Inner beauty

In third grade I was called fat. In fifth grade I was called a nerd. In ninth grade I earned the reputation as the shy lonely fat girl. In tenth grade I let a complete stranger help me embrace my inner beauty. My whole life I never cared what others thought of me. I knew I would never fit in and faced weight problems that made it difficult to embrace myself but it never affected my judgement.

As I sat on the bench listening to another love song I contemplated if I should really eat the candy bar in my backpack. My mother gave it to me this morning after reassuring me that I was beautiful inside and out even though I knew she only said it because she loves me.
I've been waiting for her to pick me up for about an hour now. She probably got stuck at work. Again. It normally doesn't bother me except for the fact that it's the middle of January in New York. I wrapped my already tight jacket tighter around myself to keep myself warm.
I took my headphones out as I noticed the "populars" finally leave the school parking lot. I didn't want to hear their insults. I noticed the head cheerleaders boyfriend was not with them. Normally they were inseparable. I honestly don't know how they got along. They were complete opposites. Whenever she would tease me he was never around and I've never even been in the same room as him.
I pulled my phone out to call my mom. But just as I was about to dial the number I felt a cold liquid drench my clothes. When I looked up I saw the head cheerleader with an empty jug of water in her hands. She grabbed my glasses off my face and laughed. I couldn't say anything. I knew I was a nobody and wouldn't get far in life. I ignored the rest of her teasing and looked for my extra par of glasses in my backpack. But to no avail I realized I didn't bring them. When I looked up I could see figures arguing what looked like a few feet away from me. I could hear a male voice yelling at her and her storming away.
I felt my glasses put on my face and a jacket placed on my shoulders. I looked through my glasses and saw it was her boyfriend. He asked me if I was okay but I was too shy to respond. After a few minutes of silence he put his arm around my shoulder and told me that I was beautiful. The gesture wasn't romantic or anything but I could tell he was sincere.
He told me something that made me evaluate my inner beauty. He told me that I possessed values that made others jealous. These values were honesty, integrity, intelligence and most of all bravery.
I told him that I was never brave. I mean how could I have been brave when I never stood up for myself. I let them bully me every day. But he told me that that was bravery. He said that every time they insulted me I ignored it and would continue on with what I was doing. He said that because I never let what they said to me affect what I thought of myself that that was true bravery. Then he told me that I possessed true inner beauty.
Before I could protest at all he stood up and began to walk away. But before he left he told me to just let your light shine.

I never truly understood what he meant but after that day I never got picked on any more. I learned to embrace myself for who I am. I'm beautiful inside and out.

-sunflowergirl97