I had a reputation for being weird when I was in grade school. And they were right. I was weird.

I acted weird. I had weird hobbies. I dressed weird. I had a weird face. I had weird hair.

But none of it mattered to me. All the remarks, teases, and torments just washed over me.

Then, one day, a switch flipped inside me. And all of it hit me at once.

I desperately wanted to shake that reputation. I shaved my head. I stopped wearing glasses-- in fact, I no longer needed them at all. I started wearing baggy clothing to hide my body. One day, I stopped going to school altogether.

It's been years. But every time I go out, every time someone looks at me, I can't help but imagine what they're thinking.

I don't want to go back to grade school, where I didn't care what people thought. I don't want to be thought of as weird.

I'd rather not be thought of at all.