Italy x Acne!Reader- the beauty within

"The hell is wrong with your face?"

"What kind of disease do you have? Never seen anything like it..."

"Hey! You should try washing your face!! God... that is so nasty."

A large group of bullies encircled me in the empty hallway. After school was their favorite time of the day to pick on me. They were having the times of their lives spitting out the most disgusting things. Yelling. Laughing. Pointing. Treating me like a freak act in a circus. Not that I enjoyed it. Defending myself was a different story. 

I've had acne for as long as I could remember. No, it wasn't a few pimples across my forehead. It was severe. Everyone knew that. Multiple red bumps, blemishes, scabs, and even (acne) scars coated my face. My forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin... As if I wore a hideous mask. I don't remember when this mess began. Where did my skin go? Will I ever get it back?

I helplessly watched their mean expressions. A familiar sting of tears burnt my eyes already. Why did I have to cry right at that moment...? 

"You're so ugly! It's not like anyone wants you around anyway..." A mean guy concluded. He knocked me to the floor with a single kick to my shin. My back hit hard against the lockers behind me. Another bruise to my collection I hid from my parents. They didn't need to know. All they'd do was make it worse.

I knew he was satisfied once he saw tears rolling down my pimply cheeks. He left the school, a smug smirk on his lips, his many followers trailing after. I was left alone to cry. I decided to walk home when I was certain they were gone.

Every single day at school played out exactly the same. From the first bell to the last. Everlasting harassment. All this bullying just because I looked different. I've used many treatments, even ones prescribed from various dermatologists. There was no solution. I ended up with the same result every time I tried. Make up didn't help a bit. No matter how much I used. It didn't look natural and was especially the most time consuming process. 

Would this nightmare ever end...?

* * * * *

"What on earth happened to you?" A rude girl asked. It felt more like an insult on my part. She scowled the entire time; and that is always how I'm going to remember her. The two friends at her side assisted her. I never heard so many horrible words used for me.

"Don't come back. Get lost. Nobody wants to see... that." She finished, pointing directly at me. Her cold eyes scanned me, up and down. Then one of her companions thought it would be cool to to yank my hair. Girl number three ended with a blow to my face. I prayed she didn't break my nose. They casually strolled away, their laughs echoed through the hallways, haunting me. I tried not to cry. But of course the opposite happened... It hurt so much. 

I dragged my arm across my nose. Blood stained my sleeve. And still more came gushing from my nostrils. My back slid against the wall until I was sitting on the tile floor. I threw my bag off and hid my face, using my bent knees and crossed arms. Suddenly, the door to the front office opened, making me dread that another person was near. I kept on crying. I didn't care anymore.

Footsteps were audible, walking by me... but then... they stopped.

"Excuse me... are you okay?"

Soft spoken.

Accented, too.

Very rare. 

Also, it was a voice belonging to a male.

I forced myself to lift up my head. He looked to be in the same grade as me. But I didn't recognize him. 

Honey colored eyes.

Auburn tinted hair.

One stray curl poking out.

It was his glowing skin that stood out the most to me.

"Are you going to bully me too?" I spoke after a silence of staring.

"What happened to you?! Are you okay?!" The boy asked. Those pretty eyes of his slightly widened in what looked like shock. "Why do you care...?" I replied dryly. He ignored my statement. I watched him dig around his back pack- that was fairly empty. A new student? Could it be? 

"Here they are! It's okay, you can keep it." He told me, handing me a small packet of tissues. "Oh... well, thank you." I responded. Why was he being so nice to me? We didn't know each other. "No problem!" He chirped back.

"Um... are you new to this school?" I asked awkwardly while holding a bunch of tissues to my nose. Worst first impression... ever. 

He nodded, smiling, reaching a hand out to help me stand. I picked my bag off the floor.

"Si! Uh... I mean, yeah! I recently moved here from Venice! And yes, my name is Feliciano Vargas." He introduced himself confidently and flawlessly. Very friendly with his words. I nodded. He was very, very cute...

"Oh. You can call me ________."

"_________! Okie dokie, _________! I hope to see you again!"

Feliciano mentioned, waving, parting his own way.

Not one comment about my face.

Huh.

I watched him walk away.

- the end ♥