Living in Bradford, UK was very hard. Here in Bradford everyone was rich, so every where you looked all you could pretty much see was stupid little winy rich girls asking their dad's for money. Luckily my mom raised me better, and I couldn't ask my dad for money since I never got the chance to meet him. He passed away from cancer when I was two.
Me and Zayn Malik were best friends since we were in middle school. When you're bullied for being 250 lbs at 5”6 it can build a friendship with someone whose being bullied for being the nerdiest kid in school. But that didn't matter to us, we became each others best friend, each others support.
In the summer of '08 Zayn and his family went to California for his cousin's wedding. So for that whole summer I just stayed at home doing whatever I could find to do.
August 21, 2007.
“Hey, go outside, we're here” I ended the call, took my bag, and made my way outside. I found the Malik's Mercedes Benz and got inside. Since middle school, Zayn and I have always carpooled. This week was his family's turn to drop us off.
“Have a good day at school you too” I nodded and said a quick 'bye' to his parents. When I finally got out of the car I stared at my best friend.
What a summer could do to a person. His whole style changed, his baggy pants were traded in for skinny jeans. His button-up collared shirts were traded in for a v-neck and a varsity jacket. His tennis shoes were traded in for vans. And his glasses were replaced with contact lens, and his hair filled with hair products.
“Wow Zayn, you look great” he simply laughed.
“Yeah, my cousins back in California decided to give me a make-over. What do you think?”
“You look really good, it's different, but I like it” he wrapped his arms around my shoulder and we walked into the hallways.
After hours of Calculus, English, and Spanish it was finally lunch. I sat down on an empty table and started eating a french fry.
“You should really try a salad, eating that french fry isn't going to help your weight” I rolled my eyes at the stupid comments the skinny girls made. I had my mentality, 'If we were to have an apocalypse and there was no more food, I would last longer than them'.
“ANDI ANDI ANDI! GUESS WHAT?!” I jumped a little from being surprised by Zayn.
“You finished the homework for Calculus already?”
“NO! You know that group on school, the Delta Zeta?” I simply nodded, he really wanted to tell me what happened.
“Well, they chose me to be one of the freshman they're going to initiate into the group. Andi, only three guys from each grade get to be in this group. Do you know how lucky I am I got chosen. Who would've thought I'd be chosen to be part of Delta Zeta? Me? The nerdy kid who everyone copied off of” I laughed at the last part, it was true, people always wanted to sit next to him during tests.
“I'm really happy for you, but don't they do the whole hazing/initiation thing?” he nodded.
“Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that, but at least in the end I'll be part of Delta Zeta, THE most popular group in high school” I smiled, I tried to be supportive of his choice to be part of Delta Zeta. From what I heard, they were the biggest douche bags in school, but yet everyone loved them. That is what confused me the most about high school.
September 30, 2007.
School has been alright. I still haven't made any friends, and I was still getting bullied. But to me everything was normal, I was used to the same routine in middle school. Zayn was still doing the initiation part of Delta Zeta, so we've been seeing each other less and less. That was until last week when he asked me to be his date for Homecoming. I didn't think much of it, like why did he ask me, of all people to be his date for Homecoming, but being his best friend I just agreed to it.
So here I am sitting in front of my mirror fixing my hair and adjusting my dress. I wasn't really comfortable like this. I hated dresses, and I hated make-up, but when my mom heard I was going to homecoming she went all out. I stared at the white strapless dress I was wearing, which I don't understand why I'm wearing. I'm incredibly overweight so I don't think a strapless dress would look nice. I heard the car honking outside and saw the Malik's car. I said bye to my mom and slipped on my pea coat before going outside.
As soon as they dropped us off we made our way inside. He told me to go inside first, so I decided to go to the bathroom and check myself. After ignoring the stares the girls gave me in the bathroom I finally went inside the ballroom and looked around for Zayn. After looking for him for a good ten minutes I just decided to sit down and play with my phone. After about a half an hour I decided to look for him again. I noticed him by the punch bowl so I made my way over to him.
“Hey Zayn, where have you been? I've been looking for you?” he turned around and looked at me with disgust.
