I shoved open the bathroom door, choking back a sob. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror — red-faced, eyes puffy, hair messy from the rush out of the gymnasium. Fat Betty. Marcus’s words echoed in my head, and I clenched my fists against the sink, willing the tears to stop.
I grabbed my phone from my pocket and dialed Dad. I needed to hear his voice. I needed him to tell me that this was going to be okay, that things would get better.
But it went straight to voicemail.
I let out a shaky breath and hung up without leaving a message. Of course he wouldn’t pick up. He was halfway across the world, in Singapore, for business as usual. My chest tightened. I needed someone. Anyone.
I dialed Brent’s number.
The phone rang three times before he picked up, his voice soft.
“Hey. What’s up? I’m in class.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck. What was I supposed to say? That I’d just been publicly humiliated? That the one thing I was actually good at — cheerleading — had turned into a nightmare?
“Betty?” Brent’s voice was concerned. “You okay?”
I forced a smile, even though he couldn’t see it.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just… wanted to talk.”
He paused, clearly not convinced. “I’ll call you after class, okay? We can catch up then.”
“Okay,” I whispered, trying to steady my voice. “Talk later.”
I hung up and stared at my phone, feeling more alone than ever. Brent had always been there for me. But now… he wasn’t. Not really.
I needed to survive this. Just get through college, and then I’d be on my own. Away from Stacey, away from Marcus, away from all of this.
Swiping at the tears still lingering in my eyes, I straightened up and changed into my regular clothes. The tight cheer uniform was tossed into my bag, and I grabbed a loose sweater that hid everything I hated about my body.
***
When I walked into the classroom, the seats were mostly taken. A few heads turned in my direction, but no one smiled, no one offered a friendly wave. I scanned the room, hoping for an empty spot that wasn’t in the direct line of fire of Stacey’s group.
No such luck.
The only seat left was right in front of the professor’s desk. Of course, it was the seat no one wanted, sitting there like a beacon of last resort. I swallowed my pride and made my way to it, feeling eyes on me the entire time.
I sat down, trying to disappear into my chair, but it wasn’t that easy. I didn’t need to look to know Marcus and Stacey’s circle of friends were in the back of the room, watching me. I could feel their eyes burning into the back of my head.
“Oink,” someone whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.
The blood drained from my face. I could feel my hands shaking, but I kept my eyes fixed on the desk, willing the professor to start the lecture. Another quiet snicker from behind me. I bit my lip hard, refusing to let the tears come again.
“Alright, class, let’s get started,” the professor said, stepping in front of the board. His voice was a welcome distraction, but it didn’t last long.
“We have a new student joining us today,” the professor continued, his eyes landing on me. “Would you mind standing and introducing yourself?”
Every muscle in my body screamed to stay seated. But I couldn’t. Slowly, I stood up, turning to face the class. My knees wobbled, and I could feel my face turning red. I opened my mouth, but the words didn’t come out right.
“Hi, I’m Bethany — "
“Oink, oink,” came the whisper again, this time from Marcus himself. His voice dripped with mockery.
The entire class seemed to hold its breath.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. But before I could say anything, the professor turned sharply toward the back of the room, his expression hard. “That’s enough.”
Marcus leaned back in his chair, a smug smile playing on his lips, but the professor wasn’t done.
“Grow up. All of you,” he snapped, his voice cutting through the room like a whip. “If you’re not mature enough to be here, the door is right there.”
The class went silent. No one moved. No one dared. I glanced over at Marcus’s group. Their laughter had died down, but the way they glared at me made my skin crawl.