“Jumbo, go away. Jumbo, go away.” Those were the lyrics to a song written about me by two boys in my fifth grade class. Three simple words, sung in repetition, whenever I was within earshot. Just three words that on their own were completely innocent, but combined would cause my face to burn from embarrassment [...]

And so she was perfect.  Her curly hair, perfumed with some expensive shampoo, bounced above her shoulder in delicate tendrils.  Her clothes were always pressed, fitted, new and always, always the coolest.  Boys flocked to her big brown eyes and dark Mediterranean skin.   Her face glowed with effortless, blemish free beauty.   I barely had the [...]