@Sabrina<3

"Sabrina posted," my best friend said. I looked at my phone. Sabrina was the most popular girl on social media in the school. She had 12,000 followers on Instagram. I had ten, an assortment of a few of my friends and family. Sad compared to her. Her postings always made me think of something new. Of myself or of my life. This one had a picture of her in the mirror in an oversized shirt. She was wearing shorts. She looked fantastic. I would never post anything like it, as I don't like my legs. "Wow," my best friend said. I was marveling over it.

When I got home, I was determined to post something. I went on social media and looked through all my pictures. I took one and posted it. It was just me and my girlfriend together. We were doing mud masks. My family was fine with me being a lesbian. She was fine with that. My dad doesn't know, and nor would he care. My parents are divorced and he lives in Europe while we live in Canada. Quite the difference. But it was fine. He doesn't care. He never calls anymore. My mom's boyfriend's name is Tom. He is like a vampire, but once you get to know him, he's a teddy bear. He feels like my real dad. I think he should propose soon.

I post the picture. It blew up. I couldn't believe it. Just a cute aesthetic picture of the two of us blew up within an hour. I called my girlfriend over and we took a ton more. Every other day I posted a new picture. My newfound fame came at the disappointing loss of Sabrina. I looked up @Sabrina<3, and she only had a hundred followers. I talked to her the next day. We did a few collab pictures, but eventually, we ended it. She got back up there with me. We started to rule the school together. Everyone wanted to be my friend and on my good side. You would be shocked what a little fame can do.

And my girlfriend was happy with it. I didn't mention it to my mom, but when she found out she was very proud of me. But this happiness came at a cost. I received many hateful comments. I gained a platform everywhere, and I was loving all this attention. There was at least one person who pointed me out to everyone wherever I went. But I still got hateful comments about my body and my relationships that I got depressed. I felt so alone. My girlfriend couldn't take it and broke up with me. @Sabrina<3 and I began to be even more popular, and we became influencers.

That was when we were in high school. After we graduated, I started getting brands to do collaborations. I was sponsored by big, out-there brands. I got a new girlfriend. @Sabrina<3 started to have more collaborations, but I had more influence. For example, I wore this hat in one of my pictures. Almost every night from then on was everyone wearing that hat. I was happy. I moved in with my girlfriend, as she actually worked and had a house. We were rich by the time we were nineteen. I couldn't believe that one little picture had changed everything.

My life was blossoming. Everything was perfect until my dad found out what my life had turned into. He called weekly, telling me all sorts of stories about how terrible it was to be on that. But I didn't care. I was happy. And that was what really mattered. @Sabrina<3 and I were still really close, and we were like an unstoppable duo. My girlfriend and I were thrilled at our success. We were married at 20. We got a television show by the time we were 21. We had our first child. And everything was perfect. Tom and my mom got engaged, and they were happy. I began to have surgeries and things to make myself look better. I couldn't have been happier with myself.

And then nothing was perfect. My influence kept gaining and gaining. I was friends with people who were the most influential people around the globe. But I was also among the most hated people in the world. My wife kept insisting to keep doing this for fame and money. But I wanted my child to be hidden from all that. But my wife insisted that I kept doing it. I felt miserable. I was doing all this for her. I kept doing it, but I wanted to do more. I went to medical school and found a way to balance it all out. I became a nurse and got famous for that too.

We soon had another child. We were twenty-six. We were a growing, happy family. But we were still very troubled. We were rich beyond all needs and had everything we ever wanted. But still, it was not enough for my wife. I missed my life. I started to work harder than ever before to try to make a name for myself. I raised my two children in front of a camera and tried really hard to not let the fame get to them. Sometimes it did, but raising them with good morals and compassion for others was something that I was still so proud of. I loved my children.

@Sabrina<3 disappeared off the internet. I found out she spent all her money. She had nothing. I let her work for us, and treated her with the utmost respect, even if I was her boss. I taught my children to call her auntie, and pretended like she was my sister. She was the best at watching them while I worked. And even though she no longer wants to be online, something I respect her for, she is still as fabulous as that picture that inspired me. Now, 12,000 followers for me sounds like a tiny number of followers. But back when I first started, that sounded impossible.

I've changed so much over the past few years. But my life is still very good. And it all started with something as simple as a picture as inspiration. I have made it so far from the shy girl I used to be. If I told myself all those years ago this was who I was, I would call you crazy and a liar. But now, now I can see myself as happy as can be.