I won't say your names because you know who you are. Even if you don't, it doesn't matter. This article is more for me and others who are bullied than it is for you.

I was sixteen. I had so many friends and I felt that I was at the top of my game. I never understood people who said they hated high school or people who were victims of bullying and depression. My thought was that you could just ignore the people bullying you (I know, that was an extremely problematic viewpoint).

Then everything changed. My best friend betrayed me, and rumors about what happened started flying everywhere. Before I knew it, no one was talking to me anymore unless it was to ask about some untrue rumor or to ridicule me.

I quit my high school band, something I used to be extremely passionate about because of people that made me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. I left my job because too many of my old friends worked there. Essentially, I checked out of high school. I would go in, get what I needed to done, and leave. Even though I tried to stay away from school as much as possible, I was still miserable. People would stare at me, laugh quietly as I passed by. I would always hear a new rumor that had rose up about me.

I was young and vulnerable. I prided myself on being the girl who tried her best to be nice to everyone, and you used that to break me down. I don't know what I ever did to you, but you made sure that my high school reputation was ruined. You were my best friends. Some of you I had been friends with for nine years.

Thankfully, I made a few friends my senior year, and those friends made the rest of my senior year okay. While I still had resentment for high school in general, they were there for me when I needed it. For that, I am truly lucky.

However, not everyone gets that. So many kids go through school being harassed and ridiculed for whatever reason and many don't have friends to help them through that.

So to the friend who betrayed me and started all those rumors, and the other friends who participated in making those rumors grow, I forgive you. I hope that you realize how your words and actions can affect people, and hopefully, you can help others who are being bullied.

To the kids being bullied, I'm deeply sorry this is happening, but you are worth so much. High school will end, and you will go on to do great things. Trust me, I've lived it.