Karma

chapter one

"Pig."

"Fat ass."

"Whale."

"I think the ground just shook."

"Uh-oh. She's causing another earthquake."

"Why don't you just do us all a favor and kill yourself?"

"No one wants you here, lardo."

"Look at her stomach jiggle."

"Thunder thighs." Tears stung my eyes as I slowly walked to my locker with my head down. I hated this school so much. Everyone at school picked on me for no reason and there was never a day when I wasn't being constantly taunted. I didn't tell my family because things would only get worse. I continued walking to my locker with my head still bowed. When I got there I opened it and grabbed what I needed for class. Afterwards I walked to first period and sat down. Everyone else in my first period scrambled to their seats during the bell. The teacher walked in with a loud sigh that had escaped her lips.

"Everyone, take out the assignment I gave you yesterday and turn it to the front, " She simply states. Everyone did so. I got up like everyone else to turn my stuff in. When I walked up there I heard loud whispers and murmurs.

"Look at that ugly whale," I heard a girl say.

"She'll never get a man if she looks like that," Her friend murmured as they looked at me. I kept my head down the whole time. I suddenly tripped over someone's leg. The whole class burst into laughter. I tried reaching for my paper but someone else took it and ripped it in half.

"Why don't you eat that, you pig?" The guy sneered. More laughter erupted. I felt tears coming to my eyes. I got up and ran out of the room crying. I headed straight for the bathroom. I found a stall and went inside. I sat on the toilet and cried. I decided to just stay there for the rest of the period. When the bell rang I headed back to class to grab my things. The teacher was at her desk writing down something. I gathered my things and headed for the door.

"Karma, close the door for me," She said. I closed the door and headed towards her desk.

"Sit," She pointed to the chair. I sat down and waited patiently. She stopped what she was doing and looked at me.

"I apologize for what Mr. Matthews did to you earlier. That was unacceptable and rude. As you know I do not tolerate something like that at all in my classroom. Right now as we speak the administrators are handling him for what he did,''she explained. I absorbed this information. She's made it worse.

"Since the assignment I gave last night was destroyed by him I will let you have another chance to do it again along with today's. I'll put the notes up for you on eClass so you can be caught up with everyone else,''she said. It was complete and utter bullshit that I had to do the entire assignment over again. He was the one that had ripped it up. Why is she doing this?

"I also want you to know that the next time they do something like this when I'm not looking or when I'm not here tell me right away or go straight to the counselor. That is a form of bullying and it's not acceptable at this school. You are an intelligent, young lady who doesn't deserve to be treated this way, Karma,''she tells me. It's like I'm getting punished for being bullied right now and him not for being the bully. He literally gets a slap on the wrist while I get a slap to the face with how she handled the entire situation.

"I'll write you a pass for your next class so your teacher won't give you a hard time for being late. Remember what I said, Karma," she said. My second period teacher giving me a hard time for being late would be next to nothing considering how she's handling everything.

"Thank you," I softly mumbled knowing I did not mean it at all.

"You're welcome, Karma," She murmured. Fuck out of here with that bullshit. She hands me the pass and I leave. With a loud and exasperated sigh, I headed to my second period which was German II. I walked in when my teacher got done explaining something. I handed him the pass. He hands me today's assignment and I head to my seat that was the farthest in the back. I began working on the assignment while listening to music.

I managed to finish the assignment quickly and turned it in. He gave me my homework and I took it to my seat. I decided to get a head start on it. I finished doing my homework up until the bell rang. Everyone quickly got up and left. I took my time packing up my things. I left the classroom with my music still playing.

Later that day when I got home I saw my mom's car in the driveway along with her husband of three months, Charles, car. I sighed and went inside. I closed and locked the door. I silently went upstairs to my room and closed the door behind me. I set my things down at my desk and then I got started on the rest of my homework. After that I started studying and reading the last few chapters of Macbeth for Literature. My door opened and my mom's head peeked around.

"How was school?" She asked. Honestly, I dreaded updating her about my day because all she did was just somehow turn it into something about my weight and it depressed the hell out of me because she added fuel to the fire that was already lit by my classmates and my constant insecurities that hinder me from being as confident as I should.

"It was good," I lied with a fake smile. To be honest, it was horrible and I would rather spend some time alone rather than talk to you right now. As much as I love my mother, being alone is much more appealing than having her in my presence. If I could, I would say those words aloud, but I can't and it sucks.

"That's nice to hear. Any boys approach you?" She asked.

"No," I shook my head.

"Well, sweetie. Maybe if you lost a few pounds then maybe you'd get approached," She said. There she goes again with that same phrase she says over and over again. Sometimes I wish she would just leave me the hell alone about my weight and just deal with it, but life is too cruel to me for that to even happen.

"Okay, mom," I sighed. Leave. Just leave already. Can't you see that I'm already suffering enough as is or are you too wrapped up in insulting me and lowering what little self-confidence I have? Just go. Please just go. I'm begging you to just turn around and walk out that door.

"I'm just trying to help," She says. Ha! Yeah right. I'd rather ask a monkey for help instead of you.

"I know, mom," I murmured. "Mom, if you're done talking then please leave. I have some homework to do."

She was a little taken aback by my tone, but she finally got the message and said, "Okay, Karma. I'm sorry for bothering you."

"It's fine," I mumbled. No it's not! That's a rotten lie and we both know it, but she probably doesn't want to start anything with me or something. Whatever. The faster she leaves the better. I'm drained from having to deal with my horrible classmates at my school and now I have to deal with her and her opinions on my outward appearance as if I don't get enough of that.

"I'll leave you alone for now," She said before leaving my room. Once my door closed I breathed in deeply and put my head in my hands. I wiped my face and then sighed before going back to doing my homework. Sometimes I wish things would get better, but every time I wish that it never happens. I've just given up on wishing for better days at this point because I'm not as pretty or skinny as other girls.