My classmates made fun of my birthmark for years

farther whenever I had to walk through them.

I kept my gaze lowered to the floor, my dark hair brushed across the left side of my face to hide the birthmark that spread over my cheek like a map of a place nobody wanted to see.

At 17, I had become very good at disappearing.

I headed home to the small apartment Mom and I shared. Mom worked two jobs, and continue reading …