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#revenge #romance #betrayal #fyp
#Dailymotion
#Dailymotion
Category
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FunTranscript
00:00The day after I met my online boyfriend in person, I saw him post on the anonymous wall
00:04that if he'd known the girl behind the screen was a fat girl with rolls all over her body,
00:08he never would have wasted six months on her.
00:10I opened the pinned post.
00:12If you could go back six months, what would you change?
00:14The profile picture beside the most liked answer showed a hand resting on a basketball.
00:18A pale crescent-shaped scar marked the web between the thumb and index finger.
00:23Three months ago, after his team won the state league title, he'd sent me that exact photo.
00:27I recognized it at once.
00:28It was Elliot, my online boyfriend.
00:30His answer was only three lines long.
00:32I'd ask that girl for her contact information myself.
00:35I wouldn't trust an account a friend sent me without a second thought.
00:38And I definitely wouldn't let his mistake lead me to spend six whole months talking to a fat girl
00:43whose rolls show even under an oversized jacket.
00:46The comments were full of laughter.
00:47Someone asked if meeting her in person yesterday had scared him.
00:50He replied with a grimacing emoji.
00:52Then he added,
00:52If I'd known she looked like that, I never would have wasted so much time.
00:56Someone else asked,
00:57Then who did you originally want to get to know?
00:59A few minutes passed before he answered.
01:02The girl in the silver dress standing under the lights at the fall dance.
01:05I immediately thought of Lenora.
01:07She had been the only girl there in a silver dress.
01:09My hand trembled around my phone as I scrolled through the comments one by one.
01:13Hundreds of mocking emojis.
01:15Hundreds of people watching my humiliation for fun.
01:17I thought back to the coffee shop yesterday.
01:19I'd arrived half an hour early,
01:21my dress creasing where the fabric pulled across my waist.
01:23I'd just tugged my jacket closed.
01:25When the bell over the door rang,
01:26Elliot spotted the blue hyacinth on the table at once.
01:29It was the signal we'd agreed on.
01:30His smile froze.
01:31And he stopped dead in the doorway.
01:33Are you...
01:35Moon?
01:35That was what he called me on the chat app.
01:37I'd only ever called him E six months ago.
01:39After he got my account,
01:40he suggested that we not ask each other's real names
01:43or exchange photos before meeting in person.
01:45He said it would make the meeting a surprise.
01:47I'd thought it was romantic,
01:48so I never pressed him about who he was.
01:50It wasn't until yesterday that I learned the E
01:52I'd spent six months talking to
01:54was the most popular varsity team captain at school.
01:56I am.
01:57My name is Marlo.
01:58The last trace of his smile vanished
02:00when I admitted I was Moon.
02:01I hadn't understood then.
02:03Now I knew he'd decided long ago
02:04that Lenora was the girl behind the screen.
02:06When he heard my answer,
02:07he'd instinctively taken half a step back.
02:09At last, I understood what that reaction meant.
02:12I took a screenshot of his answer,
02:13then found Lenora's account on the student list.
02:15That afternoon, I messaged Elliot.
02:17Tomorrow during lunch break,
02:18the name coffee shop is yesterday.
02:20I have something for you.
02:22Elliot was already sitting by the window
02:24when I reached the coffee shop.
02:25A hot chocolate sat in front of him,
02:27piled with so much whipped cream
02:29it was about to spill over.
02:31Before we'd met,
02:32he'd remembered that I only drank mine
02:33lightly sweetened with no whipped cream.
02:36What did you want to see me about?
02:37Elliot pushed the cup toward me
02:39without looking up from his phone.
02:40I didn't answer.
02:41I pulled out a chair and sat down.
02:46I pulled out a chair and sat down.
02:46Enlarged the screenshot from the anonymous wall.
02:49The words fat girl filled the screen
02:50and slid my phone across to him.
02:52Elliot's thumb went still.
02:54He looked up.
02:55Only then did he realize I'd seen it.
02:57Marlon, that answer was just...
02:59Just the truth?
03:00The table beside us happened to fall silent.
03:02He lowered his voice.
03:03I didn't know that account was yours.
03:05After meeting you yesterday, I needed some time.
03:07You needed time to accept that I was this fat?
03:09He frowned.
03:10His gaze swept over my waist.
03:11Before darting toward the window.
03:14Don't make it sound so ugly.
03:15I have nothing against you.
03:17It's just that after we met in person,
03:18I realized we weren't a good match.
03:19Such a polite excuse.
03:21But he couldn't hide the disgust in his eyes
03:23when he looked at me.
03:24I took a slip of paper from my pocket.
03:26Lenora's account was written on it.
03:27Lenora Winslow.
03:29Student council vice president,
03:30cheer captain,
03:31and the daughter of a school trustee.
03:32She was always at the center of the crowd.
03:34At the fall dance,
03:35she'd stood beneath the lights in a silver slip dress
03:38and drawn every eye in the room.
03:39I pushed the paper toward Elliot.
03:41She's the one you wanted to get to know.
03:43Don't worry.
03:44I won't tell her we dated online for six months.
03:47And I won't let anyone know you mistook me for her.
03:50I picked up my backpack.
03:54From now on,
03:54if we see each other at school,
03:55we'll act like we never met.
03:57Elliot opened his mouth.
03:58Marlo.
03:59The warning bell before class rang from across the street.
04:01When I hurried into class,
04:03Celeste had already saved me a seat
04:04before I met Elliot last night.
04:06She was the one who helped me try on three dresses
04:08and curled my hair.
04:10Well, is he handsome?
04:11Is he a gentleman?
04:12I shoved my backpack under the desk
04:13and opened my textbook.
04:14It's over.
04:16Celeste's gaze paused on my waist.
04:17Why?
04:18The corner of her mouth started to rise,
04:20but her expression quickly shifted to concern.
04:22Because you're fat?
04:23My fingers stilled.
04:24We met and realized we weren't right for each other.
04:26Celeste took my hand,
04:28her voice soothing.
04:29Don't be upset.
04:30No matter how well you get along online,
04:32men still care about looks once you meet.
