When I was in seventh grade I started a new school. I was super shy person, especially since I had been bullied all of elementary school. I made my first real friends, but then things started going bad since I was going through puberty. I didn’t know about deodorant and good hygiene. My parents never really taught me since they didn’t pay that much attention to me. People started avoiding me and talking about me having a smell. Even my friends started joking about it, but I don’t think they realized it hurt me at the time. I was pulled out of class multiple times. CPS was called, and I remember my dad telling me, “This is your fault. This is all you.” But nothing ended up coming out of the whole thing. However, the bullying continued until 8th grade. That year I finally figured out how to take care of myself and avoid having a smell. One of my best friends who wasn’t my friend at the time mentioned the smell thing today in a call and it brought back so many memories. Being called names, causing trouble for my parents, and breaking down crying in the middle of PE because of something a kid said. Honestly, I blame myself for all of it. I know I’m not supposed to, but if I had just showered more often and used deodorant then this never would have happened. I just wish I could back in time and tell my younger self this, so she wouldn’t have to go through it. This literally still hurts today and it happened eight years ago.