’t dare to tell him that that was rude. Rather I stayed quiet and put my head down, hiding my face from the world. His hands gripped my skin very hard to the point where I was in tears. He took something out of his pocket and gripped it tightly, as if he is holding for dear life. I heard a quick swing and there it was. A sharp blade. Fear took over my body and I could only do what was possible at the time. I screamed with terror; I yelled with all my air capacity, only to be stopped when someone takes him away from me. Thankfully, someone eventually noticed and took him away before he could do any harm to my body.
Later that day, when everyone had gone to class, an announcement came on from the principal. She told everyone to come downstairs and go to the front office area. Gasps and shock filled the crowd,  there were two cops holding the boy that tried to hurt me. Relief filled my body. All the fear and terror had gone away. I felt stronger than I ever been before. Years pass and I graduated the fourth grade. I was nine years old, much bigger than before. Not to mention that I had made improvements too. I had gotten contacts so I could take a break from glasses, and I \ changed my eating habits which helped me lose a couple of pounds. Things were about to get better.
“ Everyone pack up your things! We are moving to Georgia!” my dad announced. My mom and my grandma were in such shock, they were excited too but I guess the surprise just really, well, surprised them.  Two days later, we were driving into the new neighborhood to the new house. A HOUSE! I jumped with excitement knowing that we didn’t have to worry about other people like in the apartment complex. We just worry about the family.  I was so glad to leave my new york life behind. I felt like I was reborn into a new life; a better life for me and my family.  Georgia changed me in a way, I was more happy, open, and not scared anymore. I made lots of new friends, and now that I am fourteen and in high school, I see things so differently now. I had the chance to make things right, and improve my ways. I did. Looking back to the little girl who was afraid and shy seems almost impossible to be me, but it was me. The boy scared me; he made me feel like I didn’t belong . How wrong he was, because I didn’t let him take over my life. I am truly worth it, and can’t let hurtful things stop me from living my life.