04:35Someone in the front row suddenly raised a phone.
04:37Check the anonymous wall.
04:40Someone caught Elliot and Leneet at the coffee shop.
04:46I opened the post and the photo.
04:48Lenora was sitting where I'd just been.
04:50Elliot pushed an identical hot chocolate toward her.
04:52They both looked down and smiled.
04:54They'd met less than ten minutes after I left.
04:56The comments were flooded with-
04:57Finally!
04:59Westbridge's perfect couple?
05:00The bell rang.
05:01I closed the page and shoved my phone under the desk.
05:03For the next two classes,
05:05I didn't hear a single word.
05:07Just before school ended,
05:08the doorway suddenly fell silent.
05:09Lenora wore a white knit top.
05:11A silver gift bag hung from her hand.
05:13Her hair loosely pinned at the nape of her neck.
05:17Marlo?
05:19Elliot said you're the one who gave him my account.
05:21We never would have met without you.
05:23She pulled out a silver slip dress
05:24and held it against me.
05:25The waist was narrow enough to fit around only half of me.
05:28She looked down at the dress
05:29and swept her gaze over my waist,
05:30as if she'd only just noticed the problem.
05:36I specifically asked the sales clerk for the largest size.
05:38It should fit, right?
05:40If it doesn't,
05:40she can keep it as weight loss motivation.
05:42At least the fat girl did one good thing.
05:44She set Lenina up.
05:46The laughter grew louder.
05:46I stuffed the dress back into the bag
05:49and pushed it toward her.
05:51I don't need it.
05:52Lenora's hand froze in midair.
05:54She bit her lip,
05:55and her eyes quickly turned red.
05:57Do you hate me?
05:58The laughter around us stopped.
05:59Every gaze pressed down on me at once,
06:01as if refusing the gift
06:03meant I was deliberately bullying her.
06:04I had no choice but to take the bag again.
06:07Only then did Lenora smile.
06:10At ten that night,
06:11only one table of customers remained in the coffee shop.
06:13I put on my apron
06:14and shoved Lenora's gift bag
06:16into the back of my employee locker.
06:17Before closing,
06:18I was washing the last few cups
06:19when the bell over the door rang.
06:21Elliot walked in.
06:22He came straight to the counter.
06:23Lenora doesn't know we dated online.
06:25He glanced at the remaining customers
06:26and lowered his voice.
06:27Don't give her the wrong idea.
06:28I slammed the cup into the drying rack.
06:30Finished?
06:31Splashing water onto his sleeve.
06:32Then leave.
06:34Marlo, I was just trying to remind you-
06:35I told you.
06:36From now on,
06:37we don't know each other.
06:38At that exact moment,
06:39a faint white flash flickered outside the window.
06:42Neither of us noticed.
06:43Our first period began the next morning.
06:46Phones started buzzing all over the classroom.
06:48The anonymous wall is blowing up again!
06:50I opened it.
06:51A photo from the coffee shop the night before
06:53filled the homepage.
06:54In it,
06:54both my hands were braced on the counter
06:56while Elliot leaned toward me.
06:57From that angle,
06:58it looked as though we were kissing.
07:00Lenora and Elliot just went public
07:01and a certain fat scholarship girl
07:03is already throwing herself at him
07:05like a homewrecker?
07:07Has she ever looked in a mirror?
07:08Doesn't Elliot have nightmares
07:09getting that close to her?
07:10All that fat is disgusting.
07:12She's that fat
07:13and still thinks she can seduce
07:14the varsity captain?
07:15Soon,
07:15someone uploaded an old photo of me.
07:17I was bent over carrying a tray
07:18at the coffee shop.
07:19The wide apron stretched tight
07:21across my back.
07:22Someone turned it into a meme
07:23and out of the words.
07:24Unfortunately,
07:25she was in love.
07:25Laughly traveled from the front of the classroom
07:27all the way behind me.
07:29I turned my phone face down.
07:32Celeste immediately grabbed my hand.
07:33Stop looking.
07:34She closed the page for me,
07:36but her own screen was still lit.
07:37A few minutes later,
07:38Lenora posted publicly,
07:39I believe Marlo would never hurt me.
07:41After all,
07:42she's the one who gave Elliot my account
07:44and brought us together.
07:45The comments under her post
07:46instantly exploded.
07:47So she had her eye on Elliot all along?
07:50She pretended to set them up
07:51while secretly waiting for them to break up?
07:53Does she really think Elliot
07:54would someone as beautiful as Lenira
07:55and go back for that pig?
07:56Lenira,
07:56stop defending her.
07:58She's taking advantage of your kindness.
08:00Before lunch was over,
08:01the intercom called me
08:02to the principal's office.
08:03Principal Howard turned his computer toward me.
08:05Until we've investigated this,
08:07you're suspended from the scholarship program.
08:09His inbox was packed with complaints,
08:12demanding my removal
08:12from the scholarship program.
08:14He took the recommendation letter off his desk.
08:15This won't be sent for now either.
08:18As I left his office,
08:19my phone buzzed again.
08:20It was a message from the coffee shop owner.
08:22People had flooded the shop's page
08:23with one-star reviews
08:24and threatened to boycott.
08:26Marlo, I'm sorry.
08:27Don't come in until this blows over.
08:30People in the hallway
08:31raised their phones when they saw me.
08:33Celeste ran up behind me
08:34and pulled me into a hug.
08:35I wanted to defend you,
08:37but there were just too many of them.
08:40Her phone slipped into view over my shoulder.
08:42The anonymous wall was still open.
08:44Her freshly added light glowed beneath the comment.
08:47She's that fat,
08:48and she still dares to be the other woman.
08:50It was the last day of the semester.
08:52The school let out for summer break
08:54without giving me any results
08:56from its investigation.
08:57For the first three days of summer break,
08:59I didn't open my curtains once.
09:01On the fourth evening,
09:02Mom came in
09:02and set a plate of fried eggs beside my bed.
09:05I curled up under the covers
09:06with my back to her.
09:07I'm not hungry.
09:08She didn't try to persuade me.
