Two years ago, February 15, she was on her way to her classroom when her plump body bumped a boy. As she was about to ask an apology, someone shouted "fat and ugly" and made her voice clogged up in her throat. She didn't recognize who yelled.

Her eyes reddened with a face was full of tears. "Fat and ugly. Fat and ugly." Voices echoed in her ears.

"Stop it! I'm fat but I'm not ugly. Stop it!" Tears streamed down her face as she ran away without direction for her eyes were blurry and her mind muddled. A friendly neighbor saw her as she ran in the opposite direction where she lived. The lady stopped her from running more and sent her to her house. That was days before the graduation day.

She couldn't bear to go back to school. She couldn't believe this happened to her. What was her fault to receive such hate?

That's right, Beauty Ferol was graduating from Senior high, but she locked herself eating a morsel for days. Her parents asked what had happened but felt lost for no words would come out of her mouth. Every day she cried until exhausted.

Her parents insisted and protested at school but to no avail. The teachers interrogated her classmates. However, they were afraid to tell the truth or had no clue about what happened. Evidently, most of them were one of those who yelled the demeaning phrase. Teachers visited and tried to talk to her, but she just remained inside her room.

With much consideration, her sad parents decided to send her to a different place to start a new life. She agreed and left feeling she let her parents down.

She was an 18-year-old girl who had pretty brown shiny eyes(the most attractive part), short black hair, smooth chubby face, and extra chin than the usual. Her body? Well, she was... fat.

She was facing the window watching the kids playing outside from her simple comfy small room. Her parents sent her to her mother's hometown and maternal house on a small island of Camotes. She was dazing at the window that she couldn't hear her grandmother Amelia calling her for dinner.

"Beauty, what a name but ugly on the surface." She uttered the words like a whisper but still, her grandma heard.

"Dear child, what are you saying to yourself?" She looked up and cupped the young girl's face, "Your Mama gave that to you after she saw this cute face and pretty eyes when you were born. Aya, don't be upset anymore. You know how much your parents love you." Her grandmother continued with a sterned face, "Only those scoundrels dared. If I was there then I will give them a good beating," as she raised and swished down her hand like holding a stick and beating someone's butt. The old lady consoled by holding her hand and patting her head afterward.

Beauty hugged her grandma. She wiped her wet face and tried to smile as not to dampen the mood. "Let's not talk about those things, Grand Mommy. What's for dinner?"

"I prepared your favorite grilled pork ribs and sautéd fish fillet. Eat heartily and wash away those worries. Come! Your Grand Daddy’s waiting. There will be nothing left for us if we don't hurry," laughingly joked in an easygoing manner by her grandmother.

The house was a two-story building and her room was on the second floor. She dashed her way through from her bedroom to the dining room. Her grandfather was sitting at the head seat and reading a newspaper. There she spotted the steaming hot grilled saucy ribs and the white fish fillet covered by thick brown sauce and onion leaves in the middle of the table. A big plate of white rice was beside it. Just looking at those she heard her stomach grumbled. They all laughed.

Grand Daddy placed the newspaper on a rack. "I thought you need more time to come. So I read some news or else I'll be tempted with those delicious ribs in front of me", he said while eyeing the succulent ribs.

"Hey wait, old man. I cooked these for your grandbaby and not for you. You wait while she takes her share first." She gently hit Grand Daddy’s hand that was ready to grab the ribs. “Let's say grace first.”

Grandma said a short prayer. She placed three pieces of the red grilled juicy ribs on Beauty's plate and some rice, but Grand Daddy couldn't wait. He grabbed a piece of the ribs using his hand and bit it without shame. The old wife scolded him again, but he didn't budge and continued to munch like a hungry child with some sauce shimmering on his lips. Beauty laughed seeing such sight which led all three of them laughing while eating.

The three of them were talking about the food Beauty loved to cook while enjoying the meal. No other topic mentioned so that this beloved grandchild would forget the agonizing experience to help her move on.

They were laughing heartily as she focused her gaze at her grandparents' faces. Both were now in their sixties. Grand Mommy, a retired teacher Amelia Pascual, was a slim and petite woman with short white hair. Her brown eyes glimmered when she laughed and her face had a few wrinkles under her eyes. She was sweet and kindhearted.

Her Grand Daddy, Albert Pascual, was a respected elder. He was tall with dark brown skin and muscular arms, the result of years of farming the lands. His hair tinted in black made his wife call him 'Old man in denial'. This grandpa's smiles formed wrinkles that almost covered his face but seeing his happy demeanor made one at ease with his presence.

Seeing their smiles with a carefree atmosphere, warmth, and love spread inside her heart.

"I'm glad I came here. Thank you Grand Daddy and Grand Mommy for receiving me here." She said those words as she stood up and embraced her grandparents.