2.

ALORA

Head high. Chin up. One steady foot in front of the other.

Don't flinch. Don't let them see her again.

It's a new you. The perfect Alora.

Keep your flawless smile on, and don't let them close to the walls you've struggled to build.

These were the words that echoed in my head as I walked into the building of my university. Classes started today, and I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

I had spent more than thirty minutes in my car, trying to decide whether I should drive back home or go inside the building since I had sacrificed so much to be here. I couldn't back down now. Not after telling Tris that I could do it.

I resisted the urge to check my outfit again in the mirror I passed on the way to the class.

I was wearing a custom-made denim dress with white sneakers and a tote bag. I had styled my locs into a half-up and half-down style, with the curls falling over my face. I finalised my look with a flawless natural makeup that I had spent weeks trying to perfect.

Stares followed me down the hallways as I tried to locate my class. I had to tug my dress lower because some of the stares were getting uncomfortable.

Mama had told me that things would get better when I became skinny, but I didn't feel good.

There are some faces I recognise from high school, and I could see the surprise on their faces as they tried to comprehend if I was still the same girl they loved to bully back in high school.

The same girl they loved to call Alora, the dirty pig.

"Awnn, little Alora thinks she is prettier now because she lost a couple of pounds. You can continue to dream because you are still that dirty pig."

The familiar sinister voice cackled, and my steps faltered as the harsh whispers flooded my head.

No...not today.

"I won't let you get to me today," I whispered, clenching my fists to stop my hands from trembling.

The voice scoffed, "I am you, Alora. You can't get rid of me." It mocked. "You need me to function, remember? How else would you know how pitiful you are or how miserable you are going to be for the rest of your pathetic life?"

My eyes watered with the words. It didn't matter how much I heard them; the effect was also devastatingly hurtful.

I pushed the voice to the back of my head and kept my head high as I began to walk, when I noticed the students were starting to give me odd looks.

I mimicked the cheerful expression on the student's face and continued trying to locate my class.

My relief, however, is short-lived when I see the last person I expected to see here.

Mallory Andrews had a frown on her face as she watched me approach. My hands became clammy and flew to my stomach on instinct.

I sighed in relief when my hands didn't fall on my bulging stomach. It was gone, I told myself. I was still finding it hard to get used to my new body.

"You are not the same fat girl she used to bully, Alora," I murmured, trying to encourage myself even though my knees still buckled when I thought of the last time I saw her"

I studied Mallory with envy. We may have gone to the same high school, but that was where our similarities ended.

Mallory was every bit the perfect person I had always wanted to be back in high school. Her long brunette hair was straightened to perfection, her clothes screamed class, and her makeup was flawless as always.

I couldn't remember Mallory being anything but pristine and classy. A stunning spawn of the devil.

I hated that even though I hadn't seen her in months, she was still able to make me feel like I should scramble back in fear.

I breathed out softly before putting on my mental armour and approached the class, determined to ignore her and not give her the chance to treat me the same way she did then.

Just as I was about to reach for the door, she placed a hand on mine, and I flinched back, a horrified scream almost escaping from my lips.

I recovered quickly, masking my expression before she could see something she would use to attack me.

"What do you want?" I spat, my voice coming out cold, and I gave myself a mental pat on the back for not sounding as shaky as I felt on the inside.

Mallory grimaced at my harsh tone, and she took a step back. "It's really you, Alora. When I saw you earlier, I thought you were someone else. You look and dress differently now. You've changed a lot," she said, eyeing the septum piercing on my nose.

"And? How is that any of your business?" I tensed, getting defensive. "What does my look have to do with you?"

"Alora..." She began, but I was scared. I couldn't help it, and the overwhelming urge to defend myself was so strong that I cut her off, not caring about consequences.

"Did you come to tell me about how much I've changed?" I continued. "News flash, Mallory, I have a mirror at home. I know I don't look like Alora the pig anymore. I don't need your eyes to see that." rushed out, aware that I was ranting, but I couldn't stop the words as they tumbled out of my mouth.

"Wow," Mallory whispered, eyes wide with surprise. "I...I...that's fair. I deserve it."

I was taken aback. This wasn't the reaction that I was hoping to get, but I wasn't about to stand around and wait for her to react that way.

"Excuse me," I told her and tried to leave, but she stopped me again.

"Wait," she practically screamed, but then recovered, "Please. I have something to say."

I frowned. What did she want? Couldn't she just let me go?

"I don't have anything to say to you. Please, just let me go," I pleaded, not caring again. I just wanted to escape her.

"I promise I'm not here to do anything you think I want to do." She held her hand out as she rushed to explain. "I just want to apologise."