Lordy, do I know where you're coming from!
I wasn't the fat kid, but I was the kid who went to a small one room school house until it was time to start high school. While I knew a few of my classmates from 4-H and church I was way out of the loop in a *class* of 64 kids.
I was picked on and bullied unmercifally all through high school. For many years even my husband manipulated me terribly, until one day I decided I'd had ENOUGH! And grew a backbone! The night I told him on the way home if he was really that miserable he could walk the rest of the way home and his crap would be on the lawn when he got there, was an epiphany for me.
He didn't walk and now has a whole ton of respect for me. I just needed to put my foot down and stand up for myself!
I also had an issue with seeing a certain relative at the annual 4th of July picnic that most of the family thinks is a saint, he's not, I won't elaborate here, but suffice to say I told my Mother this year, I'm not going to the park and listening to all the drivel about how great he is. He's a bad person. and they all know it, but no one wants to admit it.
Guess what, my immediate family had our own party. Sans, butthead. All I had to do was speak up!
Don't be afraid! The only thing you really have to fear is the fear itself. Uhm, I think someone famous said that, but it's true!
Speak to the counselor, get a therapist, keep hangin out here, what ever you need to do! It's worth it!
Ok, I know that was a rant, but I'm trying to shed some crappy family baggage, getting better at it and feeling better too! Thanks for listening!