09:10She walked to the window
09:10and yanked the curtains open.
09:12Sunset flooded the room,
09:13lighting the mirror across from us.
09:15The girl in the mirror had messy hair,
09:16red, swollen eyes,
09:18and an overweight body
09:19that even her baggy pajamas couldn't hide.
09:21I immediately pulled the covers over my face.
09:23If I were thinner,
09:24would they stop treating me this way?
09:26The mattress dipped.
09:27Mom sat beside me
09:28and gently stroked my head through the blanket.
09:30Other people are allowed not to like you,
09:32but you can't join them in bullying yourself.
09:35The next morning,
09:35I put on my running shoes
09:37and made myself step outside for the first time.
09:39Before I'd completed even one lap,
09:40I was braced against a streetlight,
09:42gasping.
09:43Sweat stung my eyes.
09:44My chest felt ready to split open.
09:47Someone jogged past me with ease.
09:48I looked down at my trembling legs,
09:50clenched my teeth,
09:51and took another step.
09:52At first,
09:53I only wanted Elliot to regret what he'd done.
09:55Later,
09:56I began to remember the extra 500 meters I ran each day,
09:59the breakfast Mom left on the table,
10:01and the growing resolve in the eyes
10:02that met mine in the mirror.
10:04A little over a month later,
10:05the scale showed I'd lost more than 22 pounds.
10:08Throughout summer break,
10:09my weight kept dropping day by day.
10:11On the first day of school,
10:13I cut my hair short.
10:14The girl in the mirror had a defined waist.
10:16Her uniform no longer pulled into creases,
10:18and her shoulder-length hair
10:19revealed the jawline
10:20and her round face had once hidden.
10:22The eyes were still mine,
10:23but they no longer avoided anyone's gaze.
10:25I looked for a few seconds,
10:26picked up my backpack,
10:27and left.
10:27At the school entrance,
10:29the security guard checked my ID twice
10:30before letting me in,
10:31visibly surprised.
10:33People kept turning to look at me in the hallway,
10:35but no one dared say my name.
10:36Before first period,
10:38my teacher asked me to take a stack of documents
10:40to the reception room.
10:41As I opened the door,
10:42a pen rolled off the edge of a table.
10:44The boy standing by the window bent to pick it up.
10:46When he looked up and saw me,
10:47he suddenly froze.
10:48Marlon?
10:49Marlon recognized me at once.
10:50He was Elliot's childhood friend
10:52and captain of the debate team.
10:54Six months ago,
10:55he was the one who'd asked for my chat account
10:57backstage at the fall dance.
10:58I'd always assumed he was asking for it
11:00on Elliot's behalf.
11:01I heard what happened on the anonymous wall.
11:02He came over,
11:03his gaze dropping to my clenched hand
11:05around the documents.
11:06I was away from school then.
11:08Otherwise,
11:09I never would have let them treat you like that.
11:11What does any of this have to do with you?
11:12Because I was asking for your contact information
11:14for myself.
11:15My head snapped up.
11:16Ronan looked at me and lowered his voice.
11:19You were the one I wanted to get to know
11:20at the fall dance.
11:21You always were.
11:22Elliot saw me talking to Lanira
11:23and assumed the account belonged to her.
11:25Then,
11:25after I left,
11:26he copied your username from my phone.
11:28But he never asked me.
11:29Ronan took the documents from my arms,
11:31his fingertips accidentally brushing
11:33the back of my hand.
11:34He mistook you for someone else,
11:36then made you carry all the blame.
11:37He looked down at me.
11:38Marlo,
11:39none of this is your fault.
11:41I'll help you uncover the truth,
11:42and I'll make everyone who humiliated you
11:45apologize.
11:46Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.
11:48Ronan,
11:49who are you talking to?
11:50I turned around.
11:51Elliot stood in the doorway
11:52with a basketball in his arms.
11:54The moment he saw my face,
11:55his whole body went rigid.
11:57The ball slipped from his hands,
11:59struck the floor,
11:59and rolled all the way to my feet.
12:02His gaze locked onto me.
12:03His lips moved several times
12:05before he forced out the name
12:06only the two of us knew.
12:08Moon?
12:09The basketball struck the doorframe
12:11and rolled back to Elliot's feet.
12:13He didn't pick it up.
12:15His gaze traveled from my face
12:17to the school ID on my chest.
12:21Marlo?
12:23It's me.
12:25His Adam's apple bobbed,
12:27his eyes returned to my face.
12:28How did you become...
12:31Someone you're willing to look at twice?
12:33As if I'd exposed him,
12:34Elliot's ears quickly turned red.
12:36Rapid footsteps and high heels
12:38echoed from the far end of the hallway.
12:40Lenora hurried over
12:41with a folder in her arms.
12:42She saw the basketball first,
12:45then followed Elliot's gaze to me.
12:47She stared for several seconds,
12:49barely able to hide her shock.
12:54You're...
12:55Marlo?
12:56When I confirmed it,
12:57Lenora's smile faded.
12:59She instinctively tightened
13:00her hold on Elliot's arm.
13:04Marlo,
13:05how did you lose so much weight?
13:08Ronan closed the folder
13:09and stepped beside me.
13:10We have things to do.
13:13He led me away
13:14in the other direction.
13:15Marlo, wait!
13:16I didn't turn around.
13:19Elliot cut around the landing
13:20to block me.
13:22Why did you block me?
13:24He sounded so self-righteous,
13:26as if I were the girl
13:27who had played with his feelings.
13:28I stopped
13:29and looked at him
13:30as if he were a joke.
13:31You have a girlfriend.
13:33If I didn't block you,
13:34what was I supposed to do?
13:36Keep you around
13:36for your birthday?
13:37Ronan couldn't hold back a laugh.
13:39Elliot's expression darkened.
13:41Above us,
13:42the white toe of Lenora's shoe
13:43stopped behind the railing.
13:46I just told you
13:47to stay away from Lenira.
13:48I didn't say
13:48we couldn't talk anymore.
13:50What's the difference?
