Chapter 23: Self Image Issues

Something about their aura... and the way they are walking... I don't think they have the best intentions... for her...

I can see their smirking faces filled with malicious intent as they try to approach the girl in the black hoodie. I stood up to see what was going to happen but I do believe that I shouldn't really judge their intentions by just how they look alone.

I mean you never really know what they want to do. Maybe they just want to make friends with that girl. I decided to lay low for a bit, hiding behind the chairs to listen in their conversation.

I see the girl with the hoodie, looking at them for a smooth second then decided to stand up and get out of the table before one of the girls grabs her by the arm.

"Hey FATima, where are you going? Still eating all those burgers?" The girl chuckled grabbing her by the arms.

OKAY. Well... I was wrong, they did have bad intentions for her...

"Oh my god. I can't believe she eats that many burgers.. she is such a fatso." One of the girls mocked her, throwing the burger in her direction.

"Does she never stop eating? Like for real. She knows she's so fat. She should probably stop eating." The girl laughed at her. All of them glanced at her, pointing at her abnormally large bodyweight and how she looks ugly.

Even if I wasn't the one that's being insulted by them... I felt every word like a stab to my heart. You know how they say scars heal but emotional scars last forever? She stood there, getting teary-eyed at the girls who kept her there.

"Please... can you just let me go... I really don't want to talk to you.." She tries to shove away the girl's grab on her.

"Aw... how about a little exercise. You're so fat anyway. Come on, let's throw all her burgers so she can fetch them all. So at least she can run and lose some weight." The girl suggested to the others.

They all smiled from ear to ear as they all took her food from her and decided to grab it all.

"Come on let's go fattie, time for some exercise." One of the girls drags her outside as she struggled to get away.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" She tries desperately to break free from the grab but it was no use. Multiple girls grabbed her at the same time. While the others grabbed her burgers to throw them outside so she can fetch them.

"Come on. We're trying to do good you know! Time to exercise fattie." She mocked her attempts of trying to escape.

I've had enough about this. I stood up from my hiding place and proceeded to block their exit of the cafeteria with my body. I stood there like a fortress trying to stop them from going out with her and the burgers.

"And who are you exactly? You're in our way." One of the girls gave me an attitude.

"I don't think that girl is actually fond of you dragging her outside. How about you let her go and let her move on her own, ya?" I said passive-aggressively.

"Can you just mind your own business? This girl is seriously getting on my nerves." One of the girls whispered to one another.

"Let her go, it's not kind to do that to someone." I blatantly declared to them, pushing gently the girls that were grabbing her. "So can you kindly just go? Cause this thing is just plain stupid." I turned to them to retaliate.

"Ugh. Whatever. Ladies, let's go. This girl is such a dumb bimbo anyway." The leader of the group girls walked away along with her minions behind her back. Hmm.. well good thing they are finally gone...

"Hey I-. Huh? Where did you go?" I turned around to see the girl with the hoodie already gone from the scene, she vanished like a bubble and she took her burgers with her. Honestly, I wanted to meet that girl and talk with her at least but I guess I could understand that she was really embarrassed about the situation.

I remember the girl from before mentioning her name as Fatima... is that her name or is that some kind of nickname. Well, whatever that was... I should probably go back to eating my food. We are already late from our list of to-dos

I walked back to my table to see Lawrence, eating his fries there, waiting for me. "Oh, look at what the cat dragged in? Where were you? You know I was waiting here for you." He interrogates me as he dips his fries in a mountain of salt.

"Uh.. isn't that too much salt. Also, why are you treating salt like ketchup?" I timidly asked him about the mountain of salt in his tray.

"I'm never really a fan of condiments. I prefer adding cheese or salt to my fries so this is okay." He chuckled softly before changing the subject again. "Anyways where were you at?"

"Oh.. well I just stopped these groups of girls from trying to bully this poor girl with the hoodie on."

"You mean the person that you said was our dorm mate?"

"Yes. This group of girls was trying to torment her by taking away her burgers from her and then making her run outside to get them. They were also saying some very harsh things about her weight and such." I informed him, although he didn't look rather intrigued and just proceeded to eat his fries.

"You know that always made me wonder about schooling. Why are there people that go out of their way just to make your life miserable? I mean like don't they have anything else better to do?" I added to my statement as I proceeded to continue eating my meal.

"Well, it's not really complicated actually..." He answered me, getting a drink to clear his throat. "You see... it's often that... they have a self-image issue."