Chapter 2: Invisible

The walk to school felt like it took longer than usual, as though each step was made through molasses. Lena's mind was racing, thoughts colliding with each other. The world around her seemed so loud, even though all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart in her ears.

She walked with her head down, staring at the cracked sidewalk beneath her feet. The crisp morning air did nothing to cool the storm in her chest. It was just another day in this prison, another day to endure. She could feel the heaviness of every inch of her body, as if the world itself was trying to press her down, make her smaller, insignificant. She wished she could disappear.

she walked through the school gates, and a lump formed in her throat. The halls were crowded with students rushing to their classes. She tried to keep her head down, to remain invisible, but she couldn't help but notice the glances. The stares. They were there, just like they always were.

"You're wearing that today Fatty ?" someone whispered behind her.

Lena winced but kept walking. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. It was Michelle and her friends, the ones who liked to pick at anything they could about her appearance.

Lena had learned early on that the best way to survive these hallways was to become a ghost. Just walk fast, don't make eye contact, and keep moving forward. But today, even the act of walking felt like it would break her.

"Wow, you really are a master at making yourself invisible," came a voice from behind her, and Lena froze.

It was Trisha, the leader of the popular girls, the one who made everyone's life hell, especially Lena's. She leaned against the locker beside Lena's, blocking her escape.

Lena didn't look at her. She couldn't. She knew exactly what was coming. Trisha always had a way of making everything feel worse.

"Don't you get it, Lena? You're a fatty?not just that, you're cheap. Everything Cheap. Cheap clothes, cheap makeup, cheap personality. Do you even try?" Trisha's words were sharp, cutting through the already fragile state of Lena's mind.

Lena kept her eyes fixed on the contents of her locker, her fingers fumbling as she grabbed her books. She knew better than to fight back. It never worked. The more she tried, the worse it got.

Trisha's laugh echoed through the hall, harsh and unkind. "I mean, seriously, you think anyone's going to notice you if you look like that?, even with the makeup." She flicked her finger toward Lena's oversized sweater. " Puting on oversized sweater can never hide your heavy body."

Lena's throat tightened. Her heart began to race. The words felt like daggers, each one sinking deeper into her chest. She wanted to scream, to shout, to tell them that she was more than they thought. But she couldn't. Not here, not now.

Trisha leaned in closer, and Lena could smell the strong perfume, the faint hint of hairspray. "You're just… an invisible fatty. And you'll always be that way."

Lena could feel the sting of her words like a physical blow, and for a moment, the world went silent. Her vision blurred, and she had to blink rapidly to fight off the tears that were threatening to spill.

Just then, the bell rang again, signaling that class was about to start. Trisha straightened up and gave Lena one last, scornful look.

"See you around, Lena. Don't do anything to embarrass yourself too much today."

She sauntered off, her heels clicking sharply against the tile floors. Lena stood there for a moment, the weight of her words hanging in the air long after Trisha had disappeared.

"Fatty, invisible." That word echoed in her mind over and over. She wanted to believe it wasn't true, but deep down, she couldn't escape the feeling that maybe Trisha was right. Maybe she was cheap. Maybe she wasn't worth anyone's time.

Lena slammed her locker shut with more force than necessary, startling a few students who were passing by. Her hands trembled as she turned to walk to class, but she kept her head down, walking in a haze. She could already feel the ache in her chest that came with the expectation of more—more comments, more stares, more whispers.

At the cafeteria, she sat at her usual spot in the corner. It was the only place where she could be left alone, away from the group tables where the popular girls and boys sat. It was quiet, but it didn't feel peaceful. It felt like being invisible was more of a curse than a blessing.

Lena picked at her food, not really hungry, but eating out of habit. She'd never been the type to enjoy lunch, not with the way it felt like the entire school was watching her with judgment in their eyes. She glanced up for a brief moment and caught the eyes of a few students at a nearby table. They quickly looked away when they saw her looking.

The whispers followed her everywhere.

"Ugh, she's eating again. No wonder she's so big," someone said in a voice just loud enough for Lena to hear. The laughter that followed made Lena's stomach churn.

Her hand clenched around her fork, but she didn't say anything. There was no point. She knew that if she tried, it would just make everything worse.

The rest of the lunch period passed in a blur, and before she knew it, the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Lena stood up, grabbing her bag and walking toward the door, hoping she could make it to her bus without any more drama.

She was almost there when someone grabbed her arm.

"Lena," a voice said, and she whipped around to see a girl from her business class, Claire. She looked worried, but there was also a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

"Hey, I… I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about Trisha. She's awful to everyone, but she's especially bad to you."

Lena blinked, surprised. It wasn't often that anyone stood up for her, much less someone like Claire.

"Thanks," Lena said quietly, her voice barely audible. "But it doesn't matter. She's always like that. It's nothing new."

"I know, but… I just think you're a lot stronger than you let on. You don't deserve to be treated like that," Claire continued, her voice soft but sincere.

Lena didn't know how to respond. She wasn't used to hearing kind words, not when they came from someone like Claire, who was always so popular and well-liked.

"I… I'm just trying to get through the day," Lena said, looking down at her feet. "I don't need anyone to pity me."

Claire nodded. "I get it. But just so you know, I see you. You're not invisible to everyone."

Lena felt a strange warmth spread through her chest, and for the first time that day, she smiled—just a little. "Thanks, Claire. That actually means a lot."

As she turned to leave, Lena couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as invisible as she thought. Maybe there was more to her than the words that Trisha and the others said. Maybe she was worth more than she believed.

It wouldn't change everything overnight. But it was a start.