13:51He studied me
13:52as if searching
13:53for the obedient Marlo
13:54he'd known online.
13:55You look
13:56really beautiful now.
13:58I remembered the half-step
13:59he'd taken backward
14:00when we first met.
14:01If I still looked
14:01the way I did that day,
14:03would you have chased after me?
14:05Elliot opened his mouth.
14:07The bell rang sharply,
14:09swallowing the silence
14:10in the stairwell.
14:12Was he always this shameless?
14:14He used to hide it better.
14:16After school,
14:17he went to the coffee shop
14:18with me.
14:19On the way,
14:19he told me he'd spent
14:20the entire summer
14:21break abroad
14:21competing in a youth
14:22sailing competition.
14:23By the time he returned,
14:24one round of posts
14:25had already been deleted
14:26from the anonymous wall.
14:27He hadn't learned
14:28until today
14:28that Elliot had claimed
14:29a friend had given him
14:30the wrong account.
14:31You and Elliot had already
14:32cleared everything up.
14:33You never tried to chase him.
14:35But your account
14:36was taken from my phone.
14:38Ronan held the coffee shop's
14:40glass door open for me.
14:42First, we'll find
14:42the footage from that night.
14:44Then we'll find out
14:45who submitted the photo.
14:46The bell above us chimed.
14:48Ronan looked back at me.
14:49Marlon,
14:50I'll uncover the truth for you.
14:53The owner dragged
14:54an old computer
14:54from the storeroom.
14:55It hummed loudly
14:56as it started up.
14:57We found the footage by date.
14:59Elliot entered at 10.07.
15:00He left at 10.11.
15:02For all four minutes,
15:03I remained behind the counter
15:04with the register between us.
15:05At the moment,
15:06the photo made us look
15:07as though we were kissing.
15:08I was turning to put
15:09a washed cup in the sink.
15:10The owner paused the video.
15:12How could you kiss
15:13over a counter this wide?
15:14He enlarged the image again.
15:16The picture was taken
15:17through the window.
15:18From this angle,
15:19the photographer
15:19was standing across the street.
15:21We immediately pulled up
15:22the exterior footage,
15:23but a billboard
15:24completely blocked
15:25the opposite sidewalk.
15:26Not even a shadow
15:27was visible.
15:27The owner copied
15:28the interior footage
15:29to a flash drive
15:30and wrote a statement.
15:31If you need me
15:31to testify at school,
15:33call anytime.
15:34Ronan took me
15:34to see the school
15:35newspaper editor.
15:36I can't just give you
15:36a submitter's information.
15:38She lost her place
15:39in the program
15:40and her job
15:40over a fake photo
15:41and you still want
15:42to protect whoever took it?
15:44Every submission requires
15:46a school email login,
15:47so the account and time
15:48are in the system.
15:48Then check.
15:50I can't give them to you
15:51without Principal Howard's approval.
15:52I left the newspaper office
15:54gripping the flash drive.
15:55Ronan tucked the statement
15:56away from me.
15:57We'll see Howard
15:57tomorrow morning.
15:58What if he refuses?
16:00Then I'll ask him
16:01in front of the whole school
16:02why he punished you
16:02before investigating anything.
16:04Principal Howard
16:05watched the footage twice.
16:07When the second viewing ended,
16:08he removed his glasses
16:09and signed the investigation request
16:11with a grim expression.
16:12The anonymous wall administrator
16:14preserved the back-end records.
16:16We'll have the results
16:17within three days.
16:18On the first morning,
16:19a hot chocolate
16:19was waiting on my desk
16:20when I entered the classroom.
16:22Written on the lid
16:22were the words.
16:23Elliot stood beside it
16:24with a faint smile
16:25and looking expectant.
16:27This used to be your favorite.
16:28I pushed the cup
16:29back toward him.
16:29But didn't you hate the old me?
16:30Someone nearby laughed.
16:32His face went scarlet.
16:33He took the cup and left.
16:34On the second day,
16:36he saved me a seat by the window.
16:37I glanced at it
16:38and carried my books
16:39to the last row.
16:40At lunch on the third day,
16:42Ronan and I were organizing
16:43my appeal in the library.
16:45I stared at the page
16:46until my stomach suddenly growled.
16:47Ronan pushed his sandwich toward me.
16:49Eat first.
16:49I'll write the last two pages.
16:51He never asked
16:52how much weight I'd lost
16:53over summer break
16:53or stared at my waist
16:54and face like everyone else.
16:56Why did you want to get to know me
16:57at the fall dance?
16:58His pen paused.
16:59Because you have a beautiful smile.
17:01But I didn't look like this then.
17:04I know.
17:05He answered
17:05without a moment's hesitation.
17:06I stared at him,
17:07stunned.
17:08The next second,
17:09a hand slammed
17:09onto the edge of the table.
17:11Ronan,
17:12stay away from her.
17:14Ronan put down his pen
17:15and slowly looked up.
17:17Who are you to her?
17:18What gives you the right
17:19to tell her what to do?
17:21Elliot had no answer.
17:22He could only turn to me.
17:24Marlon,
17:24you don't know him at all.
17:27Then I suppose
17:28I know you very well.
17:29I looked at him
17:30and enunciated every word.
17:32You hated that I was fat?
17:35Took my contact information
17:36without permission
17:37and blamed Ronan?
17:38The tables around us
17:39fell silent.
17:40Everyone stared at Elliot.
17:41See?
17:42Don't I know you perfectly?
17:44The color slowly drained
17:45from his face.
17:46That afternoon,
17:48the coffee shop's security footage
17:49and the owner's statement
17:50appeared on the anonymous wall.
17:52Throughout the four-minute video,
17:53the register remained
17:54between Elliot and me.
17:55The supposed kiss
17:56was nothing more
17:57than a misleading shot
17:58taken through the glass
17:59while he leaned over to speak.
18:01The comments erupted.
18:02They never kissed.
18:03Whoever took that photo
18:04obviously did it on purpose.
18:06The school suspended her
18:07from the program
18:08before investigating anything.
18:09I thought it was almost over.
