Now that I'm in college I realize just how bad my high school experience was. It started out ok in 2012, and gradually got worse. Senior year is known for being very stressful with the combination of testing, applying to schools, visiting college all while struggling to keep your grades up. At this time I was a second-semester senior, I was supposed to be enjoying planning senior week, getting ready for college, prom, and graduation. Enjoying high school was the only thing I was NOT doing, because of a few girls. This is my story, an open letter to those girls who ruined the end of my high school career.

Dear _______,

You have been a problem since the day you walked into that red brick building. Walking down the halls like you're better than your peers, whispering to your friends in the back of the classroom during your teacher’s lessons, and snapping photos of other people to send to your so called “friends”. The only question I have to myself right now is where do I begin? How can I explain to others what you and your friends put me through, not only this year but for the past FOUR YEARS? You have been a problem since day one, not me, YOU.

I was sitting down at Double Decker Pizza with my friend that night, when you decided it would be funny to text me. A strange number popped up on my phone, which always gives me a bit of a heart attack, because of girls like you. Trying to ruin someone else’s day, to make them feel bad about themselves, since you’re so unhappy with yourself. My heart was racing, I unlocked my phone and opened the anonymous text… my heart dropped to my feet. I could not believe someone would treat another human being this way.. The text message said, “This is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. Get a dress that fits you. Everyone has seen this pic btw go on twitter fat ass,” all below a picture of me in my third block class. This picture was not posed for, was not a selfie, and was not cute. It was a picture of me talking to my teacher with my dress caught up in my cardigan sweater. So instead of you being a decent human being and letting me know my butt was hanging out in my cheeky underwear, you snapped a picture and sent it around on snapchat, twitter and god only knows what else.

The sad part about this isn’t that you called me fat, it’s that you couldn’t have told me, like I would have done for you. It’s sad because I was nothing but nice to you, including you in after school events and all, and this is how you repay me? It’s a shame that you would body shame me, who is having medical issues.. obviously you haven’t looked in a mirror lately.. To some people this is no big deal, maybe others would argue back, or even let it go.. but not me.. not this time… you have gotten away with treating other people like crap for far too long. It is time for someone to teach you a damn lesson. I didn’t text you back that night, the next day, the next week, I never answered, because I knew that’s what you wanted, right?

I can only imagine your face when you heard there were police at the school the following Monday. I don’t know what you did or said when you found out, because I was too humiliated to come to school. How many people have seen this picture? Was it really all over the internet? Would you really do that? Later I found out that one of you admitted to the crime and the other wouldn’t speak to the police without your parents present, which really only shows how guilty you are. It’s been months now, and I can talk about what you did to me, my classmates are now learning what cruel people you are. Learning that the police were at the school for two days investigating because of YOU.

When my doorbell rang, my dogs went ballistic. I opened the door to see both of you with your parents on my front porch. Again, my heart raced, what were you doing at my house? While I was home alone, your mom had to talk for you and tell me you were both there to “apologize” for what you had done to me, but you BOTH just stood there with your arms crossed rolling your eyes into the back of your head. You were not sorry, you were only there because your parents drove you there, so that I would say what you did was ok and it would all disappear. But that’s not the case, not this time.

I refused to go back to school for the rest of my senior year, which was supposed to be the best time of the year for me, senior prom, graduation, parties… but you ruined it. I feel sorry for you, that you have nothing better to do than make fun of other people. I am sorry that you’re so unhappy with your body/self that you have to trash others. But I am not sorry about this following you everywhere you go, now that everyone knows what you have done. My teachers were told I wouldn’t return until finals, but my classmates were left wondering where I disappeared to.

I was ecstatic when I opened the white envelope from the media court house last week. It had both of our names on it because you’re being charged for the CRIMES you committed. When you snapped that picture of me you didn’t think it would go this far did you? You didn't see the petty things you did to me as crimes do you? Child pornography and harassment are CRIMES. This may follow you for the rest of your life, and I hope it does. I hope you learned your lesson, I hope you don’t treat others the way you treated me.

I showed up for the second court date to find that all charges had been dropped against you. I don't know what you did to deserve to get away with something like this. I don't know what I did to deserve what you put me through and then have you get away with it. There may not be charges on paper now, but keep it up and see where that gets you.

PS. Nothing is anonymous in 2017