If you're reading this, it's because I've already made it past the point where you told me I would crumble. You told me that I wouldn't amount to anything, that I wouldn't be successful. You tore me down when I was at my weakest, and you made me realize that I truly am nothing.

You made me see that I have flaws that I never noticed before you pointed them out. My hair is oily, my skin is greasy, and I don't have enough money to buy the top-of-the-line clothing that you can afford. I have nights where I don't know if I can afford my meals, and you have nights where you eat three five-course meals. You have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I have dinner. You have Chanel bags. I have a purse that I found in a TJ Maxx, a purse that you would call "cheap" and "out of style".

You always had better grades than me, and you liked to rub it in my face in school. You would always show off, and you'd get mad at me when I did anything better than you. And I mean anything. Do you remember that? Do you remember us being little kids, and all of a sudden you blew up on me and started degrading me for getting a higher score than you on one of our state-issued tests - because I remember. I remember everything.

I remember thinking that I could trust you, thinking that you were one of my friends - only to have a wrecking ball slammed into my already-crumbling foundation. I remember looking up to you at one point, only to realize that I was looking down on somebody that would end up stabbing me in the back only days later.

Because of you, I now notice the numbers that flash up at me from a tiny screen on the floor. Before you made me realize those numbers existed, I was happy. I was carefree. I didn't think twice about what I was going to eat that day, because I knew that whatever my parents made for me would be something that would give me the energy to continue working in class the next day.

That was...until you made me notice.

You and your friends giggled at me when you realized that I was wearing clothing that was marketed for "plus-sized" girls as a fifth-grade student. You pointed, you laughed, and you made me go home crying that night. That was the night that my mother and I went through my closet and purged anything that made me look bigger than I really was.

Before you, I was happy. Before you, I was only a child.

You made me grow up before I was supposed to grow up. I wasn't even 11, and I was already trying to go on a diet. I was already trying to eat less and exercise more - even with my health issues. I struggled, but I slowly made it there. I lost enough weight that I actually felt happy, and I thought that you would leave me alone.

You never did. Not until you left.

The day that I found out you left was the happiest day of my life. I felt as if I had a giant weight lifted off of my shoulders. I wouldn't have to deal with your nasty words anymore, I wouldn't have to deal with you making me feel like I was nothing.

Until I realized that your words would stay with me forever. They would never go away.

I'm going to prove you wrong one day. I'm going to overpower this feeling inside of me - the feeling of complete dread that I have every time that I hear your voice inside of my head telling me that I'm not good enough.

One day, your voice will be gone.

One day, I will be strong.

One day, I'll finally be happy.