18:11The next day,
18:12the school newspaper photographer
18:13caught me at the
18:14scholarship program interview.
18:15In the photo,
18:16I stood before a presentation board
18:17in a white shirt,
18:18sunlight falling across my shoulders.
18:20I raised a hand
18:21to answer the teacher
18:21without a trace of fear
18:23on my face.
18:23That evening,
18:24the photo appeared
18:25on the homepage
18:25beside an old one of me
18:27from before summer break.
18:28The title was only one sentence.
18:29Wait,
18:30is this the same person?
18:31Within ten minutes,
18:32it had more likes
18:33than the misleading photo.
18:35The moment I entered
18:36the classroom,
18:37the chatter stopped.
18:37Dozens of eyes
18:38landed on me at once.
18:41Marlon,
18:42are you free tonight?
18:43Two months earlier,
18:44he'd asked on the anonymous wall
18:46whether Elliot had nightmares
18:47after seeing me.
18:48I glanced at him
18:49and walked right past the chair.
18:53After first period,
18:54my teacher stopped me.
18:56The school would like you
18:57to be interviewed
18:58as a representative
18:58of the scholarship program.
19:01Before she'd finished speaking,
19:02the photography club
19:03placed an application
19:04for the campus
19:05promotional photo shoot
19:06on my desk.
19:08Celeste immediately stood up
19:09from our old spot
19:10and waved enthusiastically.
19:11Marlon,
19:12sit here.
19:13I've been saving your seat.
19:14I always knew you'd be gorgeous
19:16once you lost weight.
19:17I looked down at the yogurt.
19:18She used to bring me
19:19the same kind
19:19whenever she bought
19:20breakfast for me.
19:21She had also been
19:22sitting in that seat
19:23when she liked the comments
19:24that humiliated me.
19:26I didn't reach for it.
19:27I took my books
19:28to the other side of the room.
19:31At lunch,
19:32my phone wouldn't stop buzzing.
19:33Apologies filled the screen.
19:34Some said they'd only
19:35followed the crowd.
19:36Some praised my inspiring
19:37weight loss.
19:38Even more kept asking
19:39how I'd done it.
19:41They believe me now?
19:42Ronan leaned against the window
19:43and glanced at my phone.
19:44They don't believe you.
19:46They just think you're pretty now
19:47so they're willing to listen.
19:48I looked up at him.
19:50What about you?
19:52What does what the footage
19:53prove have to do
19:53with whether you're fat or not?
19:54Sunlight streamed
19:55through the window
19:56and fell across his profile.
19:57I'd been able to stop
19:58the smile tugging at my lips.
20:01That night,
20:01Lenora posted a photo
20:02of a coffee cup
20:03with a ring of lipstick
20:04on the rim.
20:04The caption was one line.
20:06Some people get pretty
20:07and immediately start
20:08eyeing someone else's boyfriend.
20:10The next day,
20:10whispers followed me
20:11the moment I entered
20:12the school building.
20:13I heard Marlo has
20:14always liked Elliot.
20:15She hid at home
20:16and worked like crazy
20:17to lose weight
20:17after he rejected her.
20:18Now she's pretty
20:19so she wants to steal him back?
20:21How do we know Elliot
20:22didn't hand over
20:23the footage himself?
20:24Maybe he was trying
20:25to protect her.
20:26In a single morning,
20:28I was branded
20:28a shameless homewrecker
20:29all over again.
20:31At lunch,
20:32I saw Elliot and Lenora
20:33beside the vending machines.
20:34Elliot held his phone
20:35in front of her.
20:36Delete the post.
20:37Lenora hugged her books tighter.
20:39I didn't even write Marley's name.
20:41Then who were you talking about?
20:43He wasn't loud,
20:44but the people around them
20:45quickly fell silent.
20:46Some put down their trays.
20:47Others had already
20:48raised their phones.
20:49Lenora looked around.
20:51Are you grilling me
20:51because of her now?
20:52She pushed through the crowd
20:54and ran off
20:54with her face covered.
20:56That afternoon,
20:57I returned the last book
20:58to the library
20:59and pushed the door
21:00to leave.
21:00The glass door
21:01had barely opened
21:02when a hand pressed
21:03against it from outside.
21:04The door was shoved
21:05hard into place.
21:06Lenora stood in front of it,
21:07her eyes still red
21:08from crying.
21:09She glared at me.
21:11Don't you already have, Ronan?
21:13Why did you come back
21:14and try to steal Elliot from me?
21:16Students kept passing
21:17the library entrance.
21:19He watches you in class.
21:20He watches you at lunch.
21:21He watches you every day.
21:23Then control him.
21:24Why are you coming after me?
21:26You already stepped aside before.
21:28She stared at my face.
21:30Why did you have to lose weight?
21:32Why did you have to come back now?
21:35When Elliot hated me
21:36for being fat,
21:37why weren't you afraid?
21:39I'd steal him.
21:41Lenora's face stiffened.
21:43You lost weight
21:44to make him regret
21:45rejecting you, didn't you?
21:47At first,
21:48I took a step forward.
21:49She instinctively released
21:51the handle and moved aside.
21:52Then I realized
21:53changing myself
21:53for someone like him
21:54wasn't worth it.
21:55Who he likes now
21:56and what he regrets
21:57have nothing to do with me.
21:59Then stay away from him.
22:01I opened the glass door
22:02and looked back at her.
22:05Just because you can't bear
22:06to throw out your trash
22:07doesn't mean everyone else
22:08thinks it's treasure.
22:09Elliot stood several steps away.
22:11Coffee from the two cups
22:12in his hand
22:12had soaked through
22:13the paper bag.
22:14He stared at me
22:14without moving.
22:15He'd heard everything.
22:17Elliot threw the bag
22:17in the trash
22:18and walked past me
22:19to Lenora.
22:20The photo has already
22:21been proven fake.
22:21Why did you still post that?
22:22Lenora's lips trembled.
22:24Because you changed.
22:25She pointed at me.
22:26Ever since she lost weight
22:27you haven't taken
22:28your eyes off her.
22:29Elliot said nothing.
