It’s the first day of the new school year.
And this time, I walked through the front doors feeling like a completely different person.
Last year, I was the tiny girl everyone thought was someone’s little sister tagging along. People literally asked me if I was lost. Or worse, if I needed help finding the elementary school. Yeah, that was fun. But today? Nope. That’s over.
Because I’ve kept growing. I didn’t stop at five feet like I thought I might. As of this morning—after triple-checking with Mom’s measuring tape and having Dad mark the wall one more time—I’m officially 5'4. That’s six inches taller than I was when school ended last year. SIX. And I’m still only fourteen.
I’ve passed Hillary completely. She’s still hanging around 4'11, even though she insists she’s “almost” 5'0. And sure, maybe she is almost there, but I’ve been there, done that, and kept right on climbing. It’s not even a contest anymore, though. She’s stopped teasing me about height altogether. Actually, sometimes I catch her looking up at me like she’s still getting used to it.
To be honest? I’m still getting used to it.
This morning, when I looked at myself in the mirror before school, it was like seeing a new version of me. Taller. More grown-up. My legs go on forever now (seriously, I never thought I’d say that about my legs), and my shoulders are straighter. My clothes are totally different, too—no more kids’ section, no more hiding in baggy hoodies. I wear what I want now, and it fits.
And my curves? Yeah. I’m in a C cup now. Mom took me to get resized over the summer when I complained about how tight everything felt. When the woman at the store told me my size, I swear I nearly fell over. I went from flat-chested to this in a matter of months. It’s still wild. I’m not scrawny anymore—I look strong. Healthy. Confident. I stand up tall without even thinking about it.
So walking into school today... I was ready.
And everyone noticed.
People I’ve known since kindergarten kept doing double takes when they saw me. A few teachers even said, “Mollie? Is that really you?” Yep. It’s me. One of my classmates, Jason (who never even looked at me last year), actually stopped in the hall to say, “Whoa, Mollie, you got tall.” I shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but inside? I was beaming.
Even at lunch, when I sat down with my usual group of friends, there were comments. “You’re taller than my older sister now,” Ava said. “What are you, like 5'6?” (I’m not. Yet. But maybe soon!) I just smiled and told them I hit a late growth spurt. Like, really late.
Hillary wasn’t with me, obviously—different grades—but I know she heard about it because when we got home, she was super quiet at dinner. Dad kept giving me this knowing look like, Don’t rub it in. And I didn’t. Much.
But here’s the thing. I’m not trying to make Hillary jealous. I’m just finally feeling good about myself. I’m standing taller, walking into rooms without worrying if people think I’m too small or too young or too anything. I’m me. And I’m still growing. Mom said she thinks I’ve got a few more inches in me. Dad joked I might even pass him. He’s 6'2. That feels impossible... but honestly? After this summer, I’m not ruling anything out.
This is the year everything changes.
And I can’t wait to see how tall I’ll be by the end of it.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author
