"Oh, she's here! That funny girl—look at her! She's so fat!"
Those were the first words little Julie heard as she stepped into the hallway.
Laughter followed—sharp, cruel, filled with judgment aimed at her body.
"Look at you," one girl sneered. "You only got into the club because of your parents. Your mom's a dancer—but you? Can you even dance without running out of breath? You'll just drag the team down."
Those were the words Julie heard during rehearsals—when they were supposed to be shaping dreams, not breaking them.
Instead of encouragement, fear took root inside her.
"You're disgusting," another girl spat.
"Ugh, let's go," a woman scoffed. "We might catch her fatness. Poor child—probably diabetic already."
Even the adults—those meant to teach kindness—fed the cruelty.
I don't want to hear it.I don't want to hear it anymore.
Julie shut her eyes tight, pressing her hands over her ears as whispers and laughter closed in.
Please… stop…
"—Julie. Julie."
The sound of her name pulled her back.
She gasped softly, blinking as tears streamed down her face. Her pillow was soaked—evidence of a nightmare that felt too real.
She sat up, disoriented, until her eyes focused on the figure beside her bed.
"Brother…" she whispered.
Chris gently wiped her tears, pinching her cheek lightly.
"Tell me if you don't feel like going to school today," he said softly.
She inhaled shakily. "A-Am I late?"
"No. It's still early," he reassured her. "I just wanted to check on you."
Julie fell silent, memories from last night weighing heavily on her chest.
I need to say sorry…They must've been so worried.
Then another thought crept in—darker, sharper.
What if they laughed at me… like before?
No. Stop.She clenched her hands.
Fear crept back like a ghost—familiar, suffocating.
You've faced this once, she told herself. You can do it again.
"If you decide to go," Chris said gently, "get ready, okay?"
"Y-Yes, brother."
He ruffled her hair and kissed her forehead.
"Julie, your present isn't your past anymore," he said firmly. "You have friends now—people who'll understand you. All you need to do is reach out, just like you did back then."
She nodded faintly.
When she went downstairs, Gabriel and Chris were already there.
"Julie," her mother called softly. "Come here, baby."
She pulled her into a tight hug. "Are you sure you want to go to school today?"
Julie nodded. Her mother sighed, then smiled. "Alright. Eat first, okay?"
Julie sat at the table.
"Good morning, brother."
"Morning," Chris replied. "Eat well."
Gabriel watched her quietly before sliding a plate toward her.
"Here," he said. "Your favorite."
Julie blinked at the generous serving of pancit.
He loves this dish too…Why is he giving it to me?
"Gab," she teased weakly, "are you sick? You love this."
"It's yours," he replied. "Ask again and I'll take it back."
Julie chuckled softly. "You're unusually nice today."
"Just eat," Gabriel muttered—then scooped a spoonful and fed her.
She coughed. "Are you crazy?! I almost choked!"
"Then stop talking," he said dryly.
She pouted. "Fine."
But inside, warmth spread through her chest.
"Thank you, Gab," she murmured.
He shrugged. "By the way, Caden wants to talk to you. Cielo told him what happened. Be ready—he's mad."
Julie stiffened. Oh no… Caden.
"Why did Ciel tell him?" she asked.
"He had to update him about Kelly's case," Gabriel explained. "Charles will be careful now. If anything happens again, he's the one to blame."
He sighed. "You're worrying about everyone else when you're the one hurting. Can't you think about yourself for once?"
"They're my friends," Julie replied quietly. "Of course I'll worry."
Chris nodded. "And they worried about you too. Melissa wanted to stay last night."
Julie's chest tightened.
I know…Melissa cried when she apologized.
"Julie," Chris said gently, "they want to know the truth."
She forced a weak laugh. "D-Did you tell them I was just a lame kid back then?"
"Not everything," Chris said. "Because you should be the one to tell them."
He met her eyes. "You opened your wounds before—for them. You listened to their stories, held them when they were hurting. Now it's your turn."
Julie hesitated. "C-Can I really do that?"
Gabriel flicked her head lightly. "Of course you can."
"And if your voice shakes," he added, "I'll talk first. Until you're ready."
Julie nodded, heart heavy—but steadier.
As she finished eating, she let out a quiet breath.
This time, she told herself,I'll try to face it.