22:31Lenora waited
22:31several seconds.
22:33The tears finally
22:33rolled down her face.
22:35I didn't want to keep
22:36watching them argue.
22:37I headed downstairs.
22:40Hurried footsteps
22:41soon followed me.
22:43More than weight!
22:44Elliot bounded down
22:45several steps
22:46and blocked me
22:47at the landing.
22:48Lenora and I
22:49aren't right for each other.
22:51That's between you two.
22:53Ever since we got together
22:54I keep thinking about you.
22:56He stepped closer.
22:57She puts tons of sugar
22:58in her coffee
22:59and I remember
23:00that you hate sweet drinks.
23:03She ignores my messages
23:04all day
23:05and I remember
23:06how you always told me
23:07when you were busy.
23:08I looked at him
23:08without speaking.
23:09Can we start over?
23:11I suddenly remembered
23:12the day we met.
23:13Sunlight had lit his face then
23:14but that day
23:15he'd been disgusted.
23:16by the thought
23:17of looking at me
23:17for another second.
23:19I smiled.
23:20Elliot.
23:21You haven't fallen
23:22in love with me again.
23:24You just think
23:25the person I am now
23:25is finally good enough
23:26for you.
23:27Elliot blocked me
23:28by the lockers.
23:29He held out his phone.
23:30The screen opened
23:30to our messages
23:31from six months ago.
23:32At one in the morning
23:33he'd helped me revise
23:34an application essay.
23:35After a game
23:36the first thing he'd asked
23:37was whether I'd eaten.
23:38None of this was fake.
23:40Marmon,
23:40I really did like you
23:41during those six months.
23:43I smiled faintly.
23:44You liked the version
23:45of me behind a screen.
23:46When the real me
23:47stood in front of you
23:50you couldn't stand
23:51to look at me.
23:51Elliot tightened
23:52his grip on the phone.
23:53I just needed time
23:54to accept it.
23:54Your feelings required
23:56me to pass
23:56an appearance test first.
23:58I pushed the phone
23:58back against his chest.
24:00I don't need
24:00that kind of love.
24:02Footsteps sounded
24:02on the stairs.
24:03Ronan came down
24:04and stopped beside me
24:05his shoulder blocking
24:05Elliot's path.
24:07Did you hear her?
24:08Stop cornering her.
24:09Elliot looked
24:09from me to Ronan
24:10his face dark
24:11with anger.
24:11Several seconds later
24:12he pocketed his phone
24:13and shouldered through
24:14the crowd by the lockers.
24:15Only after he disappeared
24:16did Ronan pull
24:17two printed sheets
24:18from his folder.
24:18The backbone records
24:19from the anonymous wall
24:20are back.
24:21I took them at once
24:22and flipped to the
24:23submitting account.
24:23My hand stopped
24:24the moment I saw the name.
24:25I knew that person.
24:26The account belonged
24:27to Celeste.
24:28The records showed
24:29that the secretly
24:29taken photo,
24:30the old picture of me
24:31at my heaviest,
24:32and the home record caption
24:33had all been uploaded
24:34from her account.
24:35That night,
24:36Celeste was the only person
24:37who knew I worked
24:38at the coffee shop.
24:39I found her in the stairwell
24:40at lunch.
24:41She was touching up
24:41her lipstick in a mirror.
24:42When she saw the printouts,
24:44the lipstick fell from her hand.
24:46Did you hack
24:46the anonymous wall?
24:48The school pulled
24:49these records.
24:50I opened the page
24:50showing her email address.
24:52Why?
24:52She stared at her name.
24:53The panic on her face
24:54slowly twisted into a sneer.
24:56Because I hate you.
24:57You were even less noticeable
24:59than I was.
25:00But the teachers
25:01always praised you.
25:02Even when Elliot
25:03missed NICU for Lenora,
25:04he still wanted to talk
25:05to you for six months.
25:06Now you've lost weight,
25:07everyone crowds around you,
25:08and even Ronan
25:09only has eyes for you.
25:10I knew Elliot
25:11was your online boyfriend
25:12from the start.
25:13I was waiting
25:14for an opportunity.
25:15If you'd stayed fat
25:16and insecure,
25:17anyone standing beside you
25:19would only ever look at me.
25:21Why did you have
25:22to turn into this?
25:24The lipstick rolled
25:25to our feet,
25:26leaving a vivid red streak
25:27on the floor.
25:28I looked at Celeste's
25:29twisted expression.
25:30Her sneer gradually blended
25:32with every vicious comment
25:34on the anonymous wall.
25:36So you secretly photographed me,
25:38then stood by and watched?
25:40The entire school attack me?
25:41Celeste picked up the lipstick,
25:43her voice shaking.
25:44I only posted one photo.
25:46They're the ones
25:47who read too much into it.
25:48What about the old photo?
25:49She fell silent.
25:50That was me at my heaviest
25:52and most dishaveled.
25:53I stared at her.
25:54You kept it all this time,
25:56waiting for the day
25:56you could use it
25:57to humiliate me?
25:58Celeste suddenly grabbed my wrist.
26:00It wasn't only me!
26:01Lenora knew the photo was fake!
26:03I froze.
26:04She'd seen the original photo
26:05and knew the cash register
26:06was between us.
26:07But she told me
26:08not to delete it.
26:10She said that
26:10if she acted gracious,
26:12everyone would hate you
26:12even more.
26:13The stairwell door
26:14suddenly creaked behind us.
26:16Two students stood there,
26:17their phones still raised
26:18at chest height.
26:19Celeste released me at once,
26:20all the color draining
26:21from her face.
26:22I rubbed the red marks
26:23on my wrist
26:23and put the printouts
26:24back in the folder.
26:25Neither you nor Lenina
26:27is getting away with this.
26:29Marlon,
26:29we've been friends for years!
26:31I stopped and looked back.
26:33Which means you knew
26:34exactly how much
26:34the program,
26:35the recommendation
26:36and my job
26:36mattered to me.
26:38And you still destroyed
26:39them with your own hands.
