I'll Be the One

by Lyla Lee

“After that, I vowed to enter a K-pop competition and never change myself like that if I got in. That’s why I’m here now. I want to show people that it’s okay to not be model-thin and exhaust yourself to the point of hospitalization. That girl failed me, so I want to be my own hero.”

Henry’s mouth widens into his full lopsided grin. He looks like a little kid who woke up to find a Christmas tree full of presents. “Let’s take all the cute pics!” he yells.

“I’m fat. People think it means I should hate myself, and when I don’t, it makes them uncomfortable. But this is just another part of who I am, and I’m happy with who I am.”