I went out about an hour ago to play tennis, and was going alright until these three teen boys showed up on bikes. I was self-conscious but I didn't think they'd come over and say anything to me. But then, after I very visibly missed a ball, one of them was like "MISS!" One said something else but I don't know what it was. I flipped them off, as I've tended to do a lot in the past with bullies (it's like my only defense), and the same guy was like "I love that middle finger - I get that a lot." Then they just kept circling around the parking lot next to the courts, watching me. That, combined with the fact that I am overweight, very bad at tennis, and overwhelmed with anxiety and self-consciousness, I'd had enough. I was terrified of riding my bike home, which is about three blocks away, thinking they'd follow me there and make more comments and then they'd know where I live. I've been riding my new bike for the past couple of days and have been waiting for something like this to happen. I knew it would eventually? Why can't they just leave me alone?????? I read this now and it sounds like I overreacted, but while this was going on, I felt the exact same way as I did in elementary and middle school when these two girls would come up to me and start saying stuff. It's like my anxiety kicks into overdrive - these earlier situations, in fact, were the cause of my anxiety disorder in the first place.

I know I make too big of a deal over it, but I just want to be left alone. Now I know I'll never be able to bring myself to go play tennis again for fear of something like this happening. Please don't tell me to not let it bother me - for someone like me, it DOES.