26:40That afternoon,
26:40I placed the back-end records,
26:42the security footage
26:43and the witness list
26:43on Principal Howard's desk.
26:45At noon the next day,
26:47everyone's phone
26:47chimed at once.
26:48The school's findings
26:49had been emailed
26:49to every student.
26:50The anonymous wall's
26:51back-end records
26:52confirmed that Celeste
26:53had used her verified account
26:54to submit the misleading photo
26:56and the old picture,
26:57deliberately inciting
26:58cyberbullying.
26:59The coffee shop footage
27:00proved the photograph
27:00was false.
27:01Lenora had known
27:02the photo was misleading,
27:03but continued implying
27:04through her posts
27:05that I was trying
27:05to steal her boyfriend.
27:07She received
27:07a formal warning as well.
27:08The anonymous wall administrators
27:10deleted every related post
27:12and pinned an apology
27:13to the top of its homepage.
27:14After the email went out,
27:15everyone who'd mocked me
27:16to my face
27:17lowered their heads
27:18when our eyes met.
27:19Principal Howard
27:20personally returned
27:20my scholarship program badge.
27:22Your recommendation
27:23will be submitted
27:24as planned.
27:25And the school
27:26owes you an apology.
27:27The coffee shop owner
27:28sent me a new schedule
27:29soon afterward.
27:30Can you come back
27:30this weekend?
27:31I've kept your shifts open.
27:32My phone kept lighting up.
27:35I'm sorry.
27:36I misunderstood.
27:37I only said a few things
27:38because everyone else was.
27:40You really are beautiful now, though.
27:42I answered none of them.
27:43I simply turned off the screen.
27:44Ronan sat at the other end
27:45of the bench
27:46and looked over.
27:46You're not going to say
27:47anything back?
27:48There's no point.
27:49I hung the recovered
27:50scholarship program badge
27:51around my neck again
27:52and carefully smoothed
27:53its curled edge.
27:55I don't want them
27:56to tell me I'm pretty.
27:58I want them to admit
27:59that even if
28:00I'd never lost weight,
28:01no one had the right
28:02to treat me that way.
28:04Celeste was removed
28:04from the school newspaper,
28:06barred from volunteering
28:07at the dance,
28:08and had the disciplinary action
28:09entered into her record.
28:10Her college recommendation
28:11was withdrawn as well.
28:12Our homeroom teacher
28:13called her into the office
28:14and pulled the recommendation form
28:16from the folder
28:16in front of her.
28:17The paper made barely a sound,
28:18but Celeste's face
28:19instantly lost all color.
28:21The next day,
28:21she entered the classroom
28:22with her books in her arms.
28:23The girl who used to save her a seat
28:25immediately picked up her backpack
28:26and moved to the last row.
28:28Someone raised a phone
28:28and aimed it at her.
28:30Put her on the anonymous wall.
28:32Let her find out what it's like
28:34when the whole school attacks you.
28:35I stood and pushed the phone down.
28:37She did something wrong
28:38and the school will punish her.
28:39Stop taking pictures.
28:40The classroom fell silent.
28:41Celeste jerked her head up.
28:42A flicker of hope in her eyes.
28:44I turned back to my seat
28:45without looking at her again.
28:46It wasn't rescuing her.
28:47I simply refused
28:48to become another bully.
28:49More ironically,
28:50Lenora soon posted a statement
28:51to distance herself.
28:52I never supported taking
28:53or submitting secret photos.
28:55Everything was Celeste's own decision.
28:57She placed all the blame on Celeste.
28:59After school,
28:59the classroom gradually emptied.
29:01Celeste sat alone in her old seat
29:03with no friends
29:03waiting beside her anymore.
29:05No one framed her.
29:06No one secretly photographed her.
29:07Everything she'd lost
29:08was the result of her own choices.
29:10Celeste stopped me
29:11beside the lockers.
29:12Her eyes were swollen and red
29:14and the withdrawn recommendation form
29:16was crumpled in her hand.
29:17Marnum, I'm sorry.
29:18I heard you.
29:19When I kept walking,
29:21she hurriedly grabbed my sleeve.
29:23This disciplinary action
29:24will hurt my college applications.
29:25Can you tell the principle
29:27we've made up?
29:28We've been friends for years.
29:30Are you really going to watch me
29:31lose my future?
29:32I looked down at her hand.
29:34When you submitted that post,
29:36the scholarship program
29:37and my recommendation
29:38were my future too.
29:40Celeste's fingers went rigid.
29:41Tears struck the recommendation form,
29:43bleeding the ink.
29:44I was only jealous of you.
29:46I pulled my sleeve free.
29:48I accept your apology,
29:50but I won't ask anyone
29:51to go easy on you.
29:53I closed my locker
29:54and walked past her.
29:55At the end of the hallway,
29:56Elliot leaned against a window.
29:57Dark shadows lay beneath his eyes
29:59and his varsity jacket
30:00hung wrinkled from his shoulders.
30:02The moment he saw me,
30:02he straightened.
30:03Marlon.
30:04He clenched his fingers
30:05and spoke hoarsely.
30:06Lynette and I broke up.
30:08I kept walking.
30:09That's your business.
30:10Elliot hurried after me
30:11and stretched out an arm
30:12to block the stairs.
30:13Marlo, I understand now.
30:15You're the one I've liked all along.
30:16I looked up at him.
30:18Funny.
30:19I figured out who I like too.
30:21Elliot's eyes brightened.
30:23But it isn't you.
30:24His smile froze.
30:26When we first met,
30:27I admit,
30:27I couldn't accept
30:28the way you looked.
30:31But later I realized
30:32I liked the Marlon
30:32who talked to me
30:33and understood me.
30:34Your weight doesn't matter.
30:36It doesn't matter?
30:37I cut him off.
30:38When I was fat,
30:39you wanted to pretend
30:40you'd never known me.
30:41Now that I'm pretty,
30:43you claim you always liked me.
30:44Elliot opened his mouth.
30:45I watched his face turn pale.
30:46You haven't suddenly
30:47understood your feelings?
30:49You just can't stand
30:50that the girl you despise
30:51doesn't want you anymore.
