I Am Me

• Tayla Braybon, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2009

I used to be one of those girls that laughed at people because they were different. You know the people that have pimples, glasses, braces, red hair, weird noses; the list goes on and on. Basically I laughed at anyone that wasn’t as perfect as me.
Now, since a trip to the dentist, I know what it feels like. I realise that what I did was wrong in so many ways, not just wrong, but cruel too.
This is all because I realised that everyone is born different and that you shouldn’t pick on people for having the guts to be something out of the ordinary. The way I live now is so much better, not only because I actually live my life how I want, but because I don’t worry what other people think of me.
This is my story:
“Oh-my-god! Did you see Francine’s hair?!!”
“YES!! How gross is it?!”
“I know! Ewww and she has a brand new pimple too!”
“Gross! Ha-ha.”
This was a typical conversation between my BFFL Toni and I. We giggle, point, laugh and basically just pick on everyone.
That was up until a week ago, when I went to the dentist and they told me I needed braces. I had a total freak-out and locked myself in my room for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I woke up with a big zit on my forehead from the stress I’d been through the previous night. Another massive freak-out, followed by half of my make-up supplies, resulted in me begging mum to stay home forever. She said ‘no’ and I was forced to go to school.
When I walked through the front gate, my friends took one look at me and laughed. I had to admit, it hurt. A lot more than I thought it would.
After class Toni came up to me and apologized. I gave in to her pleading eyes and told her the horrible “braces” news.
I couldn’t believe it when she giggled and ran away. I’d thought we were friends, but obviously I was wrong.
When I faced my other ‘friends’ they laughed and pointed at me. It turns out Toni had told them all I was getting braces; this was officially the worst day of my life.
I ended up crying.
That was when Olivia found me.
She was one of the girls that I’d always picked on and I expected her to get me back, but she didn’t. Instead, she was so nice I cried even more. I couldn’t believe that, after all the horrible things I’d said about her, she was willing to be friends with me.
That was when I realised; it was ok to be different. I was sick of living up to other people’s expectations; it was hardly worth it anyway. I was sick of being told how to wear my hair and what to dress in.
I was who I was born to be and that was me.