Midnight Tears

Stop.

Imagine this: 

You have a perfect life. You get good grades, you have tons of great friends, you go out, have fun, you're happy. Life couldn't get any better. Until one day you're at school, things are going normally, you're happy. Then this random kid walks up to you and says, "you're fat you should loose weight." You don't know how to react, this has never happened to you. Your heart for some reason begins to ache and your pulse quickens. You mutter out a shaky "I know" and move on. But you never really move on. You go home, you look in the mirror... and you cry. You don't know why you're crying but you are. It's like you aren't in control, you're crying but it's not really you. You've never been upset with your body until now. Because that one person said but five words to you. But they weren't just words. They were like attacks, with each syllable that came out of their mouth was another punch in the face and you can't take this. You decide to skip dinner tonight. Your mom asks why and if you're okay but you just say you aren't hungry. 

You go to bed that night, hungry. Usually you'd eat but this time it's different. This time the hunger comforts you. You feel at ease when your stomach is growling and clenching, desperate for even the tiniest amount to eat. It's easier to sleep. It's easier to breathe. 

You had only planned to skip a few meals here and there, work out more, eat healthier, drink more water. But one missed meal turned into another, and that one turned into another, and another, and another, and another, and another, until eventually you stopped. The only thing you would consume is water. You loved it. The feeling of the cool water trickling down your throat and filling your empty stomach. You didn't want to give it up. You decide to weigh yourself. You lost weight, not just a few pounds but tens. Each month you noticed your bones pop out more and more and a gap developed in your thighs. You threw up every day but it's fine, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about at all. Until it becomes extremely unhealthy, you pass out, your finger turn purple sometimes. But you refuse to stop. Until one day...it's too late. Your family cries as they bury you,never forgetting the happy spirit and joy you brought them. 

This all happened because of those five words. 

Words do hurt. Words kill.

Stop bullying. 

Stop weight shaming.