30:52Behind me,
30:53invitation cards
30:54tapped lightly against a palm.
30:55Ronan approached
30:56with a stack of dance invitations.
30:57He glanced at Elliot
30:58and held the invitation cards
30:59out to me.
30:59A lot of people
31:00want to ask you to dance?
31:02Ronan bent down
31:02and smiled at me.
31:03Can I cut the line?
31:05I took the cards
31:06and smiled sweetly back.
31:07No.
31:08His smile froze at once.
31:10Ronan really didn't ask again.
31:12After school,
31:13he set a shoebox on my desk.
31:15Inside was a pair
31:15of silver flats
31:16with the exchange receipt
31:17tucked beside them.
31:19What's this?
31:21Wear them to the dance.
31:23What if I don't go?
31:25Then don't.
31:27What if I go alone?
31:29That's fine too.
31:30Ronan replaced the lid
31:31and pushed the box toward me.
31:32You'll be on your feet
31:33for a long time at the dance.
31:35These shoes have softer soles.
31:37With that,
31:38he picked up his backpack
31:38and headed out
31:39without mentioning
31:40an invitation again.
31:41I watched him go
31:41and suddenly called.
31:42Ronan!
31:43He turned around,
31:45still pretending not to care.
31:46I took a blank dance invitation
31:47from my drawer
31:48and placed it in his palm.
31:49No one else gets to.
31:51Ronan looked down
31:52at the card.
31:52His fingers didn't move
31:53for a long moment.
31:54Holding back a smile,
31:56I continued.
31:57But the first person
31:57who wanted to know me
31:58doesn't have to wait in one.
31:59For a full five seconds,
32:01he said nothing.
32:02Then he pressed the card
32:03tightly against his chest.
32:04Marlo,
32:05you can't change your mind.
32:06I couldn't help laughing.
32:07Keep talking and I will.
32:09Ronan immediately
32:09pressed his lips together
32:10and turned to leave.
32:11But the moment he stepped
32:12out of the classroom,
32:13he started smiling.
32:14His smile stayed with him
32:16all the way
32:16to the end of the hall.
32:18On the night of the dance,
32:19I wore a black gown
32:20I truly loved.
32:21Silver string lights
32:22hung throughout the gym
32:23and the music
32:23made the floor tremble faintly.
32:25When I walked in
32:26on Ronan's arm,
32:26everyone turned to look.
32:28Soon,
32:28people began approaching
32:29with invitation cards
32:30one after another.
32:31Marlo,
32:32may I have the first dance?
32:33I turned them down
32:33one by one.
32:34Elliot stood beneath the lights,
32:35his gaze fixed on my hand
32:37around Ronan's arm
32:38just before the first dance began.
32:39He finally came over.
32:41Marlo,
32:41just one dance.
32:43He held out his hand.
32:44After that,
32:45I promise,
32:46I'll leave you alone.
32:47I looked at his hand
32:48and remembered the day
32:49we'd met in person.
32:50I'd walked toward him
32:51in my favorite dress.
32:52His first reaction
32:53when he saw me
32:53had been to step back.
32:54I'll never forget
32:55the disgust on your face
32:56when the fat version of me
32:58walked toward you.
32:59Elliot's fingers
32:59trembled slightly.
33:01So the person you are now
33:03doesn't deserve
33:03to stand beside me either.
33:05His hand slowly dropped.
33:06I walked past him
33:07and placed my hand
33:08in Ronan's.
33:09The music began
33:09on his very first step.
33:11Ronan stepped on my toes.
33:13Sorry.
33:13He let go at once
33:14then hurriedly caught me
33:15around the waist.
33:16I practiced for three days.
33:17And this is what
33:18three days got you?
33:19His ears turned bright red.
33:21I also practiced
33:22telling you how I feel.
33:23The lights slowly swept over us.
33:25Ronan looked into my eyes.
33:26The first time I wanted
33:27to get to know you,
33:29you hadn't lost any weight.
33:31And it was never just
33:32your face I liked.
33:35Marlon, will you be my girlfriend?
33:37I reached out
33:37and placed my hand in his.
33:40Yes.
33:41I was working the closing shift
33:43at the coffee shop.
33:44When the acceptance email arrived,
33:45the sign on the door
33:46already read,
33:47closed.
33:48My phone lit up,
33:48displaying the crest
33:49of the university
33:50I'd applied to.
33:51My hand hovered in midair.
33:53I couldn't bring myself
33:54to open it.
33:54At that moment,
33:55Ronan rushed inside.
33:57Marlon,
33:58I got in.
33:59Check yours.
34:00Only then did I open the email.
34:01A second later,
34:02tears filled my eyes.
34:04We placed our phones
34:05side by side on the counter.
34:06Two acceptance letters
34:07from the same university.
34:09That fall,
34:10we dragged our suitcases
34:11onto a new campus.
34:12My suitcase caught
34:13on the edge of a step.
34:14Ronan lifted it.
34:16The papers and songs
34:17scattered across the ground.
34:19His new student,
34:20the IID,
34:21slipped from the folder.
34:23He picked it up
34:23and looked at it.
34:24You look good
34:24in this picture.
34:28What if I still
34:29look the way I used to?
34:30Ronan placed my IID
34:31back in my hand.
34:32The first time
34:33I wanted to know you,
34:35that was how you looked.
34:36A bell rang
34:37from the distant clock tower.
34:39New students hurried past
34:40with books in their arms.
34:41While the wind
34:42swept fallen leaves
34:43across the ground,
34:44Ronan lifted my suitcase
34:45with one hand
34:46and took my hand
34:47with the other.
34:47Elliot had once
34:48treated me like a mistake.
34:50Celeste had thought
34:50I'd spend my life
34:51beside her
34:52as nothing more
34:53than a backdrop.
34:53But fat with thin,
34:55I didn't need
34:56anyone's choice
34:56to prove I deserved
34:57to be loved.
34:58This time,
34:59I wasn't the mistake
35:00in someone else's story.
35:01I was the heroine
35:02of my own story.