The first day of class is always nerve-wracking, but I didn’t expect it to start like this. It was 8 a.m., and I was running on maybe four hours of sleep. I kept my morning routine quick, just eyeliner, a swipe of lip gloss, and my usual clothing style. It was nothing fancy, but it helped me feel more awake. I wasn’t expecting anyone to notice, let alone comment on it.

When the teacher Mrs. Jones called my name. During roll call, I raised my hand and said, “Here...” She paused, her eyes scanning me for what felt like way too long. Then, with a tight smile, she said, loud enough for everyone to hear

“This isn’t a beauty school. Maybe you should spend less time dolling yourself up and more time studying.”

The whole class went silent. My stomach dropped. I felt my face heat up as her words sank in. Was she serious? I wasn’t even wearing much makeup. And why was she assuming I didn’t take school seriously? I’ve always been a good student all straight As and wearing eyeliner didn’t change that.

I looked around, noticing a couple of other girls wearing way more makeup than me. The teacher hadn’t said a word to them. So why single me out? Did I look like an easy target?

I wanted to say something to defend myself, but my brain was fried, and the last thing I wanted was to make a scene at 8 a.m. Instead, I just sat there, staring at her in disbelief. She raised her eyebrows expectantly.

Mrs. Jones: “Well? Aren’t you going to reply?”

Her tone was sharp, almost daring me to talk back. I shook my head, refusing to engage. She muttered something about me being disrespectful before moving on with the attendance...