“He knows how much it hurts when someone says something mean about your body,” Emma said. “So why would he do that to me?”
I explained that sometimes people hurt others because they’re afraid of being hurt themselves. But that didn’t make it fair.
Soon, Tyler came over to talk. Emma asked him directly whether he truly thought her arms were ugly.
“No,” he admitted. He explained that the boys had teased him about her arms, and he’d hoped she’d shave them so they’d stop.
Daniel asked Tyler how he’d feel if Emma were embarrassed by his skin and what he’d want her to do if her friends mocked him.
Tyler admitted he’d feel terrible and would want her to stand up for him.
“I’m sorry,” he told Emma.
She explained that she’d been so afraid of losing him that she’d taken her mother’s razor and considered shaving her arms.
