Chapter 1

I was born fat.

Before prom started, everyone was asking each other to be their date.

Someone shoved me toward Nicholas Reed and shouted for us to get together.

My face turned red, and I stumbled right into the arms of my tall, handsome childhood friend.

But Nicholas shoved me hard to the floor like he had touched something filthy.

“You disgusting fat pig, don’t touch me! Gross!”

“If I didn’t feel sorry for you getting bullied, I wouldn’t even bother with you!”

The whole class laughed at me.

Austin Walker, the star quarterback on the football team, helped me up from the floor.

“Nicholas Reed.”

“Do you really think everyone in the world is as blind as you?”

The whole room went silent in an instant.

He lowered his head and glanced at me, looking too serious for it to be a joke.

“Serena Hayes, you’ll be beautiful once you lose weight.”

Nicholas let out a sneer. “If she looks even half as good as the cheer captain after losing weight, I’ll livestream myself eating crap!”

He looked at my dress, which had split at the seams. “But, well, this sow’s biggest hobby is eating, so there’s no way she can lose weight!”

Another round of laughter broke out around us.

I covered my torn dress, looked at him, and all twelve years of my crush vanished in that moment.

That night, after I got home, I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself.

Five foot nine, 250 pounds.

I wrote down a plan in my notebook:

First, lose weight.

Second, change my college application and stop going to Harvard University with him.