“Why would you be looking for me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean exactly what I said. Why are you looking for me? Why exactly would I want to be seen with you?” I was shocked at the words he was saying. This guy wasn't my best friend.
“What the hell are you saying Zayn. We're best friends” by this time there was a crowd forming around us.
“Me? Best friends with you? Why would I ever be best friends with a whale? If you really think I'd be friends with you, then all that McDonalds is getting to your head” I stood there in shock. I tried to fight the tears that were forming.
“Wow, good job Zayn. Now I hope you get the hint, you need to leave now” and with that, Rebecca, the freshman queen bee, poured her punch on me.
I looked around me to see everyone staring at me, pointing at me, laughing at me. I couldn't take it anymore. I ran outside the ballroom and ran towards my house. It was an hour walk, but I needed that time to think. I couldn't believe what happened. My best friend of three years betrayed me. He embarrassed me in front of the everyone at homecoming. He became one of them.
As soon as I got home I ran to my room and changed out of my dress. I stood in front of the mirror staring at myself. I didn't think I looked that bad, but I guess in this world's society, if you were fat, you were ugly. I cried myself to sleep that night, and luckily when I woke up, it was the weekend.
October 30, 2007.
It's been a month since the whole homecoming incident. And ever since then, my life has been a total hell. Zayn, along with Liam and Niall, became part of Delta Zeta. Those three, along with the rest of Delta Zeta, the cheerleaders, and nearly everybody at school bullied me. It got worse with each passing day, but today was my ticket out.
I walked to the office and turned in all my books and paper work. My mom got offered a movie deal in Hollywood, California. My mom was a movie director, and they offered her the movie Iron Man. At first she was hesitant to take it: she thought I would be devastated if I had to move away from Bradford. But she didn't know I was just looking for a way out. And thank goodness she did.
“Alright, you're all set. I hope you enjoy yourself in California” I nodded and walked towards my locker. I emptied out my locker clean, but as I was cleaning it a picture fell onto the floor. I stared at a picture of me and Zayn in middle school, when things were better. I added it into the black bag I was carrying in. I threw everything in my locker room into the black bag. I slammed my locker shut and tossed the black bag into the trash can. I walked out the building and left Tong High School. To say I was happy was an understatement. I was ecstatic beyond belief.
August 13, 2010.
“Home sweet home” I closed the door behind me and sat into one of the couches in our living room.
“I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually agree with you Mom” It's been nearly three years since we've came back from California. Things were going really good for my Mom. She was offered a ton of more movie deals. She was offered a movie here in UK, so we came back.
“Alright, well everything is set, I had all the maids come in last week and clean the house. So tomorrow let's go shopping for things we need alright?” I nodded at my mom and looked at the envelope laying on our table.
“Mom, what's this?” she turned around and shrugged.
“I don't know sweetheart, open it” I opened the envelope and an invitation fell out. It was an invitation for the annual yearly gala.
“Mom, it's for the gala, you know, the one they do every year”
“Oh yeah, when is it?” I looked at the invitation for the information needed.
“It's, uhm. Oh, it's tomorrow actually. From six to twelve”
“Are you up for it, we don't have to go if you're still tired” I thought about it for a minute, and a brilliant idea popped into my head.
“No Mom, I think I'll be good. So tomorrow when we're shopping, let's grab a dress as well. Oh, and we also need a mask”
“A mask?”
“Yeah, it's a masquerade ball theme this year” she just nodded and made her way upstairs.
“Alright, well I'm going to bed, you know how tiring it is to fly” I bid her a good night of sleep and stared at myself in the mirror.
In the two years I was gone I managed to shake off 125 pounds off. So now I was weighing 125 pounds, standing at 5”11. I looked at myself and tried to notice all the other changes I had. I ditched my glasses for contact lens. My clothes went from baggy jeans and a t-shirt, to Adidas sweat pants and a v-neck. I know it may sound simple, but I tried to stay comfortable on the plane. My frizzy wavy hair was now ironed straight. To say I changed was an understatement. I transformed into the most beautiful girl, according to a few guys back in California.
I was excited for the gala tomorrow night. I can't wait to see the look on people's faces when they see me now.